‘The right thing to do’ – Katie Taylor happy to allow Chantelle Cameron champion’s courtesies
Katie Taylor is happy to give Chantelle Cameron top billing going into their rematch this weekend.
The greatest female fighter of all time believes it’s only right the English fighter walks into the ring first when they renew acquaintances on Saturday.
Despite the fact she challenged for Cameron’s light-welterweight world titles when the pair met in Dublin on May 20, the Irish Icon made her ring walk second.
However, the undisputed lightweight champion of the world is happy to come in first and allow Cameron champions fanfare when they repeat at the 3Arena on November 25.
Indeed, according to Cameron’s coach, Taylor felt it was the correct thing to do.
“We are walking in second. The terms were it’s Cameron v Taylor and we’re announced second and ring-walked second because she’s the champion and in fact there was no pushback on it at all because Katie said ‘no that’s right because I lost to her and she’s the champion’,” said Jamie Moore.
The move increased the already sizeable amount of respect the former Irish light middleweight champion has for Taylor, although he points out that will count for little once the bell sounds to start the rematch.
“We’ve got nothing but respect for Katie. She’s a phenomenal person, a phenomenal fighter, we’ve got a hell of a lot of respect for her but that goes out the window when the fight comes and then it all comes back afterwards.”
Moore is adamant the Northampton fighter should have been given more than just ring walk priority going into the repeat.
The British fighter was hoping the return would be at lightweight, so she had the chance to become a two-division undisputed world champion – and was hopeful she wouldn’t have to return to Dublin for the fight.
Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, suggests Dublin was a must if Cameron wants the kind of payday she deserves, and also revealed Taylor wanted the exact same parameters as the first fight so there can be no excuses if she gets revenge.
“I was surprised that one or the other didn’t happen because everything was in Katie’s favour the first time and understandably so because it was her homecoming, we were the opponent and we had to bow down to everything they asked for because if we wanted to fight Katie Taylor knowing that Katie knew it was a dangerous fight, we had to accept the terms given to us,” comments Moore.
“But I said before it, if we win then we’ll have a bit more pull or we should have a bit more pull and it’s just not the case.
“They’ve gone back to Dublin so they’ve given her home advantage again. I thought it should have at least been neutral,” he adds before commenting on the weight the fight will be made at.
“Chantelle said she wanted the opportunity to be a two-weight undisputed world champion so she wanted to fight for Katie’s belts because she’s a natural lightweight and the only reason she went up from lightweight was because Katie had all the belts tied up.
“We’re in the same position as we were the last time except Chantelle’s got more confidence going into it and she’s getting paid more money.
“In an ideal world it would be for Katie’s belts, but we’re not in an ideal world.”
