Mikaela Mayer opened up about how Chantelle Cameron's remarks after their bout sparked the heated exchange that erupted following their super‑welterweight showdown in Birmingham. Mayer admitted that she "acted in a way I shouldn't have" after being provoked by Cameron's trash talk. The loss marked only the third defeat of Mayer's professional career, and it also cost her the unified titles she entered Birmingham with.
The fight lived up to its hype, pitting two of the sport's top pound‑for‑pound athletes against each other and further cementing Cameron's claim to a spot among the legends of women's boxing. Tensions between the two fighters had already boiled over at the weigh‑in on Friday, where security had to intervene to separate them after a physical scuffle.
The animosity resurfaced inside the ring on Saturday night, with Mayer shouting to the newly crowned WBA, WBC and WBO champion, "I did beat you," despite the judges' scores of 97‑93, 97‑93 and 96‑94 in Cameron's favor. In an interview with Sky Sports News, Mayer reflected on the moments after the fight: "In the heat of the moment I felt I had won, but I knew it was close, and I was prepared to go to the mic, give her her props and say I'm looking forward to the rematch. I'm not going to lie, I heard her on the mic talking trash and it triggered me.
It brought something out of me and I feel like I acted in a way that I shouldn't have." Mayer traced the origin of the rivalry back to the pre‑fight build‑up, noting that the two had generally been on good terms until a face‑off escalated the tension. "We were always actually really cool, and the only thing that kind of triggered that rivalry was me getting in her face during the face‑off," she explained, suggesting that Cameron may have harbored deeper grievances that surfaced later. Cameron, who had previously said she "genuinely respected" Mayer before the feud intensified, believed the hostility fed back onto the American. After the bout she said, "I was looking at her before the bell rang and thought, 'I'm going to smash your head in.' And it worked.
I was feeling the energy, she didn't want to be in there." The contest lived up to its billing, with both fighters showing visible swelling by the ninth round. Mayer suffered an eye cut, while Cameron bled from a cut of her own. Despite the physical toll, the two embraced at the final bell before verbal sparring resumed.
A day after the contentious decision, Mayer's tone shifted. She told reporters, "I have not watched the fight back, but I am open to the idea that it was too close. I told myself I would not let the fight get close, and I didn't do that. I let it get too close, and so I can't be upset at the decision.
It wasn't my night, and I have to give her the props for the win. She's a great fighter, and I'm just excited to go fix my mistakes and do better." Cameron's victory added another impressive line to her résumé, which already includes the only professional loss ever handed to Katie Taylor. Yet Cameron downplayed any talk of being the greatest of all time, insisting that Claressa Shields still holds that mantle.
Mayer confirmed that a rematch clause is present in their contract and expressed confidence that it will be activated. She also revealed that she had declined to surrender her WBC belt in order to fight under three‑minute rounds, a condition Cameron later stipulated for a potential rematch. "I don't see a way that it doesn't happen because it's in the contract," Mayer said.
"We both want it and we'll make it happen. I wasn't willing to vacate my WBC belt to go three‑minute rounds.
In order to go three‑minute rounds, I had to vacate that belt but I know how much the belts play a role in your negotiation. She has the belts and she wants three‑minute rounds. We can absolutely do that. It's her choice now, just like it was my choice for this fight." Cameron reiterated her desire for three‑minute rounds in the immediate aftermath of her dramatic win, stating, "I want to do this again.
It's up to Mikaela, but I want three‑minute rounds." Her trainer, Jamie Moore, added that if the sanctioning body objects, Cameron could vacate the WBC title to accommodate the round length change. MVP co‑founder Nakisa Bidarian welcomed the prospect of a second meeting between the fighters and noted that Cameron has been pushing for bouts with Claressa Shields and Lauren Price "from the jump." He also asserted that the 35‑year‑old Briton is "unequivocally" among the top two or three female fighters of all time, if not the greatest.
Mayer, who insisted that any rematch should take place in the United States, did not comment on a specific venue but paid tribute to the British fans. "I love you guys, I can't wait to come back. I'm here for your entertainment," she said, underscoring her appreciation for the support she received in Birmingham despite the contentious outcome.