Chantelle Cameron will get the opportunity to reclaim the WBC super-lightweight title she once held — but a trilogy fight with Katie Taylor is officially off the table.
Cameron and Taylor are currently tied 1-1 following their two high-stakes clashes in 2023 at Dublin’s 3Arena. Cameron shocked the Irish crowd in May with a dominant points win, only for Taylor to exact revenge six months later in another close contest. Both fights were contested for the undisputed 140lbs crown.
Since then, Taylor (25-1, 6 KOs) has extended her legacy with consecutive wins over Amanda Serrano on U.S. soil, solidifying her status as arguably the greatest female boxer of all time. Cameron (21-1, 8 KOs), meanwhile, has rebuilt momentum with three straight victories — over Elhem Mekhaled, Patricia Berghult, and Jessica Camara. Her win against Mekhaled earned her the WBC interim belt at 140lbs.
Now under the guidance of trainer Stephen Smith and signed to Jake Paul’s MVP Promotions, Cameron most recently appeared on the Taylor-Serrano 3 undercard at Madison Square Garden, where she outpointed Camara. Still, any hope of a third bout with Taylor quickly evaporated after the Irish star dismissed the idea in no uncertain terms: “I think Chantelle has to see if she can sell out a 1,000-seater arena first,” Taylor said. “I don’t think she could sell out any stadium at all. I think I’ve made her more money than she really deserves, to be quite honest.”
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On Wednesday night, the WBC announced that Taylor has officially informed the organization of her decision to step away from boxing for personal reasons. As a result, she has been granted “Champion in Recess” status.
According to the WBC: “It is not a regular championship title defended in the ring, but rather a lifetime honour given in specific situations, such as injuries or personal issues that will keep them away from the sport for a period. The Champion in Recess designation allows the title to be vacated so other fighters can compete for it and keep the division active, while granting the boxer a special status and the possibility of returning to fight for the belt in the future.”
With the title now vacant, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed that Cameron will face fellow Brit Sandy Ryan (8-3-1, 3 KOs) for the belt.
Ryan, a former two-time welterweight world champion, will move down in weight to challenge for the 140lbs title. She came close to unifying the welterweight division in 2023 but was denied by a controversial draw against Jessica McCaskill — a result many observers believed should have gone her way.
After back-to-back defeats to Mikaela Mayer, Ryan recently returned to the win column with a convincing 10-round decision over Jade Grierson earlier this month at Rainton Meadows Arena in Houghton-le-Spring.
Now, Ryan and Cameron are on a collision course — with the WBC super-lightweight title hanging in the balance, and a fresh chapter in British women’s boxing about to be written.
