After all the talk during the week of Katie Taylor moving up in weight to challenge England’s Chantelle Cameron for the undisputed super lightweight world title, both boxers weighed in at exactly the same weight in Dublin’s Mansion House on Friday.
Taylor, taking part in her first professional fight in Ireland and in the biggest major boxing event in Dublin since Bernard Dunne defeated Ricardo Cordoba in 2009, weighed in first at 139.7 pounds. Cameron then also hit the 139.7 pounds mark.
There was no great disparity in height between the two world champions as they faced off on stage in front of several hundred people and cameras packed into the Round Room.
Unlike the heavyweight face off earlier in the afternoon between Thomas Carty and the kilted Jay McFarlane, where items of clothing were thrown and promoter Eddie Hearn had to step in, Taylor and Cameron stared, smiled and departed.
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Taylor, who is the undisputed lightweight world champion, weighed in at a lighter 134.6 pounds for her famous bout last year in New York’s Madison Square Garden against Amanda Serrano. For the bout on Saturday night she has essentially gone up in weight by around five pounds.
Taylor and Cameron meet for the first time professionally although they did fight each other as amateur boxers where Taylor emerged the winner.
Theirs is the highlight of the sold out 3Arena event, where three world title fights across men’s and women’s boxing will take place.
Taylor, 36, is undefeated at lightweight in 22 professional fights since she turned professional after the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, while 32-year-old Cameron has won all 17 of her bouts since turning professional at 26.
None of Taylor’s belts are on the line as both fighters exceed the lightweight limit, although Taylor will be scrapping to keep her pristine record intact and emphasise again that she is the best pound for pound fighter in women’s boxing.
On stage, two female fiddle players dressed in green played Oró Sé do Bheatha ‘Bhaile as Taylor entered the arena with her American coach Ross Enamait. Both fighters then squared off without speaking to bring the weigh-in to a close.
There are eight bouts taking place on Saturday beginning at 5pm with Taylor expected to enter the ring at around 10.30pm in front of a capacity crowd of 8,000.
