SATURDAY FIGHT TAKEAWAY
Chantelle: I’ll taste victory then order a Deliveroo
CHANTELLE CAMERON has no big celebration plans as she plots to be the party pooper in Dublin this weekend.
“I’m boring,” she said with a laugh. “I’ll go to my room and probably get a Deliveroo. Wait for it to sink in and think, ‘Bloody hell I’ve done it.’”
What she hopes to have done is ruin Katie Taylor’s big homecoming night at the 3 Arena.
The Irish star, 36, has never fought in her homeland as a professional but this Saturday night that will change when she faces Northampton’s Cameron, 32, in a battle between two undisputed and unbeaten champions.
Lightweight queen Taylor called for a clash with the light-welterweight dominant force in what is sure to be one of women’s boxing’s best fights.
But it won’t be the first time they’ve met in the ring – 12 years ago Taylor outboxed Cameron in the semi-finals of the EU Championships in Poland.
Taylor was already the queen of women’s boxing while Cameron had had less than 10 bouts and had just quit kickboxing.
“She was going to beat me but I showed her too much respect,” said
Cameron.
“It was all so new to me. I was boxing a famous person. That’s a long time ago, it was amateurs. This is 10 rounds, smaller gloves.”
Some in boxing were surprised Taylor called out Cameron for the bout when her original plan for a rematch with Amanda Serrano was dashed by an injury to the Puerto Rican.
It would be a shock with the bookmakers if Cameron wins and it would earn her huge plaudits – not that she would embrace the adulation.
Even getting a bit more known at home in Northampton freaked her out.
“I was out for a run the other week and some fella pulled up behind me in a van and I s*** myself,” said Cameron.
“I thought he was going to take me! He just said, ‘Best of luck, I’m rooting for you.’ He wasn’t trying to kidnap me.”
Now Cameron is the one looking to frighten people by spoiling Taylor’s homecoming party. Just don’t expect her to go wild in celebration.