Northampton's Chantelle Cameron elevated to world champion as Katie Taylor 'takes time away'
Northampton boxer Chantelle Cameron is a world champion once more.
The 34-year-old has official been elevated to full WBC light-welterweight world champion after Katie Taylor was named 'champion in recess'.
It means former undisputed world champion Cameron steps up from 'interim' status with the WBC after Taylor informed the sanctioning body she plans to take time away from boxing.
Cameron became WBC Interim champion in July, 2024 when she beat Elhem Mekhaled in Birmingham, and she has gone on to defend that interim belt twice, beating Patricia Berghult in November, 2024, and Jessica Camara in her most recent fight in June this year.
The WBC this week confirmed the decision to upgrade Cameron, and the Northampton ace has been ordered to face fellow Briton Sandy Ryan as a 'mandatory defence' of her title.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman explained: "Katie Taylor let us know that she plans to take some time away from the ring to attend to personal matters.
"The fight she was obligated to take was against Chantelle Cameron, and by naming her 'Champion in Recess', we will order Sandy Ryan to fight Cameron."
Ryan, who hails from Derby, is a former WBO world welterweight champion, a title she lost on her first defence on points to American Mikaela Mayer in New York in September, 2024.
The 32-year-old lost by unanimous decision in her rematch with Mayer, but did win last time out, beating fellow English fighter Jade Grierson, who had previously been unbeaten.
That fight was the 12th of Ryan's professional career, and she has won eight times and lost three, with one draw.
For comparison, Cameron has fought 22 times, winning 21, with her one loss at the hands of Taylor.
The news of Taylor taking time out brings to an end any chance of a trilogy fight between Cameron and the Irish superstar.
Taylor was beaten for the first and only time in her pro career by Cameron in Dublin in May, 2023, only to regain her belts in somewhat controversial fashion six months later.
A trilogy bout had been mandated, but Taylor, instead chose to fight and beat Amanda Serrano twice, before now stepping back and taking a break from boxing.