Chantelle Cameron v Katie Taylor: Irish fighter given hero’s reception at feverish Dublin weigh-in
Katie Taylor’s incident-packed weigh-in before adoring Irish fans features kilts, violinists and a multitude of flags. …
| Venue: 3Arena, Dublin Date: Saturday, 20 May |
| Coverage: Radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live from 22:00 BST, live text commentary and reaction on BBC Sport website & app from 21:00 |
Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron have made weight for Saturday’s undisputed light-welterweight contest in Dublin.
Both weighed 9st 13lbs and Taylor was given a hero’s welcome by adoring fans who will see the Irishwoman fight on home soil for the first time as a pro.
Cameron cut a relaxed figure as the partisan crowd sang Taylor’s name during the face-off.
“I can’t wait to get hold of those belts. I’m so proud to represent this great nation,” Taylor said.
Taylor, 36, is moving up in weight from lightweight to challenge fellow unbeaten champion Cameron.
“Cool heads in a hot kitchen, just down to business on Saturday night,” said the defending champion.
In a break from boxing tradition, Taylor was introduced to the crowd second in a spot usually reserved for the defending champion.
Taylor was accompanied by two violinists, draped in sequinned green outfits, playing a rendition of Irish folk song Drunken Sailor, and was given a hero’s welcome by a packed crowd inside the Mansion House.
Taylor did weigh in second however, with Cameron showing no signs of nervousness going into the biggest fight of her career.
While Cameron is a seasoned light-welterweight, Taylor is not but is a previous world champion at the weight and the reigning undisputed lightweight champion.
Despite the duo having ten world titles between them, Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn was only able to hold six on stage during the face-off.
Cameron, 32, is the underdog despite a perfect record with 17 wins and being a history-maker in her own right.
The Northampton fighter is Britain’s first female undisputed champion, and the first fighter – male or female – from England to win an undisputed championship.
Briton Terri Harper also made weight for her world title defence against Norway’s Cecilia Braekhus.
Harper puts her WBA light-middleweight title on the line against one of boxing’s pioneering figures in Braekhus, who has 37 wins from 39 fights in a glittering career which includes an undisputed welterweight championship.
All the Irish fighters on the card were afforded a rousing welcome including Gary Cully, who has been given the honour of being co-main event to his hero Taylor.
But the feistiest face-off on the undercard went to heavyweights Thomas Carty and Jay McFarlane.
Dubliner Carty was given a big welcome and looked on in amusement as Scotland’s McFarlane tore his T-shirt off on the scales and weighed in wearing a kilt.
The rivals then had to be separated by security after an intense face-off which ended with Carty shoving McFarlane.
The Scot then sparked an angry reaction from Carty when he grabbed the Irish flag, but the minor melee was quickly broken up.
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