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Barry McGuigan backs new signing to hunt down Katie Taylor

Barry McGuigan’s Cyclone Promotions have become the latest outfit to sign a female fighter, and ‘The Clones Cyclone’ believes he has the pick of the bunch.

The Monaghan man has signed Northampton lightweight Chantelle Cameron, an EU silver (2010) and bronze (2011) medalist who also won the Rio Olympic Test Event last year.

Cameron was defeated 28:10 under the old scoring system by Ireland’s Katie Taylor in her EU semi back in 2011, but McGuigan insists that the Englishwoman will be hunting down, among others, the Matchroom star

Writing in his column for the Daily Mirror, McGuigan outlined how “the plan is for her to fight at lightweight, and I guarantee Chantelle will be hunting down Katie Taylor and Natasha Jonas.”

“She looks at the likes of Taylor and Adams and the limelight they have enjoyed and she wants some of that, to show people that she is better than them.”

“Although Chantelle has never spoke about this, I just know it — I’m a fighter. I look at the way she moves in the ring. I have seen the rage, the venom in her punches.”

McGuigan, whose son Shane will train Cameron, acknowledged the increasing profile of pro female fighters and he is delighted to have signed the Far Cotton BC woman.

“The women’s game is taking off,” McGuigan noted. “The migration of Taylor and Nicola Adams from the amateurs to the pro ranks was proof of that, and significant.”

“I identified Chantelle as the girl for us, and when we sat down to talk about possibilities it was clear we were all in the right place.”

“She is made for the pro game — a terrific puncher with a real fighter’s heart.”

Cameron will debut this Friday at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on a Cyclone Promotions show, live on Channel 5. Here she will fight Karina Kopinska, who was also Katie Taylor’s debut opponent, over six two-minute rounds.

frayne carpentry

Joe O’Neill and Gavan Casey speak to Jason Quigley on Episode 5 of The Irish Boxing Show:

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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