Chantelle Cameron: The New Chapter Begins

Chantelle Cameron: The New Chapter Begins

It was a difficult fight week for Chantelle Cameron. Visa complications delayed her arrival in New York, arriving with only a couple of days to spare. But Cameron put that nightmare build-up behind her to comprehensively and impressively outpoint the tough Canadian Jessica Camara on Friday night at that iconic Madison Square Garden.

It was, in many ways, a new beginning for Cameron. Now aligned with Jake Paul and his Most Valuable Promotions, a move that should see Cameron forcing open doors that were seemingly always slammed shut in her face. After parting ways with Grant Smith, Cameron is now being trained by Stephen Smith. The hook-up with Paul and Smith looks to be an inspired piece of business for all concerned. Not everything has worked out in recent times for her, but you sense this could be everything that Chantelle Cameron has been looking for. Cameron, especially, will see plenty of light and hope that her new chapter could be even better than what came before.

The hard-fought points victory over the incredibly tough Camara was almost the perfect start to that new chapter. The scores were wide, 98-92, 99-91, and 99-91, and an accurate reflection of the dominance of the Northampton fighter. But the Canadian made her work for her victory, especially in the opening stages of the contest. But Cameron moved through the gears impressively down the stretch. I did think at one stage that Camara wouldn’t hear the final bell. But the betting underdog deservedly lasted the ten-round distance.

As the rounds progressed, Cameron settled into the fight quite nicely, adjusted well to her opponent’s strengths, and despite her troublesome week, finished the fight much the stronger fighter. At 34, Cameron showed that there is plenty more to come.

Discussions will be ongoing about what is to come. Jake Paul has influence, and crucially, the money to make things happen for Cameron. The supporting role she played on Friday night is unlikely to be replicated going forward. Cameron wants the big nights and the big fights; Paul will likely deliver them for her.

It’s no secret who Cameron wants. But does that fighter want Cameron?

Katie Taylor ended her trilogy with Amanda Serrano with another victory in the headline act on Friday night. Three fights. Three straight wins for Taylor. But the current undisputed world super-lightweight titleholder has another trilogy ready and waiting for her. A far more meaningful one. Two fights. One win apiece. Unfinished business. Good business. At least it should be.

But Taylor seemed to be in no mood to entertain a third fight with Cameron. At the post-fight press conference, Taylor said.

“I think Chantelle has to see if she can sell out a 1,000-seater arena first. I don’t think she could sell out any stadium at all. I think I’ve made her more money than she really deserves, to be quite honest.” Hardly words of encouragement for the Cameron team.

That third fight could have already happened. Before the second fight with Serrano was even in play, Cameron reduced her demands significantly to secure that third fight.

“I accepted all the terms for the third fight, agreeing to 50% less money and going back to Ireland again,” Cameron told me last year. “She wanted an easier fight before agreeing to the second fight with Amanda. That’s why our trilogy never happened. That’s what people forget, I accepted half the money from the first two fights and agreed to go back to the 3Arena, they weren’t expecting me to agree, but when I did agree to all the terms, that’s when they pulled out of the fight. I got a phone call saying Katie wanted to fight her mandatory. I accepted everything, and we even had a date, May 25th. But they wanted an easier fight, but obviously, the Amanda Serrano fight then came along.”

But Cameron has at least some semblance of hope that, despite the perceived reluctance of Taylor, her preferred fight might now happen. Cameron is the WBC interim champion and the mandatory challenger to Taylor. The WBC allowed the third fight with Serrano under the proviso that the winner must fight Cameron next. Cameron will hope that the issue is forced, but also knows that the WBC were far too lenient in her lightweight days. Taylor went over two years without defending that bauble before she eventually vacated it late last year.

“I think Katie knows deep down that I will beat her again,” a confident, if frustrated Cameron once told me. “I know I can and will beat Katie Taylor again.” But will she get the chance? Time will tell.

Cameron is probably of the acceptance that she won’t get Taylor again. Boxing politics have worked against her before. They may well do again. If Taylor or her team don’t want the fight, it just won’t happen. Cameron will hope Jake Paul makes Katie Taylor an offer that she can’t refuse.

But Taylor or not, Cameron should get an opportunity to reclaim at least one of her old belts in her next fight, before moving up to welterweight and possibly facing the likes of Mikaela Mayer up at welterweight at some point in 2026. After three wins since losing that rematch to Taylor in 2023, Chantelle Cameron has waited long enough in the shadows.

Photo Credit: Most Valuable Promotions