It’s must win time for Katie Taylor versus Chantelle Cameron

It’s been quite a career.

Lots of gold. Five consecutive at the Women’s World Championships. Six at the European Championships. Five more at the European Union Championships.

In 2012, representing Ireland, she won gold at the Olympic games.

Four years later, she turned professional. In her seventh pro fight, a world title was hers. She picked up another belt in her ninth fight. Four fights later, another. The attention she was bringing to women’s boxing was positive and international.

Katie Taylor was a star and considered arguably the best women’s boxer in the world – and an idol to many.

Her fight with Delfine Pearson was close. Pearson brought the heat. Taylor,33 at the time, hung in. Many thought she lost. She fought Pearson again and won more clearly.

Her career rolled on. Last year, Taylor fought Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden in New York. The hall was rocking as Taylor and Serrano went at it. Taylor felt Serrano’s power in round six but rallied late.

How long could it last? Over 170 amateur bouts and 22 professional fights. Wear and tear were showing. How could it not?

Taylor ambitiously moved up a division five months ago to fight undefeated champion Chantelle Cameron. Taylor was favored to remain undefeated. The bigger and younger Cameron had other ideas. She brought the fight, and Taylor couldn’t keep up. The decision (correctly) went to Cameron.

A sequel was on the table. Taylor took it.

“No other fight to me would have made sense, said Taylor to the BBC.com a few weeks ago. “Straight away, we were looking for the rematch. It would have been a killer for me if I didn’t get this chance.”

A killer. Taylor and Cameron meet again this Saturday at 3Arena in Dublin.

“A lot of people are doubting me, Taylor said. “I think this could be one of the greatest nights of my career.”

The importance is immense.

“Every single fight is a must win,” Taylor added. “I’m very aware this fight is a must win fight,”

Cameron is just as confident as Taylor.

A few days ago, Cameron told the Irishpost.com, “If I’m on my best night or she is on her worst night, I beat her at the end of the day.I know how to beat Katie, I know she can’t hurt me. I’m bigger, stronger, and I’m going to be a lot more aggressive.”

The sneaky-good Cameron defeated Adriana Araujo to collect her first world title in 2020. The win flew under the radar. She then stopped Melissa Hernadez and decisioned Victoria Bustos. Oddsmakers picked her to lose her belts to Jessica McCaskill in Dhabi.

McCaskill hadn’t lost a fight in five years (that one was to Taylor). She’s a physical fighter, but Cameron was up to the task. She surprised McCaskill and several others by becoming the undisputed super lightweight world champion.

Cameron is just as motivated as Taylor.

“I’m going to make sure and do a better job this time,” said Cameron. “I’m going to be coming forward. I’m going to be dominant, and I’m going to be brutal.”