UFC superstar Conor McGregor was ringside last Saturday night in Dublin, to watch Katie Taylor attempt to become a two-division undisputed world champion.
Taylor was originally scheduled to face Amanda Serrano in a rematch. The fight fell through when Serrano withdrew with an injury.
In what many saw as an unexpected move, Taylor openly called out undisputed junior welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron.
Things did not go as planned, with Cameron outworking and outlanding Taylor over ten rounds to secure a majority decision win. One judge scored it a draw at 95-95, with the remaining two submitting an identical tally of 96-94.
McGregor, who is close friends with Taylor, felt the contest should have been scored a draw.
“Sport won tonight, it was a great one. A very close fight. Katie went up a weight at the drop of a hat to make this event happen. She didn’t have time to build up to the weight. She took a chance,” McGregor told BBC Radio Five Live.
“We had it a draw there. The nerves at the start of the fight set her back. She wasn’t Katie at the start. She was Katie from midway on when she started to come on into her own. Close fight but I’d call it a draw.”
Taylor, who is currently the undisputed world champion at 135-pounds, plans to exercise an immediate rematch clause for a second contest with Cameron. With eight sanctioning belts between them, there is always the possibility that one of them, if not both, will be ordered to make a mandatory defense of a title.