CHANTELLE CAMERON will get the chance to fight for the WBC super-lightweight title she once held, but it won’t come against Katie Taylor.
Taylor and Cameron are locked at 1-1 after their two 2023 clashes in Dublin’s 3Arena. Cameron shocked Ireland in May with a points victory, before Taylor levelled the rivalry six months later. On both occasions, all four 140lbs belts were on the line.
Since then, Taylor (25-1, 6 KOs) has recorded back-to-back wins over long-time rival Amanda Serrano on American soil, further cementing her reputation as the greatest female fighter in the sport. Cameron, meanwhile, has strung together three victories of her own, defeating Elhem Mekhaled, Patricia Berghult and Jessica Camara. Her win over Mekhaled earned her the WBC Interim belt at 140lbs.
Now trained by Stephen Smith, Cameron (21-1, 8 KOs) has also joined Jake Paul’s MVP Promotions, with her victory over Camara featuring on the Taylor-Serrano 3 undercard at Madison Square Garden. But any hopes of a trilogy with Taylor were quickly dismissed. Following her last win over Serrano, Taylor said:
“I think Chantelle has to see if she can sell out a 1,000-seater arena first. I don’t think she could sell out any stadium at all. I think I’ve made her more money than she really deserves to be quite honest.”
On Wednesday night, the WBC revealed that Taylor has informed them she will take an enforced hiatus from boxing “to attend to personal matters.” As a result, she has been granted the designation of Champion in Recess.
According to the WBC:
“It is not a regular championship title defended in the ring, but rather a lifetime honour given in specific situations, such as injuries or personal issues that will keep them away from the sport for a period. The Champion in Recess designation allows the title to be vacated so other fighters can compete for it and keep the division active, while granting the boxer a special status and the possibility of returning to fight for the belt in the future.”
With Taylor out of the picture, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed that the vacant title will be contested between Cameron and fellow Brit Sandy Ryan (8-3-1, 3 KOs).
Ryan, a two-time welterweight champion, is expected to move down seven pounds to meet Cameron. The 32-year-old was unlucky not to unify the division in September 2023 when she and Jessica McCaskill fought to a draw – a result many felt should have gone Ryan’s way.
Earlier this month, Ryan snapped a two-fight losing streak (both to Mikaela Mayer) with a 10-round points win over Jade Grierson at Rainton Meadows Arena in Houghton-le-Spring.
