The list of options was endless for who Katie Taylor could have faced in her long overdue homecoming.
Little thought would have been given had the Irish superstar opted for the safest possible option for this weekend’s DAZN headliner at 3Arena in Dublin. A walkover fight would have been forgiven, especially in the wake of Taylor losing out on a lucrative rematch with Amanda Serrano, who was forced to withdraw early in the promotion due to an injury that never fully healed in time to proceed with Saturday’s event.
Instead, Taylor took the bold step to not only move up in weight and fight Chantelle Cameron, but call out the undisputed junior welterweight champion on social media. It was uncharacteristic of the Irish superstar, though also a reminder that the goal was never just to return home but to make sure everyone remembered the event.
“For sure, the minute Amanda Serrano pulled out of the fight, the best option was Chantelle Cameron,” Taylor told BoxingScene.com and Sporting News during an intimate media roundtable. “It’s a huge talent, a huge test.
“I could have picked an easier fight but what’s the point? I have a chance to make history on Saturday night and become a two-weight undisputed champion.”
The selection of England’s Cameron (17-0. 8KO) is right in line with the absurdly high level of competition Taylor (22-0, 6KOs) has faced in her seven-year but already historic career.
The bout will mark just the second for the 36-year-oid Bray, Ireland native above the lightweight limit where she’s held the undisputed championship since 2019. Taylor won her first major title in 2017 in just her seventh pro bout. She achieved the rare feat of dethroning four individual titleholders to achieve undisputed championship status, having done so by her fourteenth pro bout in a June 2019 win over Delfine Persoon at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Taylor moved up in weight five months later and outpointed Christina Linardatou to win the WBO junior welterweight title. The reign was short-lived, as she gave up the belt to return to lightweight where she has made seven defenses of the undisputed championship. Chief among them was her historic win over Serrano last April 30 in front of a sold-out MSG which drew a seven-figure gate and an unprecedented 1,500,000 viewers on DAZN.
Serrano since returned to featherweight where she became the first Puerto Rican boxer—male or female—to achieve undisputed championship status with back-to-back unification wins last September and earlier this February. A win over Erika Cruz saw Serrano win the WBA featherweight title and defend the WBC, IBF and WBO titles. Her feat was celebrated by Taylor, who was ringside at MSG’s Hulu Theater and joined Serrano in the ring to formally announce their planned May 20 rematch in Dublin.
Once Serrano withdrew, Taylor decided it was time to move up in weight and once again make history. Saturday will mark the first-ever fight between undefeated, undisputed champions in the multi-belt era.
“I relish these types of fights and these types of challenges.,” insisted Taylor. “I’m ready for whatever comes my way.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox