Seconds out for round two – and still too close to call
THIS time, it will be different. In more ways than one. Chantelle Cameron is the champion defending her title and she will be afforded all the advantages that goes with being the fighter putting their belts on the line.
It means the Englishwoman will be the last into the ring next weekend. It may appear trifling but stuff like that matters in a big fight.
Cameron was annoyed about being treated like the challenger in the first bout, and seen as nothing more than the support act in Katie Taylor’s big night, and perhaps that lit an even greater fire within her to ruin the party in Dublin.
However, it was completely understandable. Last May was about Taylor finally coming home. After six and a half years taking women’s boxing to new levels, Ireland finally got a chance to welcome back a national icon. In the end, the pageantry, with the long ring entrance, and the sheer emotion of the occasion might have had an effect. Taylor certainly did not seem to have her usual energy during those bruising ten rounds.
Of course, Cameron played her part in that. From the opening bell, the younger and fresher fighter set the terms of engagement. She dictated the tempo of the fight and continually sought to box on the front-foot. And she simply out-worked Taylor over the ten rounds.
Cameron threw a much greater volume of punches, but the Irish woman was the far more precise puncher on the night, landing almost 40% of her shots compared to her opponents’ 25%. But such was Cameron’s reach that Taylor was unable to get inside enough to cause enough damage.
It will be fascinating to see what tactics Taylor and her coach Ross Enamait employ for the rematch. It won’t be as emotionally-draining an experience as last May, and when she last had a rematch – after the controversial win over Belgian boxer Delfine Persoon – she gave a much better version of herself in the second bout. But that was three years ago. Taylor has endured four absolute wars inside the ring – two against Persoon, the classic with Amanda Serrano and the bruising battle with Cameron – in the past few years. It is only natural to wonder what sort of toll that has taken.
Watching last May’s bout back earlier this week, it was clear that Taylor wanted to turn it into the textbook speed v power scrap.
But Cameron never allowed her to do that. Her courage and determination to keep coming forward, as well as her ability to close off the ring for her smaller opponent, was key to the victory.
And a salient point remains that Taylor is stepping up in weight. Again. Had this bout taken place at lightweight back in May, there is little doubt that it would have been Cameron who was at the disadvantage.
Looking back on the bout this week with a fresh pair of eyes, it is easy to agree with Eddie Hearn about how thrilling the first bout was. However, it was in the middle rounds – five to seven – that Taylor seemed to lose it, even if the sixth was probably the most entertaining stanza of the whole night.
The worrying thing is that Taylor looked gassed in those rounds, although that may have been an effect of taking so much punishment from a bigger fighter. Minimising that early on will be integral to Taylor setting the record straight next week.
She needs to depend on her craft, ring intelligence and speed and avoid being dragged into a dust-up. Just as she had to do in the first fight. If she can reverse the result, it’s difficult not to agree with Hearn’s assessment that it might be the greatest achievement yet of her career.
Taylor v Cameron II, Saturday Nov 25, live on DAZN from 10pm
Cameron threw more punches but Taylor was more precise