Champion Chantelle Cameron setting long-term sights on taking Katie Taylor's world titles

World super-lightweight champion Chantelle CameronWorld super-lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron
World super-lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron
She may already be on top of the world, but there is going to be no let-up in Chantelle Cameron’s desire and determination to be the absolute best there is.

And she has made it crystal clear that she has got undisputed world lightweight champion and ‘legend’ Katie Taylor in her sights.

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Northampton star Cameron claimed her first world crown in Milton Keynes a fortnight ago when she saw off Brazil’s Adriana dos Santos Araujo to claim the vacant WBC super-lightweight crown.

The 29-year-old made the step up in weight division in order to win titles, with Taylor dominating the lightweight division and with no prospect of a meeting between the pair.

But with Cameron now a champion in her own right, and officially ranked the world no.1 at super lightweight, the chatter is beginning to increase about the prospect of the duo getting in the ring together.

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Cameron’s immediate focus is going to be on her next fight, which is set to be a date against either the IBF super-lightweight champion Mary McGee, or the WBO holder Christina Linardatou.

But she makes no secret of the fact her long-term ambition is to take those world titles off Taylor.

Cameron would prefer to fight at lightweight, believes she can do so, and also thinks, if she was given the chance, that she could beat the undefeated Irish ace.

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Undisputed world lightweight champion Katie TaylorUndisputed world lightweight champion Katie Taylor
Undisputed world lightweight champion Katie Taylor

“I believe I am still able to make lightweight,” said Cameron this week, in an interview on talkSPORT radio.

“I would like to go back down to lightweight, as I feel I would perform a lot better there, and my dream is to unify at that weight but at the moment the belts are tied up with Katie Taylor.

“There is no sign of that fight happening, so I have got to just carry on with my career and at the moment that is at super-lightweight.

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“But I want to make it clear, I can make it at lightweight, and I want to go back down to lightweight.

“If the opportunity is there (to fight Taylor) I will go to lightweight. Since I have turned pro that is the fight I have wanted.

“Everybody wants to fight Katie Taylor, but I am still mandatory (challenger) at lightweight, so I am hoping it can happen.”

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And Cameron, who is also unbeaten and has won 13 out of 13 as a professional, added: “I am a fan of Katie myself, I think she is an amazing boxer and a legend. But seeing that there are some people out there who do think I can take that crown is a massive compliment for me, and it gives me a boost.

“My mentality is very much that, whoever I am in against, everything else goes out the window.

“Outside of the ring I will give any opponent, it doesn’t matter who they are or what they have done, I will give them the utmost respect.

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“With Katie, I respect her hugely, but if I was facing her across the ring there would be zero respect because I want those belts. Your mentality has to change.”

Something else that has given Cameron cause for optimism is 34-year-old Taylor’s recent struggles to see off Belgium’s Delfine Persoon.

Taylor was declared a winner in both bouts on points, but Northampton’s first world champion said: “Katie struggled with Delfine twice.

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“The first fight I think she lost, and then the second fight I think she won it, but it was hard work for her.

“Delfine is a great athlete, she is strong, she is fit and she is relentless, but she doesn’t have much variety.

“She doesn’t mix her shots up and put combinations together, whereas I do.

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“I have proved that I can box, and I think I hit harder than Delfine as well and would cause more trouble, so after watching those two fights it gives me the confidence when it comes to Katie to think ‘I will beat you’.”

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