SATURDAY 25 November
Chantelle Cameron v Katie Taylor
WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO world super-lightweight title fight - 3Arena, Dublin
10 x 2-minute rounds
Undercard
Gary Cully v Reece Mould, lightweight
Paddy Donovan v Danny Ball, welterweight
Thomas Carty v Dan Garber, heavyweight
Skye Nicolson v Lucy Wildheart, featherweight
Zelfa Barret v Costin Ion, super-featherweight
Emmet Brennan v Jamie Morrisey, light-heavyweight
John Cooney v Liam Gaynor, super-featherweight
Giorgio Visioli v Lee Anthony Sibley, super-featherweight
ONLINE
Follow a live blog on Chantelle Cameron v Katie Taylor at the 3Arena from 9pm on www.rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app.
The main event is expected around 10.30pm.
TV
Live on subscription platform DAZN and Sky TV channel 429.
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We go again
Back to where the dream turned into a nightmare for Katie Taylor. The Bray woman finally got to fight on home soil as a pro in May but there was also an unwelcome first as she suffered a maiden career defeat to English undisputed super-lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron (18-0-0).
Though Taylor's first loss in 22 fights was a shock to fans, there were few arguments with the majority decision - two judges gave it 96-94 to Cameron and one thought it a draw.
The likes of former world champion Andy Lee had warned in advance that Taylor and manager Eddie Hearn "couldn't have picked a harder fight" and so it transpired.
The Irish woman is still the undisputed lightweight queen and could subsequently have opted for a rematch with Amanda Serrano, who she memorably defeated at Madison Square Garden a year and a half ago, and was originally supposed to be her opponent in Dublin, rather than fighting 5lbs (2.5kg) above her usual weight again.
So why is she going back for more tonight against a naturally bigger fighter who is five years younger than her 37?
Obviously, losing her undefeated tag stung the Irish woman. And we know from her sensational fifth-round recovery against Serrano that her bravery is without question.
But her fans will hope that the rematch has not been fixed purely for wounded pride as a second defeat would rub the salt in.
There have been suggestions Taylor was carrying an injury or distracted by the 'homecoming' hype six months ago and she said this week that "Mentally and physically I feel a lot better going into this one".
"I just had a bit of a flat night, just a flat performance. I certainly wasn't myself on the night, and I think everybody who watched the fight could see that.
"I understand this is a huge fight and a must-win fight for me. I can't wait to just step in there at this stage. I know I’m going to perform to the best of my ability and it’s going to be a completely different fight to the last time. I’m just excited to showcase that."
Taylor hasn't stopped an opponent since Rose Volante in 2019; her style emphasises skill and accuracy over volume and power, using her superior hand-speed to land flurries that impress the judges in those all-too-brief two-minute rounds.
In May, Cameron threw almost twice as many punches, landing 141 (25%) to 111 (39.1%) and significantly more power shots (114-90) as a sluggish-looking Taylor struggled to evade her.
If Katie, now the underdog, is to upset the odds, she will need to start much faster than the first bout, and avoid the kind of trading that she seems to relish but that better suits her more powerful opponent.
"I always set a hot pace," said the Northampton native. "I can also adapt to any situation. As much as I can have a high workrate, get stuck in and have a fight, I can also box.
"I feel like it's the best camp I’ve had because I know I’m going to be up against it. Katie is seeking revenge and I can’t take it in my stride thinking it’ll be a walk in the park. It definitely isn’t going to be. It’s the fittest I’ve ever been."
Come Sunday, Taylor will still be the lightweight champ, but proving everyone wrong and becoming just the third ever boxer - after Evander Holyfield and Claressa Shields - to be undisputed at two weights would undoubtedly be her greatest achievement.
Supporting cast
A host of rising Irish stars fight on the undercard at The Point, including lightweight Gary Cully (16-1-0), who is aiming to bounce back from his first career defeat, against Reece Mould(18-1-0).
Welterweight Paddy Donovan can move to 12 undefeated against Danny Ball, and heavyweight Thomas Carty will be targeting a sixth knockout in seven against Dan Garber.
Tokyo Olympian Emmet Brennan takes on Limerick's Jamie Morrissey (5-0-1) for the Boxing Union of Ireland Celtic light-heavyweight belt in what is the Dubliner's second pro outing.
Belfast boxer John Cooney (9-0-0) takes on Tallaght man Liam Gaynor (10-4-0) for the vacant BBBoC super-featherweight strap .
Follow a live blog on Chantelle Cameron v Katie Taylor on Saturday from the 3Arena at 9pm on www.rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app
