It’s set be a huge occasion on Saturday night when Katie Taylor fights in Ireland for the first time as a professional. Facing Chantelle Cameron in what promises to be an exciting contest, Taylor’s homecoming is not about her parading herself, the Irish star has jumped into a very hard contest, and you have to give her all the credit in the world for that.
Since turning professional, Taylor has been an absolute joy to watch and the way she just keeps collecting world titles is something I admire. Fights in Britain and America have been must-see events and who can forget her absolute war with Amanda Serrano last year in Madison Square Garden? I think Saturday night could top that.
This fight comes down to two things for me. Has Taylor jumped up too much? Or will the size of the event get to Cameron? We’ve seen Taylor take part in some hard contests over the last few years and in Cameron she’s facing an undisputed champion who’s at her very best. I can't stop thinking whether this is a step too far for Taylor?
Going into the fight with Serrano in 2022, I thought the same to be honest because Katie has put so much into her career, amateur and pro, so you’re always left thinking when it’ll catch up with her. She answered those doubts brilliantly by taking everything Serrano had and firing back with more, but has she got it in her again at a higher weight against someone who is at their peak?
Chantelle has really impressed me with what she’s achieved in the sport so far and in Jamie Moore, she’s got a very sharp boxing in her corner. This is the biggest fight of her life by quite a distance and to be in the opposite corner to Taylor in Dublin could be a daunting task. She must stick to the task and just fight the fight and not the occasion, and it’ll be interesting to whether she can do that.
One thing that’s certain is that it’s going to be an outstanding fight between two women who are an absolute joy to watch. Both Katie and Chantelle have dived headfirst into big challenges in the past, and the pair of them are set to do it again against each other. Taylor’s experience and Cameron’s size promises so much, and I can’t wait for this to get underway. It could be something very special.