Chantelle Cameron secured a victory on Saturday night in Birmingham, marking her second win this year amidst what many are calling a challenging time for professional women’s boxing in Britain and Ireland. With key fighters either absent or having only fought once this year, concerns are rising about the state of the sport.
While it’s not yet a full-blown crisis, discussions are taking place within boxing circles about the lack of activity among prominent female boxers. Katie Taylor is scheduled to fight next week in Texas, making her first appearance of 2024, while Savannah Marshall has not fought since July 2023 and is currently exploring opportunities in MMA, having recently faced Mirela Vargas in the Professional Fighters League. This decline in activity is notable considering that Taylor and Marshall had participated in seven major fights combined in the two years leading up to this year.
Cameron, who switched promoters earlier this year to join Frank Warren, ended the year holding the WBC interim super-lightweight title. This title is the same one she had previously lost to Taylor in two thrilling encounters last year. Cameron is eager for a rematch with Taylor, but the latter has her sights set on a highly anticipated rematch against Amanda Serrano, coinciding with Mike Tyson’s return to the ring for a fight with Jake Paul.
The momentum of women’s boxing was palpable in 2022, with Taylor and Serrano each earning over a million dollars and selling out Madison Square Garden, followed by Marshall’s clash with Claressa Shields, which attracted nearly 20,000 fans at the O2. However, this year has seen world champions like Ellie Scotney, Lauren Price, and Natasha Jonas fight only once, and there are no immediate plans to feature them on upcoming fight cards.
In addition to Cameron’s triumph, Sandy Ryan had a mixed year, winning against Terri Harper before losing her title to Mikaela Mayer in New York. Harper, who rebounded from her loss to Ryan, claimed the lightweight title from Rhiannon Dixon in a bout that drew a modest crowd of 2,000 fans. Raven Chapman faced her first loss in a featherweight title fight against Australian Skye Nicolson in October, while Ebanie Bridges, a popular yet divisive figure in women’s boxing, has been inactive this year due to her pregnancy.
Looking ahead, potential matchups loom on the horizon, particularly involving Caroline Dubois, who remains unbeaten and holds two lightweight world titles. At just 23 years old, Dubois could significantly impact the landscape of women’s boxing if she engages in high-profile fights against established names like Ryan, Jonas, and Cameron.
As the end of 2024 approaches, boxing enthusiasts hope that the upcoming February and March schedules will include more of the sport’s prominent female figures. While Taylor may not be part of these plans, a grudge match between Ryan and Cameron, as well as a showdown between Jonas and Price, could reignite interest in women’s boxing. Scotney is also eager to move up in weight and face Nicolson.
With exciting fights waiting to be made, it’s essential that promoters seize the moment to revitalize women’s boxing and bring these athletes back into the spotlight they deserve.
