In front of a raucous crowd in Dublin, Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KO’s) created history by outpointing Chantelle Cameron (18-1, 8 KO’s) over ten fast and furious rounds to win the undisputed super lightweight title and avenge the defeat Cameron inflicted on her in May.

The Irish legend entered the fight as an underdog for the first time in her career but produced an outstanding display to turn the tables and inflict the first defeat of Cameron’s career. Taylor adds the undisputed 140lb title to her own crown at 135lbs.

Taylor opened up looking composed, moving around the ring but Cameron fired a heavy jab out and scored with a big right hand. Midway through the round, Cameron loaded up a jab and Taylor toppled over backwards, referee, Roberto Ramirez, ruled it a slip rather than a knockdown but another right hook stiffened Taylor as the round ended. 

Cameron was applying relentless pressure and looked strong inside, roughing Taylor up but the Irish legend had faster hands and enjoyed some success when she got her shots off first and let the punches go in threes and fours.

Taylor has never been shy about getting involved in exchanges but there were some doubts as to whether she would want to get involved with the heavy-handed Cameron given the way the first fight went but she was keen to make Cameron pay a price for every bit of success and she made sure to respond to every shot Cameron landed with three and four of her own. Cameron picked up a small nick over her right eye during one of the exchanges and a head clash left her with a much deeper gash on her forehead.

The doctor looked at the cut at the start of the fifth. Cameron seemed to have forgotten the jab and body work that played such a part in her victory in May and found herself dragged into a high paced, give and take fight that suited Taylor much more. Taylor was doing her best work in center ring but as soon as her back touched the ropes, Cameron began to unload. The hand speed was a major factor in the fight but Cameron was relentless, she made the sixth round rough and tough, pounding away at Taylors body and forcing Taylor to work constantly.

Taylor was timing Cameron well, often beating her to the punch with a looping right hand as Cameron set her feet to let her punches go. She would then fall into a clinch, causing the heads to constantly bang together. Cameron wasn’t hurt by any of the shots but Taylor was just throwing so many punches. The seventh was a whirlwind that Taylor ending with an eye catching three punch combination. Taylor seemed to have found a rhythm in the madness though. Her tactic of letting punches go and then grabbing Taylor, paying dividends.

Cameron went to war in the eighth, She made it a toe to toe inside fight, bullying Taylor with uppercuts and short punches with Taylor too tired to get herself back out to boxing range.

Swollen and cut over her left eye, Taylor somehow came out for the ninth round with a new lease of life. She held her feet, flurrying when Cameron came into range and then clinching. Despite looking exhausted, she forced herself on, letting three or four punches go and grabbing hold to prevent Cameron from responding. 

With everything on the line, both fighters came out for the tenth and met in the center of the ring. Cameron allowed herself to get too close and Taylor took full advantage by letting two or there punches going and grabbing hold to neutralize her. 

Ferenc Budai scored the fight a draw, 95-95, but was over ruled by Jan Christensen who had it 98-92 in Taylor’s favor and Steve Morrow who scored it 96-94.

This was a remarkable performance from Taylor. She displayed the heart and courage that nobody doubted but also showed the ring IQ and boxing nous that many may have overlooked.