Team Chantelle Cameron deny Katie Taylor MTK roadblock
Team Chantelle Cameron are unaware of any background issues that would prevent a Katie Taylor fight coming to fruition.
The English fighter is chasing a clash with Ireland’s undisputed world champion but Cameron’s association to MTK Global has been suggested in boxing circles as a potential stumbling block.
This, however, is news to Chris Curry, head of F5 Sports Management, Cameron’s backer, and he does not believe his fighter’s team pose an issue.
Taylor [15(6)-0], who will not fight in Dublin following Gardaí advice, rematches Delfine Persoon on August 22nd at Matchroom Fight Camp in Essex.
This fight came about following the withdrawal of Amanda Serrano but, in the interim, Cameron [12(7)-0] had offered her services.
It was not the first time that the destructive Northampton puncher had called for a fight with Cameron having been continually linked to the Olympic gold medallist ever since turning pro with Barry McGuigan’s Cyclone in 2017.
Taylor’s manager, Brian Peters, dismissed early links while suggesting a ‘we’ll-see-down-the-line’ approach but, since Cameron’s move to MTK last year and her becoming WBC mandatory for the Irishwoman, things have become a little quieter.
The MTK link-up and and unwillingness for Taylor to be associated with that company has been whispered but this is unconfirmed.
While citing other reasoning, promoter Eddie Hearn has also stated that the fight is not on the agenda. As recently as the press conference following Taylor’s last fight, the Matchroom boss stated that a Cameron meeting was not on the agenda – with Serrano, Persoon, and Cecilia Braekhus all above her in the pecking order.
Hearn said “Chantelle Cameron is a really good, young fighter. No disrespect to her, because you want to give the young fighters coming through that opportunity one day. But, right now, the focus is on those three, four, five fights.”
Furthermore, in the press release for Cameron’s signing by Matchroom last week, Hearn did not suggest a fight between the pair. Then, in his subsequent IFL interview, he reiterated that Taylor had other targets and outlined a different path for Cameron at light welterweight versus the likes of Kali Reis and Christina Linardatou.
Despite the rather blatant distancing, which some also feel is ‘ducking’ on the part of Taylor, Curry insists that there is no block.
The fight boss told Irish-Boxing.com that “from F5 Sports Management’s point of view, we haven’t heard anything suggesting Katie wont fight Chantelle because she is managed by MTK.”
“MTK handle all Chantelle’s boxing commitments and F5 Sports handle her business, commercials and media.”
“Unfortunately I’m unable to discuss anything we spoke about when dealing with Matchroom apart from saying everything was very positive and we are looking forward to an exciting few years for Chantelle.”
“All I can say is at this point as far as we are concerned Katie is fighting Persoon on August 22nd and Chantelle is due to be fighting in September but, as we all know, things can change quickly in boxing.”
It has to be noted that, among hardcore boxing fans, a Taylor v Cameron fight is one for which there is a clamour.
However, for the time being at least, Team Taylor’s agenda seems to be the Persoon rematch, the evasive Serrano, the totemic Braekhus, and even a freak fight with Cris Cyborg.
