Katie Taylor became undisputed world super lightweight champion in front of her adoring fans at the 3Arena in Dublin, as she took an absorbing split decision win against Chantelle Cameron in their rematch.
The pair originally met in May at the same venue, where Cameron out-worked and out-hustled undisputed lightweight champion Taylor to secure a majority decision win in an upset result to defend her belts.
It was a sharp start from Taylor (23-1, 6KOs), although she did taste the canvas, but it was ruled a slip despite a straight jab landing from the champion. Taylor was doing well to smother Cameron’s work, and fired off decent combinations in round two, but the Northampton native began to close the distance in a solid third, though she did sustain a cut from a clash of heads. Taylor continued her assault though, landing with flurries and frustrating Cameron (18-1, 8KOs) as the contest reached the halfway mark. Cameron connected with several body shots in round six, and the two went toe to toe in a frantic seventh, before Taylor looked to be hurt from the sheer volume of her opponent’s punches in the eighth.
It looked all to play for in the final two rounds, and Taylor showed great heart with an energetic penultimate frame, and the final round was a tricky one to score as a pulsating clash went to the scorecards.
A 95-95 draw was returned by one judge, but scores of 98-92 and 96-94 ensured Taylor went home with the belts.
The chief support saw Gary Cully (17-1, 10KOs) return to winning ways after suffering a stoppage defeat back in May, and the Irishman took a razor-thin split decision win against Reece Mould (18-2, 6KOs) to claim the vacant WBA Continental Europe title. The ten round contest was a close one, and a tally of 97-93 for Mould was overruled by one at the same score for Cully, and a crucial 96-93 verdict sealed the win.
Paddy Donovan (12-0, 10KOs) took the vacant WBA Continental welterweight title in some style, as he stopped Danny Ball (13-2-1, 6KOs) in the fourth round. Donovan put Ball on the deck hard with a sweetly-timed left hand, and although Ball beat the count, Donovan swarmed all over him with both hands until a hard left hand felled Ball again, and his corner threw the towel in at the same time.
Zelfa Barrett (30-2, 16KOs) had a run-out before what he hopes is a big 2024, and the Manchester super featherweight was given a decent workout by Costin Ion (10-5-2, 5KOs) in a points win over eight rounds. Barrett was adjudged the winner by a score of 78-75.
Skye Nicolson (9-0, 1KO) defended her interim WBC featherweight title, and scored her first stoppage win, as Lucy Wildheart (10-3, 4KOs) was worn down and eventually her corner threw the towel in during the ninth round.
Thomas Carty (7-0, 6KOs) remained unbeaten, but it was far from pretty as he eventually stopped Dan Garber (5-2, 1KO) in the last round of eight at heavyweight. It was a tough watch, and a two-fisted attack forced an exhausted Garber to the canvas, and the referee halted the action after the count.
Emmet Brennan (2-0, 1KO) became the new Celtic light heavyweight champion, as he forced the corner of Jamie Morrissey (5-1-1, 1KO) to throw in the towel in the eighth and final round of their meeting.
John Cooney (10-0, 3KOs) took the vacant Celtic super featherweight title in ruthless fashion, halting Liam Gaynor (10-5, 0KOs) in the opening frame. Cooney decked Gaynor with a ramrod left hand, and Gaynor was visibly shaken, and a follow up attack on the resumption left him with stiff legs, and the referee waved the contest off.
Giorgio Visoli (1-0, 1KO) made an explosive debut, as a raking left hand flattened Lee Anthony Sibley (3-2, 1KO) in the first round of their lightweight contest, and the referee deemed the man based in Spain unable to continue.
