Katie Taylor has never been an underdog. Maybe not even as an amateur. Before she began pocketing large wads of cash for her abilities, she was practically unbeatable in the unpaid ranks. By the time she turned pro, Taylor racked up 176 wins and an Olympic gold medal. The pros are supposed to be tougher but she sliced and diced her competition with little to no issues.
Taylor had everything she ever wanted from a legacy standpoint. She was an undisputed champion at 135 pounds and was safely entrenched in the conversation as the greatest female fighter of all time, although Claressa Shields would tell you that she’s already got that achievement in the bag. Point is, Taylor was a made woman. Still, she wanted more.
There was no one left at 135 pounds. Well, no one that could give her a historical win. Chantelle Cameron, however, the current 140-pound undisputed champ, checked all the boxes. She was a great fighter, a recognizable name, and held all of the hardware five pounds north. Taylor wanted her head on her mantle.
Unlike her previous 22 ring appearances, Cameron refused to let Taylor have her way. It was a tough fight. A physical one. But one that Taylor normally pulls out. This time around, she didn’t. Taylor had too much pride to simply accept defeat so the two will do it again on November 25th.
In some instances, fighters who come up short for the first time begin to question themselves and are a bit unnerved. In this case, Taylor’s self-belief hasn’t been dented in the slightest.
“I’m confident that if I perform to my ability I will win regardless of who’s on the other side of the ring,” Taylor told Matchroom Boxing. “I can’t wait to step in there.”
There’s a light at the end of Taylor’s tunnel. All fighters have one but at 37, hers is far closer. Taylor has done it all. Winning gold at the Olympics and becoming an undisputed champion are seldom achievements.
Ultimately, once she walks away from the game for good, she’ll be inducted into the Hall of Fame as soon as she’s eligible. But while it appears as though her legacy is already set in stone, Taylor believes that a win over Cameron would take her to another level.
“I think a win would even increase my legacy.”