From pretending she was a boy in order to fight to becoming an undisputed champion, Katie Taylor’s story is something to marvel at. And it's still not over. The undisputed lightweight champion is ready to readying herself to take over another division on May 20.
On Saturday, Taylor faces undisputed super lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena in Dublin, the first time she has competed as a pro in her home country. The fight airs on DAZN.
Fans have come from all over the world to see Taylor. The fight is a sell-out, which is something the Irish fighter is accustomed to. When she headlined New York’s Madison Square Garden against Amanda Serrano in April 2022, a sell-out crowd of 19,187 rapid fans cheered on both women.
A game-changing event, Taylor sees this upcoming fight as something that can top that. The entire experience has felt like a dream to her.
WATCH: Katie Taylor vs. Chantelle Cameron, live on DAZN
“I wouldn’t say it's affected my mindset, but it’s definitely going to be very loud on Saturday,” Taylor told The Sporting News’ Karisa Maxwell when talking about the energy heading into the fight. “We were just in the arena yesterday. It’s a ten thousand seater, very intimate. It’s definitely going to be a very loud arena. I’m just excited for it. Im really pinching myself. I’m a few days away from actually making my homecoming.
“I think the fight itself is going to be another epic fight, and I think the whole crowd are going to be on their feet. We’ve seen what happened inside Madison Square Garden. It was so loud in the arena that evening. It’s going to be even louder on Saturday evening.”
A 2012 Olympic gold medalist, Taylor turned pro in 2016. Since 2017, she has competed in 16 straight title bouts, becoming the undisputed lightweight champion in 2019 by scoring a close decision over Delfine Persoon.
“The Bray Bomber” has beaten some of the best in the sport including Jessica McCaskill, Natasha Jonas, and Serrano. She was supposed to fight Serrano in a rematch, but the latter pulled out due to injury.
Right away, Taylor knew she wanted to face Cameron. Taylor's not unfamiliar with "Il Capo," as the Irish fighter beat the Brit in the semi-finals of the 2011 EU Championships. She can't compare Cameron from then to now.
Taylor, who dreamed of fighting the likes of Laila Ali, Lucia Rijker, and Deirdre Gogarty, is ecstatic about the matchup featuring two game-changing champions.
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"The fight in the amateurs, it was long ago, and I think amateur boxing and professional boxing are very different,” Taylor said. “The minute Amanda Serrano pulled out of the fight, I knew the next, best option was Chantelle Cameron. It’s a huge challenge, a huge test. I love these sorts of challenges. I could have picked an easier fight for my homecoming, but what’s the point? I have a chance to make history, a bid to be a two-weight undisputed champion. I’m very much motivated for this fight. I relish these type of fights, these challenges. It’s definitely not going to be an easy fight, but I’m ready for whatever comes my way.”
Since losing the amateur bout against Taylor, Cameron forged her own path. The 31-year-old turned pro in 2017 as a lightweight before moving north. In 2020, she beat Adriana Araujo for the WBC super lightweight belt, and Mary McGee in 2021 for the IBF and The Ring belts. Facing a familiar Taylor opponent in Jessica McCaskill in 2022, Cameron beat the welterweight champion to win WBA, WBO, and Ring titles.
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Cameron has eight wins via knockout, throwing the second most punches per round with a 64.8 average. She also ranks first in jabs landed per round, averaging 5.3. A dangerous striker, Taylor has dealt with power before in Serrano. Though Cameron has age and strength on her side, Taylor doesn’t think she’s far off regarding skill. After all, they are undisputed champions for a reason.
“She’s obviously a very good fighter, an undisputed fighter herself. This is undisputed champion vs. undisputed champion. This doesn’t happen too often in boxing,” said Taylor. “She’s obviously very skilled, a good boxer. She does a lot of things well; she has a big engine, she’s bigger. She’s strong, but I’m also strong. I have a big engine as well. I’m ready for whatever comes my way."
