_1700988168.jpg)
Grant Smith is relishing the prospect of Chantelle Cameron continuing to improve after overseeing victory over France’s Elem Mekhaled in their first fight together.
In 2023 Cameron stood alone at the top of the 140lbs division having become the first professional to defeat the iconic Katie Taylor. A lot has happened in the months since.
The 33 year old Cameron lost her titles to the inspired Taylor in a rematch and was then frustrated by prolonged talks over a third fight coming to little.
In the aftermath of that defeat she left Jamie Moore’s gym in Astley and began training with Smith in Sheffield, and Saturday night’s entertaining majority-decision victory was her first time competing under Queensberry Promotions, with her having also since left Matchroom.
Smith’s Steel City Gym has become one of the most respected in the country, nurturing former world flyweight champion Sunny Edwards, the super-lightweight contender Dalton Smith, and a host of talented championship-level fighters and prospects. Cameron is a former undisputed champion and possesses the technical ability and experience to fit seamlessly into Smith’s team, but there are certain things that a trainer can only learn about a fighter’s character when they are subjected to the pressures of fight week.
Smith has been impressed with the way Cameron has adapted to his style of training but will have spent fight week watching closely for any changes in her manner and any subtle signs of doubt, over-confidence, or nerves. Having seen how she handles the stresses of making weight and the tension of fight night, he will have a much better understanding of her as a person as well as as a fighter, and he revealed that he was happy with their first outing together.
“She is a very good fighter,” he told TNT Sports. “All I wanted her to do was go out there with no pressure and do what she’s been doing in the gym. She looked a million dollars.
“I don’t know what that one judge was doing scoring 95-95. To call that fight a draw for somebody walking forward – yeah, they were punching, but she was taking some big shots. I take my hat off to her. Not many lasses would have took those shots. Some of them shots would have taken some men out. She’s a tough lass – that’s why she never gets stopped but what that judge was scoring, I don’t know.
“I was well happy with the performance. She [Cameron] did everything we said and it’s only going to get better.”
Cameron wants to stay busy as she waits for the opportunity to regain her junior-welterweight world titles.
She has been vocal about wanting to fight Taylor again as quickly as possible but despite having already achieved so much Saturday night was a night of firsts for her. Given the size of and the number of changes she has made, the fight with Mekhaled, also 33, was therefore also the ideal place to start.
“It’s been a bit of a rough chapter in boxing but I’m back now and I’m coming for them belts again,” she said before turning her attention to the delayed rematch between Taylor and Amanda Serrano, which is scheduled for November. “This is just the beginning.
“It’s been my first camp with Grant and I just want to keep the momentum now. I don’t want to be waiting around and waiting for what’s next. Everyone knows who I want but I want to be busy so let’s get cracking and get out again at the end of the year.”