Katie Taylor suffered the first loss of her professional career on Saturday, as she was beaten on points by Chantelle Cameron in Dublin.
Taylor entered the 3Arena unbeaten and as the undisputed lightweight champion, while her British opponent was also undefeated and put the undisputed super-lightweight titles on the line.
In what was, remarkably, Taylor’s first pro fight in her native Ireland, the Olympic gold medalist lost a majority decision to Cameron, who emerged victorious on two of the judges’ scorecards (96-94, 96-94); the third judge scored the contest as a draw (95-95).
The bout was contested at an intense pace, with Cameron, 32, fighting on the front foot and applying heavy pressure throughout.
Taylor’s every punch was greeted with a roar in Dublin, but the 36-year-old seemed to lose the contest in the middle rounds, as Cameron landed the harder shots and with greater frequency.
Taylor, cheered on by UFC star and compatriot Conor McGregor from ringside, landed several eye-catching flurries in the final frames, but her quick, straight punches did not appear to faze Cameron. In contrast, Taylor seemed to be worn down somewhat by her opponent’s frequent body shots.
Taylor expressed her desire for a rematch as the fighters spoke in the ring after the main event, before her promoter Eddie Hearn reiterated that a rematch clause would allow a second clash between the women. He added that it would likely take place in Dublin in autumn.
Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos.
