Katie Taylor: 'I can’t believe so many people were writing me off'
Katie Taylor before her undisputed super lightweight championship fight with Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
A proper training camp, support from a sellout crowd and fuel from all the doubters. That was the recipe for Katie Taylor’s stunning success on Saturday night.
Taylor overcame Briton Chantelle Cameron on a majority decision in a blockbuster light-welterweight title fight in Dublin. One judge scored it a draw, while the other two were 98-92, 96-94 for Taylor.
“It definitely feels like the greatest night of my career so far,” she declared in her post-fight press conference.
“I think it was the longest six months of waiting for this rematch. Over the last six months I’d just go to bed thinking about this rematch. Just the pressure over the last few months as well, everybody writing me off… I can’t believe so many people were writing me off to be honest.
“This win meant so much to me. A two-weight undisputed champion in front of my home crowd, definitely it is such a special night.”
The 37-year-old was fighting as an underdog for the first time in her career. Victory secured the IBF, WBA, WBO and WBC light-welterweight titles. It was a special night for Irish boxing with victories for Tokyo Olympian Emmet Brennan, Dublin heavyweight Thomas Carty, rising star Paddy Donovan and lightweight Gary Cully helped build the 3Arena to an awesome crescendo.
Of them all, the Andy Lee-trained Donovan delivered a statement performance defeating a highly regard Danny Ball in four rounds. “Ireland has a new superstar,” Eddie Hearn declared post-fight.
Then came the main event, a repeat of May’s encounter. Only this time was different: “I think everybody watching the fight knew I wasn’t myself for the last fight,” the Bray boxer said. “I definitely felt a lot better going into this fight.”
Proceedings peaked after 11pm when Taylor’s hand was raised high. In typical fashion, she paid tribute to every supporter and the new generation that she is helping pave the way for.
"It is amazing just looking at so many kids there again tonight,” she said. That is what makes it worthwhile for me really. I saw Amy Broadhurst tonight as well, an amazing champion herself and having a chance to inspire people like that, by inspiring girls like Amy Broadhurst I think I have done my job well. I'm happy.
"She is an amazing champion and I think she is going to be an amazing pro as well by the way. She is definitely going to be one for the future and I can't wait to see her as a pro. She is going to be a world champion without a doubt so I'm just excited to see her career and the rest of the young girls that are coming up as well. It is amazing."
After a few dark days in the capital, Taylor was asked what it felt like to provide some much-needed light.
“Well, if that is the case, I'm very happy with that. I was heartbroken to hear about the stabbing of five and six-year-old kids. It is absolutely cowardly and I can't even fathom what those families are going through. I'm very happy to be a light in the country at this moment and my heart is going out to those families, genuinely.”
