Sugar Ray Robinson is still widely regarded by many as the greatest male boxer ever, winning titles in two divisions (welterweight and middleweight) and recapturing the middleweight title five times throughout his career. However, when it comes to the most remarkable women fighter of all time, Claressa Shields stands in a league of her own in terms of accomplishments, transcending gender barriers, winning two Olympic gold medals, and becoming a three-division world champion, including winning the undisputed championship in two different weight classes.
After Shields, there’s an array of exceptional advocates waiting and moving up the ladder. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that legends such as Lucia Rijker, Christy Martin, Laila Ali, Cecilia Braekhus and Ann Wolfe have left an incredible mark on women’s boxing, propelling it to its current level.
The new generation of women fighters, including phenomenal athletes like Amanda Serrano, Seniesa Estrada, Mikaela Mayer, Chantelle Cameron, Katie Taylor and Natasha Jonas, each has made — and are still making — undeniable contributions to women’s boxing, achieving unprecedented milestones individually. But it’s Taylor, the fighting Irish woman from Bray, Ireland, who has emerged as the most beloved figure and captured the hearts of boxing enthusiasts worldwide. Just as Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. still holds an irreplaceable place in the hearts of Mexican fans and culture, Taylor has rightfully claimed a position as the most cherished women fighter of this generation. She has become an iconic figure who has inspired millions worldwide.
Taylor will have an opportunity to keep adding to her list of accomplishments in a rematch with Cameron, the undisputed junior welterweight champion, on Saturday, in Dublin, Ireland. The question is, does Taylor have one more outstanding performance in her?
Can Taylor win the rematch?
Rematches are like movie sequels — a remake, a do-over, like a similar cake recipe, but with a bit of alteration, an addition and perhaps some takeaway ingredients for a better, more tastier batter. The first encounter between Taylor and Cameron left Taylor and her fans astounded as Cameron emerged victorious in a majority decision, causing a stir in Katie’s world of pride and confidence.
Taylor is a winner, with guts and a never-quit attitude. She embraces all challenges with open arms. This loss marked a significant moment in Taylor’s illustrious career, one that includes an Olympic gold medal and five world championships, as she suffered her first defeat as a professional after an impressive 22-0 start. She has victories over renowned names in women’s boxing, such as Serrano, Jonas, Jennifer Han and Delfine Persoon. She has challenged herself by venturing five pounds north above her dominant weight class of 135 pounds, where she’s the undisputed champion, to the 140-pound division.
In boxing, the greatest fighters of both, past and present have always sought out challenges to elevate their achievements and test their inner greatness. Just like Robinson, who dominated the welterweight division before ascending to the middleweights to face the fearless Jake LaMotta, Taylor, too, embraced the opportunity to push her limits and boundaries. However, as history has shown, even the most exceptional fighters eventually encounter a worthy too-much adversary.
So can she win? Absolutely.
What does Cameron do well?
Pretty much everything.
Taylor has met her match with Cameron, who hails from Northampton, England. Cameron is a boxing fanatic, a pugilist tactician specialist who defied the odds six months ago. Standing confidently at 5-foot-8 with an impressive 69-inch reach, Cameron possesses an arsenal of skills that places her among the elite boxers in the world. Despite being improperly underrated, Cameron’s profound appreciation for the fundamentals of boxing sets her apart from the rest.
Technically speaking, Cameron possesses all the advantages of youth, size, strength, length and athleticism, making her a grueling challenger for Taylor.
Cameron exhibits exceptional footwork and defensive skills, effectively countering from any position and range. She can operate from any stance, southpaw or orthodox. It’s truly unique. She can do it all.
At the heart of Cameron’s offensive quest lies her masterful jab, which governs her every attack. With precise efficiency, Cameron uses the jab to dictate the fight’s tempo, confounding her opponents with its relentless accuracy, punch volume, and varied punch placement upon attacks.
Cameron’s true brilliance, however, lies in her detailed ability to adapt and strategize within the confines of the ring. She is astute and aware of her surroundings, allowing her to solve obstacles during a match instinctually and, sometimes, effortlessly. Whether it’s pressing forward and launching calculated assaults or countering her opponent’s movements, Cameron’s in-fight adjustments and tactical understanding are second to none.
Taylor’s work rate, footwork and boxing smarts give opponents the challenge of needing excellent technical prowess. Any deficiencies in transition offers Taylor a chance to land her counterpunching offense. In their first fight, Cameron, being the clever strategist she is, recognized Taylor’s patterns and exploited them to her advantage.
Sensing Taylor’s retreat from Round 1, Cameron fearlessly pushed forward, expertly closing the distance with each step she took. This sudden shift in proximity caught Taylor off guard, forcing her to remain sharply engaged and alert on defense, and unable to land her offense.
How can Taylor beat Cameron? Set the tone and push Cameron backwards
Taylor is a dynamic boxer who gracefully maneuvers in and out of range She’s known for her swift agility and agile in-and-out movement complete with blistering combinations.
But in their first fight, Cameron’s relentless pressure left Taylor with little room to rest, constantly demanding her attention and energy. Taylor, 37, despite her scholarly career that started 22 years ago in the amateurs, may be beginning to feel the effects of time. The grueling training camps and the toll of competing at the highest level have seemingly eroded her overall consistency and stamina.
With that said, Taylor typically excels in fights with a frantic pace.
At 5-foot-5, Taylor is slightly shorter than Cameron and possesses a reach of 66 inches, putting her at a three-inch disadvantage. One thing I noticed in their first clash is that Taylor fought well moving forward and pushing Cameron backward. Taylor used her hand speed in close quarters, beating Cameron to the punch. Although Cameron is the significantly stronger fighter, I think Taylor will fight more, and retreat less, to take control of the center ring.
This could sound entirely off base as, tactically speaking, you typically hit and move against a bigger, stronger fighter, but some fighters are front-runners and like to be in control, and that’s Cameron. The earlier Taylor can dictate the pace and gain respect, Cameron will have no choice but to react instead of leading, like she did the first time. Tone setting is a real thing. It provides your opponent with a sense of how the battle will be for the night. You send a subliminal message, psychologically demanding control and quickly creating a tug-of-war of will and skill.
Who wins?
I have a hard time picking against Cameron, especially after my film study. However, there’s plus money on Taylor, which is a rarity, and I will take it. The great ones figure it out. I’m going with Taylor by decision.