Backed into a corner and written off. It’s when the true greats really come out to play.
Have no doubt, that is exactly what two-weight undisputed champion Katie Taylor is.
First, let’s get the controversy out of the way. Yes, dethroned super-lightweight queen Chantelle Cameron was denied a legitimate knockdown in round one by a bizarre refereeing call.
Talking of refereeing, Cameron’s corner was increasingly furious that holding from the home fighter went unpunished by Roberto Ramirez Jr. Finally, a 98-92 scorecard was lopsided in the extreme.
However, Team Cameron knew that the deck would be stacked against them when agreeing to return to Dublin after Chantelle’s immaculate performance in May. You sign for the money, you take your choice.
It must also be said that plenty of sage observers felt Taylor needed everything to go her way and a little bit more to have a chance. But have no doubt, Taylor was a worthy winner on this most stirring of nights.
After dusting herself down in the aftermath of that shocking opener, Taylor found herself on the backfoot as was the case in the first fight. The margins at the elite level are razor thin and the hometown hero made the necessary rematch adjustments on those parameters.
Cameron moved forward aggressively once more, but it verged on recklessness as the red mist came down after the first-round injustice. The red mask for the Englishwoman was no longer just metaphorical after a painful head clash in round three.
Was that a knockdown? 👀#CameronTaylor2 pic.twitter.com/trh3trXiqJ
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) November 25, 2023
Taylor’s calculations of distance and timing at close quarters were masterful as Cameron’s ramrod jab missed too often and she shipped spiteful combinations in return.
Roared on by a 3 Arena crowd on the brink of collective hysteria, Taylor had all the encouragement she needed against arguably the best fighter she’s ever faced, digging deeper to find extra reserves at 37 years of age.
It remained up for grabs until the last (unless you’re a judge who might have enjoyed a little too much of the local hospitality) and Taylor would not be denied, before chastising us all for the perfectly logical transgression of writing her off. Like all the greats do, from Muhammed Ali to Sugar Ray Leonard, because they need not deal in logic.
After all, if you’re the sporting phenomenon who made women’s Olympic boxing possible through skills only surpassed by your own bloody-mindedness, why wouldn’t you feel the improbable is always achievable and identify new horizons as the obvious next destination?
For Taylor now, the only new ground left to attain is the hallowed Irish sporting turf of Croke Park, Dublin's 82,000-capacity concrete temple of the Gaelic Games. There were originally plans to stage the first Cameron fight there before security costs proved prohibitive.
"Croke Park HAS to happen"
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) November 25, 2023
Well said @EddieHearn 👏#CameronTaylor2 pic.twitter.com/sY5fSv477v
The shocking scenes of violence on the streets of Ireland’s capital this week shouldn’t be forgotten when it comes to planning this dream sporting bonanza. But who, after everything, is about to say no to reigning two-weight undisputed champion Katie Taylor?
Taylor vs Cameron III would sell out a stadium in a heartbeat. Cameron did not take part in any post-fight interviews on DAZN and might feel slightly aggrieved that her broadcaster and her promoter Matchroom leaped so gleefully into the Taylor party.
Cameron remains one of the pound-for-pound finest fighters in the sport, there are plenty of other big nights out there for her. On the other hand, if the money made Cameron vs. Taylor 2 make sense for the then-champion, you’d better believe a trilogy would bring in more than enough cash. It could even be for Taylor's 135 lbs titles — the fight Cameron so badly wanted this time.
And what of Amanda Serrano, the undisputed featherweight champion? Assuming we could find a table big enough for all their belts, just imagine a Croke Park rematch of their 2022 thriller at Madison Square Garden.
Serrano might have a mandatory obligation to take care of first against Skye Nicolson, the former Australian Olympian who extended her professional record to 9-0 on the Cameron-Taylor 2 undercard.
If that’s the case, how about Taylor vs. Cameron III at Croke Park in May 2024, with Taylor vs. Serano II to follow in September? Sure, it might sound like the stuff of fantasy, dreams and fairytales. But this is Katie Taylor we’re talking about.