Chantelle Cameron: “We actually think Katie Taylor will retire or vacate the WBC title.”

Chantelle Cameron: “We actually think Katie Taylor will retire or vacate the WBC title.”

The long-running saga of the Katie Taylor-Chantelle Cameron rivalry will very soon have at least some kind of conclusion. The WBC has ordered Taylor to defend her WBC super-lightweight title against Cameron, who is the interim title holder and the mandatory challenger to Taylor’s world title. The WBC has given all parties until the 28th August to agree a deal, or the potential fight will then go to purse bids.

Taylor and Cameron have one win apiece, and it is a rivalry that is very much unfinished business. But Taylor, who is coming off her third straight victory over Amanda Serrano, has yet to decide her fighting future. Taylor could very easily walk away into the sunset and leave her sport behind. But the WBC have appeared to have somewhat forced her hand, at least in regard to her WBC bauble. In simple terms, Taylor has to fight Cameron, or she will likely be stripped unless she voluntarily vacates her belt. Taylor currently holds all the recognised world titles and would still retain the remainder of those belts.

It’s been a long and so far, fruitless chase for Cameron. Ever since Taylor got her revenge over Cameron in November 2024, the Northampton fighter has been chasing closure in their now bitter rivalry. But despite the WBC ordering the third fight, Cameron isn’t hopeful of getting her trilogy to play out the natural and desired way. “We actually think Katie Taylor will retire or vacate the WBC title,” Cameron told me over Zoom. “There is this narrative that Katie Taylor lives rent-free inside my head, and that is not the case. I am more than ready and prepared to face other opponents. But I am just glad that the WBC are doing the right thing and forcing Katie to fight me or vacate. It could have been like it was in the lightweight division when the titles were held up for a couple of years. I don’t think I will face Katie; I think I will be fighting for a vacant title against someone else.

“It will be a real shame if I don’t fight Katie again. But to be honest, I am just sick of chasing that fight. It’s completely out of my hands. I can only control what I can control. I don’t think Katie or her team wants the fight; they will be full of excuses. I have just accepted that now. It is such a shame. It’s more disappointing for the fans who want to see an actual trilogy, where it is one win apiece. There is bad blood now. There is no love lost. It’s a real shame for women’s boxing. But it takes two to have a fight.”

Since signing with Jake Paul and his Most Valuable Promotions, Cameron has put herself in prime position to get the major fights she craves. MVP has made some serious moves and financial investments into the female side of the sport. A talent-rich stable of fighters that is seemingly growing by the day. If, as expected, the third fight with Taylor doesn’t materialise, Cameron wants and should be able to secure another worthwhile opponent. “I will speak to my team, but I want a fight that I can really get my teeth into,” Cameron says of what she wants next. “I want a high-profile fight. I just want a big fight. I don’t just want to win another world title; I want to fight a name to win another world title. I love the fight with Holly Holm. That’s who I am gunning for, to be honest.”

Cameron has made major changes to her inner circle. Stephen Smith is now at the helm in the gym. A fighter-trainer relationship that is blossoming by the hour. But it is that hook-up with Paul and MVP that was the missing piece of her fighting jigsaw. A good 10-round points win over Jessica Camara on the undercard of the third fight between Taylor and Serrano started their working relationship off in solid style. It is notable how much MVP are pushing Cameron on their social media channels, something which Cameron is highly appreciative of. “There is now a massive difference,” Cameron told FightPost. “It’s the best move I have ever made. They are actually promoting me. They are actually going out of their way to say that I am the only one to have beaten Katie Taylor. Before, it was kind of forgotten about as if it didn’t happen. MVP are making so much noise about the fact that I am the only one to have beaten Katie. I haven’t had that before; they are screaming it from the rooftops. I have got a team that has really got my back. MVP can make these big fights happen for me. They are pushing it to happen as well. They have got the WBC straight on it. Katie has got the deadline of August 28th, and that’s that. MVP have been amazing, and they have been a massive turning point in my career.”

Cameron appears to have accepted the inevitable in regards to finding her closure with her great rival. But great rivalries don’t come along very often. Taylor and Cameron have served up two titanic encounters, and with the added spice, a third fight could be even better. It might be unfinished business inside the ring, but equally, it is also very good business outside of the ring. Cameron has dropped her demands significantly before to try and get that third fight with Taylor. But maybe this time, those deep pockets of Jake Paul could make Taylor an offer she can’t refuse. Cameron seems to have moved on, but in many ways, she shouldn’t have to.