Chantelle Cameron contemplated retirement after watching her career stagnate.
The Northampton puncher became the first, and to date only, woman to beat future first-ballot Hall of Famer Katie Taylor in May 2023 with a valiant display at Dublin’s 3Arena.
In doing so, she laid claim to the undisputed super lightweight titles and jumped up to the No.2 spot in the women’s pound-for-pound rankings.
When they rematched six months later, Cameron came desperately close to repeating her heroics, only to come up short via majority decision.
A rubber match was expected to follow, but rather than settle her score with Cameron, Taylor opted to rekindle another rivalry with Amanda Serrano.
The decision left Cameron in boxing limbo as she embarked on a frustrating 2024 that included two stay-busy fights with Elhem Mekhaled and Patricia Berghulk.
Heading into 2025, Cameron only had one fight left on her deal with Frank Warren‘s Queensberry Promotions and with seemingly no new contract in sight, ‘II Capo’ considered hanging up her gloves prematurely.
That was until Jake Paul‘s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) came calling.
“I think this is the best move I made signing for Most Valuable Promotions, with Jake Paul and Nakisa [Bidarian],” Cameron told talkSPORT.com.
“I feel like the doors are going to open up for me again. Obviously, I had the first fight with Katie [Taylor], got the win, went back to Ireland, didn’t get the win in the rematch.
“The trilogy was due to happen, but it never did happen, and then I had a bit of a frustrating year.
“But that’s in the past now. I’ve got a new promoter, a new trainer (Stephen Smith), and I feel like I’m in good hands with Most Valuable Promotions.
“They’re signing up all the females, so the fights are going to be there to be made, and there’s going to be no avoiding.
“It’s going to be a hell of a lot easier. Most Valuable Promotions have really promoted and invested in women’s boxing.
“So as a female boxer, it is the place to be and it doesn’t make sense to be anywhere else, because it is where all the action is and where you are going to get promoted.”
Queensberry were wholly supportive of Cameron’s move to MVP.
They even helped facilitate the deal.
“Queensberry were absolutely amazing,” Cameron added when asked how easy it was to get the deal over the line.
Taylor vs Serrano III undercard
- Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano; For Taylor’s undisputed super lightweight title
- Alycia Baumgardner vs Jennifer Miranda; For Baumgardner’s undisputed super featherweight
- Savannah Marshall vs Shadisa Green; For Marshall’s IBF and Ring Magazine super middleweight titles and Green’s WBO super middleweight title
- Chantelle Cameron vs Jessica Camara; For Cameron’s WBC interim super lightweight title
- Ellie Scotney vs Yamileth Mercado; For Scotney’s IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine super bantamweight titles and Mercado’s WBC super bantamweight title
- Dina Thorslund vs Shurretta Metcalf; For Thorslund’s WBO, WBC and Ring Magazine bantamweight titles and Metcalf’s IBF bantamweight title
- Tamm Thibeault vs Mary Casamassa; Middleweight
- Ramla Ali vs Lila Furtado; Super-bantamweight
“I just wish I had the opponents to perform for Queensberry because they were so good to me.
“But the fights just weren’t there, and I’m glad I got the two wins, but were they fights I really wanted or needed? Not really.
“But I’m very glad and grateful that I was able to stay active, although it was kind of a year that passed by.
“Queensberry were that good that they helped make this deal, because they saw what Jake and Nakisa were doing…
“I was considering my future until this got over the line, so it was fantastic that it did.”
Cameron’s first assignment under the MVP banner is a clash with Jessica Camara on the July 11 Taylor vs Serrano III all-female card at Madison Square Garden.
Providing she comes through the contest unscathed, the winner of Taylor and Serrano’s super lightweight four-belt shootout will be ordered to face WBC mandatory Cameron.
“I’ve been told that I will be facing the winner, and if the winner vacates, then I’ll be fighting for the WBC world title next, so we will see,” Cameron continued.
As the WBC interim title holder, if either Serrano or Taylor chooses not to fight her, then she will be elevated to full WBC super lightweight champion upon the fragmentation of the belts.
