Katie Taylor suffers first pro defeat as classy Cameron spoils homecoming
UNFAMILIAR FEELING: Katie Taylor after her defeat to Chantelle Cameron in their undisputed super lightweight championship fight at the 3Arena in Dublin. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
In front of a sell-out 3Arena, Katie Taylor suffered her first career defeat against Chantelle Cameron on a 95-95, 96-94, 96-94 majority scorecard decision.
The unbeaten English woman defended her IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO women's super-lightweight titles. Taylor remains lightweight champion.
“It was obviously a very close fight. It is not how I wanted my homecoming to go. I am just so grateful for the support regardless. Thank you so much,” an emotional Taylor declared afterwards before turning to the victor. “Thank you so much for this opportunity to fight for your belts. Looking forward to the rematch.” It remains to be seen if Cameron wants one.
From the off there was a sense the atmosphere in the arena would be special in time for Saturday’s main showdown. On Friday, heavyweight Thomas Carty was forced to change his ring walk music after Matchroom informed him ‘Zombie’ by the Cranberries had already been chosen.
Instead, the Dubliner was serenaded out to an a cappella version of the ballad ‘Grace’, which broke into ‘Run This Town’. Trainer Packie Collins, who is a younger brother of Ireland’s most successful male boxer Steve, nodded calmly throughout. This is their city after all.
By the second round, "Olé, Olé, Olé" was bouncing around the bleachers as a right cross and huge left dropped Jay McFarlane. He was floored twice more in the third and the bout was called just before the bell.
Elsewhere on the undercard, there were wins for Limerick welterweight Paddy Donovan and rising star Caoimhin Agyarko but a devastating 117-110, 117-110, 115-112 score defeat for veteran Dennis Hogan who lost his IBO World Super Welterweight Title belt to England's James Metcalf.
The Kildare native left Ireland during the recession and forged an outstanding career from Australia, consistently going to alien and hostile realms in a search of dream silverware. That venerable trek took its toll by the time the 38-year-old brought a belt back.
It quickly went from bad to worse for the locals. Throughout the night the noise from the crowd crept up until Naas lightweight Gary Cully entered the ring. Suddenly in the third Jose Felix rocked the room with a huge left hand that sent a distress flare into the Dublin sky. The sell-out venue answered the call to arms with a deafening roar, but that support was no refuge for the Pete Taylor-trained southpaw. He went from stunned to shook. In the end his corner threw in the towel after the fight was inexplicably allowed to continue far past its obvious endpoint. It is Cully’s first loss as he moved to 16-1.
Away from the result of Taylor’s fight, returning to this particular place had its own significance. Just over 14 years ago she boxed here as an amateur on the Bernard Dunne vs Ricardo Cordoba undercard. In the interim, the sport has been dragged through the dirt and left at death’s door. Taylor has always been determined to bring it back. The lyrics that she walked out to acknowledged as much.
The two opening rounds settled into a familiar pattern. Cameron came out on the front foot and claimed centre ring. They both found joy with overhand rights in the second, yet Taylor took some points with a flurry on the bell.
Cameron picked off nice shots in the third as the aggressive advance continued. Towards the latter period of that round the instruction came from her corner to go low and work the body. Taylor’s spinout hooks and sweet head movement just kept the brawler at bay although by the time she returned to her stool her hair braids had almost completely unravelled. The English woman could rightly claim three of the opening four rounds.
In round five Cameron finally pinned the favourite on the ropes. Even when Taylor summoned classy exchanges, they seemed to bounce off a bigger foe. All week long this contest was billed as boxer versus fighter. The prophecy was fulfilled for a time. It was an overwhelming charge and only a matter of time before all were sucked in.
In the sixth they cast off the branding and stood toe-to-toe. This was always going to be part of the terms and conditions; a dustup was inevitable. ‘No rest,’ was the scream from Cameron’s corner in the seventh. They could sense a shock. So could everyone else.
In the eighth the referee was made work as they wrestled and grappled throughout the two minutes. Taylor’s trainer Ross Enamait called her forward and Taylor edged the closing exchanges. There was little pattern to the violence in the final rounds. Taylor once again found herself on the ropes taking serious punishment. At this point the 36-year-old’s heart shone through. She refused to take a backwards step, dug deep, bit down and traded leather until the end.
“And still,” came the verdict. Cameron’s hand went up and Taylor’s head slumped down. Ultimately, she fell just short having taken on an elite challenge.
At no point this week would the Irish sporting legend have considered losing as the likely outcome. However, there is every chance that at some point in her career she would have contemplated how the first defeat might come. In the end she went down on her terms and the only way she knows how.
Swinging.
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