CHANTELLE Cameron successfully defended her WBC interim strap and, in doing so, has placed herself in a strong position to challenge super-lightweight queen Katie Taylor.
The pair have, of course, previously shared 20 rounds of enthralling action, with Cameron, 21-1 (8 KOs), becoming the first and only fighter to defeat the Irish phenom as a pro.
Her stunning victory arrived back in 2023, only for Taylor, 25-1 (6 KOs), to then produce arguably a career-best performance in their immediate rematch later that year.
Yet now, with Taylor boasting a 3-0 lead in her rivalry against Amanda Serrano, she could be tempted to enhance her legacy by entering another trilogy showdown.
Either way, Cameron is set to earn another stab at world honours before long, even if it does just happen to be against a less appealing dance partner.
Appearing on the undercard of Taylor-Serrano 3, the 34-year-old returned with a comfortable points victory last night at Madison Square Garden, New York.
Occupying the opposite corner was Jessica Camara, whose previous outing – despite ending in a technical draw – saw Caroline Dubois dish out a punishing performance.
This time around, though, the Canadian at least had a few pockets of success, often catching her opponent who, at times, looked to be a victim of complacency.
Nevertheless, Cameron had established her rhythm early doors, picking Camara off with a series of attacks at long-range, before opting to trade in the pocket.
All the while, her feet would relentlessly pivot around her more static target, making it that much harder for Camara to enjoy a sustained spell of success.
A particularly one-sided eighth round then seemed to remove any wind from the sails of the 37-year-old, who ultimately suffered a comprehensive unanimous decision defeat.
Two somewhat generous scorecards of 99-91 swung in favour of Cameron, whose victory was cemented by another wide reflection of 98-92.
CompuBox stats, meanwhile, show that Cameron outlanded her opponent by a total of 73 punches, and equally suggest that the Brit was far more clinical with her output.
But now, as the future of Taylor’s illustrious career hangs in the balance, Cameron will undoubtedly turn her attention towards a potential shot at redemption.
