The anticipated homecoming of Katie Taylor was tragically cut short last night at the 3 Arena in Dublin.
Seven years after quitting the amateur ranks in the wake of her disappointment at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Taylor, 36, finally had the chance to box on home soil as a professional. Since then, she has won 22 matches to claim the uncontested lightweight world championship. She had been unbeatable.
When Taylor’s rematch with Amanda Serrano was delayed because the Puerto Rico fighter withdrew due to injury, she accepted to face Chantelle Cameron in her place. Earlier plans to return home to compete at Croke Park failed owing to arguments over costs.
It was a brave choice because it required the Bray wonder to step up to super lightweight to compete against the Englishwoman, who came into the fight also unbeaten and was 17-0.
However, Taylor’s gamble didn’t pay out as her army of supporters who had filled the docklands arena were shocked into near silence as the impressive Cameron won with a unanimous vote.
The fact that the partisan crowd did not protest told the tale, as her 31-year-old rival’s committed performance impressed two judges, who gave Cameron a score of 96-94, with one ruling it a draw.
As the outcome was known, Taylor’s face fell in disappointment, but she quickly got up and thanked her supporters.
The one piece of good news for the home favourite was that she was able to keep her world titles because they were not in jeopardy. There will be tremendous excitement in witnessing Taylor and Cameron resume their fight because it is stipulated in their contract that they do so.
On Friday at the Mansion House, Ireland’s ring queen recorded her heaviest weight to yet of 139.7 lbs, which put her on pace with her rival.
As a result, the power gap between them shrank, making Cameron Taylor’s strongest opponent ever but simultaneously making Taylor the heaviest person she has ever been entering about.
Taylor soaked in the mood as she emerged for her ring walk and was incredibly confident as she took in the thousands of people applauding her arrival. Deirdre Gogarty, her childhood idol, was watching from the stands.
However, Taylor only sometimes responded to Cameron’s left jab as she advanced in the opening round, and Taylor immediately realized she was in a fight.
She didn’t get going until the middle of the second round when a strong left-hand blow to Cameron’s face brought her to her feet and helped her win the round.
The Northampton woman jumped out to an early lead in round four, but Taylor countered with some of her signature combinations, including one after the round that made her opponent smile.
While Taylor was able to avoid the majority of Cameron’s bombs, her opponent was pinning her against the ropes, showing she had the advantage during the first five rounds.
Taylor maintained more of her composure in the exciting sixth round as the two traded shots and a stronger seventh round put Taylor back in the driver’s seat.
Taylor delivered some decisive strikes before round nine, a thrilling second-round contest in which Taylor prevailed before Cameron launched her onslaught. Her coach, Ross Enamait, was considerably delighted when Taylor returned to her corner.
Taylor needed a big round to finish and encouraged by the enthralled audience, she gave it her all. Cameron did the same, and she was right when she felt afterward that she had accomplished enough. Before it, Kildare’s Garry Cully was defeated by veteran Felix Jose Junior; the fight was stopped two minutes into the third round.
The Boxing Union of Ireland Celtic Heavyweight title was won by Thomas Carty as he knocked out Jay McFarlane. Dennis Hogan also had a disappointing loss, rightly falling to JJ Metcalfe on points.
In the sixth of the eight planned rounds, Paddy O’Donovan defeated Sam Maison to earn his 11th consecutive victory.
[Source: irishmirror.ie]
