Taylor quashes retirement talk ahead of 'must-win' fight

Katie Taylor says she is out to right the wrongs of her defeat to Chantelle Cameron ahead of her rematch against the undisputed super-lightweight champion and insists notions of retirement have not entered her thought process.

Taylor and Cameron will lock horns again on 25 November at the 3Arena, a little more than six months after the English fighter inflicted a first professional defeat for the Bray woman at the same venue.

Amid a partisan atmosphere and a long-awaited homecoming for Taylor to Ireland, Cameron produced a composed and clinical performance to win on a majority decision.

Reflecting on that defeat, the 37-year-old Taylor admitted the better fighter won, but stressed she's very happy with how her preparation is going this time around.

"Mentally and physically I feel better going into this one," she told RTÉ Sport. "I didn't feel myself going into the fight.

"Everyone could see I wasn’t at my best. I feel like this camp has been very different."

While the 2012 Olympic gold medallist wouldn’t expand on the specifics of where it went wrong back in May, she played down the narrative that this fight has become more personal.

Cameron spoiled the party with the unanimous decision and was pictured at Dublin Airport on her way home, smiling with her arms spread out beside a large promo poster of Taylor.

Earlier this week the Northampton woman ratcheted up the tension by vowing " to go through her" in the rematch.

Is there added incentive for victory?

"I wouldn’t say so. I didn’t know about the picture at Dublin Airport. Every single fight is a huge fight for me, the next fight is always the most important one. My mindset with that sort of stuff is the same.

"Failure causes you to examine things a little bit more. That has been the case for this fight. That’s where the growth happens, unfortunately it has to be that way when you suffer a loss.

"I definitely feel like I am a better boxer than I was before the last fight.

"I’m aware of what’s at stake. All the belts are on the line. I do realise this is absolutely a must-win fight."

Having turned 37 in July and with 23 professional fights under her belt since turning pro in 2016, some observers have questioned whether it might be a good time for Taylor to hang up the gloves.

The Bray woman seemed like she was getting to grips with her opponent around the midway point of the fight in May, but dogged Cameron never wilted and was able to match Taylor's frenetic finish with some quality explosive shots of her own.

Not that she has entertained any idea that this might be her final time entering the ring.

"I’m not thinking that this fight is going to be my last fight. I’m not thinking of any other outcome rather than a win.

"I know I have plenty more fights in me, but obviously I’ll retire at the right time. I guess you guys [the media] can make your opinion on that on 25 November. I have no intentions of hanging up the gloves right now.

"It’s not a good time to be thinking of retirement a few weeks before the biggest fight of your career."

Facing the same opponent at the same venue with the same belts on the line, what exactly can Taylor do to ensure there is a different outcome?

For starters, she will at least have the experience of a raucous home crowd roaring her on under her belt. While she doesn’t feel the sense of occasion was the root cause of her setback, it still took adjusting to as she made her way to the ring.

"I knew it was going to be a huge event," she said. "I certainly was emotional when I walked to the stage that night. I couldn’t believe the atmosphere. You can never really prepare for that kind of atmosphere. It was very, very special.

"There was a time when I didn’t think I’d be able to fight in my own country. The emotion, that this is actually happening, in front of my own nation.

"Certainly my emotions are going to be a bit more intact the next time.

"A couple of years ago I never would have thought that this would happen, that here we are, bringing big-time boxing back to our nation. It was just an amazing night."

There was never any doubt in her mind about seeking out Cameron again - "it would have been a killer if I didn’t get this fight" – and the only thing focusing her mind is bouncing back from defeat.

In the ring moments after Cameron’s raised was raised, Taylor couldn’t hide her disappointment at not being able to make it a winning homecoming.

What would a victory later this month mean?

"It would be one of the best wins of my career. Every fight is the most important fight, but this is a must-win fight for me. I’m definitely looking forward to the revenge I guess, making things right.

"A lot of people I think are doubting me aswell. I actually love these kinds of fights when people are doubting me. This could be one of the greatest nights in my career."