Chantelle Cameron is eager to secure a mega fight with Claressa Shields, but equally recognises that Mikaela Mayer could throw a spanner in the works.
The 35-year-old unanimously outpointed Mayer last Saturday, becoming a unified super-welterweight champion on what she views as the greatest night of her illustrious career.
But while there happens to be a rematch clause in their contract, Cameron has nonetheless turned her attention to pound-for-pound star Shields, who called out the Brit immediately after her triumph in Birmingham.
Since then, their respective teams have engaged in negotiations, yet Cameron has told Boxing News that Mayer could scupper their potential showdown.
“There is that risk [of Mayer demanding an immediate rematch] because it’s obviously boxing, isn’t it? If the shoe was on the other foot, I would’ve had to potentially wait for her to box Claressa Shields.
“But Mikaela Mayer didn’t win – I won, so it’s winner stays on. And Claressa Shields has said she wants to fight me. [Mayer will] have the rematch, but she can wait.”
As far as a clash with middleweight queen Shields goes, only time will tell, but Cameron insists that, if she is to rematch Mayer, it simply must be over a scheduled 10 three-minute rounds.
Even during the typical two-minute rounds, though, Cameron almost surprised herself at how convincingly she was able to defeat her American foe.
“I thought it was going to be a harder fight, if I’m honest. I do think some of the rounds were close but, physically, I felt like the stronger woman. I was catching her with some big shots and I think she felt my power.”
It was, indeed, a clear victory in favour of the Northampton woman, who ranks this triumph even higher than her majority decision win over Katie Taylor in 2023.
“I feel like it was definitely better than the Katie Taylor fight. I always knew I’d beat Katie Taylor – the only thing I was questioning was beating Katie Taylor in Ireland.
“So, for me to turn up and beat Katie in her country – on her show – was a huge ask. And I did it. But I feel like Mikaela Mayer was a bigger challenge.”
While she felt that Mayer was, on paper, a tougher challenge – given her height and reach advantages – Cameron ultimately rose to the occasion and produced one of her finest performances.
This, she explains, is partly because Mayer’s attitude at their weigh-in – where they exchanged unpleasantries – lit a fire that made her approach their contest with an added degree of tenacity.
At the same time, though, the WBC, WBO and WBA champion admits that she slightly regrets her behaviour during the fight itself.
“I am a bit gutted, because I generally did like Mikaela Mayer. I thought she was cool and I had a lot of respect for her.
“[The confrontation] definitely [elevated my performance] but I think it turned me into a bit of a dick, to be honest.
“Before the fight, she was sticking her tongue out at me. Then I did the same and was saying stuff to her during the fight. It was just stupid. It was entertaining for everyone else but was that sort of behaviour a good demonstration of women’s boxing? I’m not sure.”
Antics aside, Cameron remains a class act and role model, having become a two-division world champion and British boxing legend.
And, indeed, she will look to further enhance her legacy soon enough, whether it be in a rematch with Mayer or a dare-to-be-great encounter with Shields.
