Katie Taylor has lost the first fight of her career in what was a truly epic fight against Chantelle Cameron.
The Bray fighter finally got to fight on Irish soil for the first time in her professional career but it was not the dream return for Taylor. The 2012 Olympic gold medal winner was greeted by an electric Dublin crowd as she entered the ring with a strong 9,000 crowd in attendance in a night to remember in Dublin.
From the get-go it was clear that Taylor was in for a battle with Cameron acting the aggressor and showed her power early on but Taylor did show her own speed in round one as the pair traded blows. And Cameron came out on the front foot in the second and worked Taylor against the ropes with the Bray boxer struggling to dominate the fight but did have her moments in a true 50/50 round.
Read more: More heartbreak for Leinster as La Rochelle win the Champions Cup
Cameron again came out fast in the third but Taylor was able to regain the centre of the ring and showcased her signature speed but it did not seem to bother her opponent. Coming into the fourth round, Taylor again got off to a slow start and Cameron had her best moments of the fight up to that point keeping her opponent out of rhythm.
Taylor started off the fifth well before Cameron took control and at that point the crowd started to believe it may not be the perfect homecoming with the English opponent well on her way to spoil the party. With half the fight done, most had Taylor trailing four rounds to one and left herself a mountain of work with Cameron's physicality wearing the Bray fighter down and landed a number of heavy blows.
Cameron may have snuck the seventh round which seemed pivotal in the winning and losing of the fight. And as the eight round begun Taylor's camp knew she would need a finish if she was to win the fight but Cameron kept her poise and landed a number of huge hits with the Bray fighter looking fatigued but did finish the round strong with a slick combination.
And Cameron produced her best round in the ninth as she brought Taylor to the ropes and brawled her way through the two minutes but Taylor dug deep for a strong finish that may well have kept her in the fight. And both fighters came out swinging in the final round and Taylor hit a nice combination to start and left nothing in the ring in the final two minutes but it all seemed too little too late.
The 3Arena crowd erupted at the conclusion of the fight but it was clear to Chantelle Cameron's corner she was the fight winner as she was hoisted on her trainer's shoulders. Cameron was scored 96-94 winner on two of the three scorecards with the third being scored as a 95-95 draw.
Leave your messages of support for Katie Taylor in the comments below.
READ MORE:
Who is the new Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty - everything you need to know
Glen Hansard receives Paul McCartney autograph months after tribute concert
Two men arrested after drugs worth €125,000 seized in Dublin
- First look at 'Portobello Harbour' plans which includes 'tiny skatepark for mice'
Dublin Fire Brigade pays tribute to retiring firefighter of three decade s
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox.
