Mikaela Mayer admitted that Chantelle Cameron's trash‑talk after their bout was the spark that set off the heated exchange that followed their super‑welterweight showdown in Birmingham. Mayer reflected that she "acted in a way I shouldn't have," acknowledging that Cameron's words pushed her over the edge.
The loss marked only the third defeat of Mayer's professional career, and it cost her the unified titles she entered Birmingham with. The fight lived up to its lofty expectations, pitting two of the sport’s pound‑for‑pound elite against each other and further cementing Cameron’s claim to a spot among the greats of women’s boxing. Tensions had already been simmering before the match. Security had to intervene at the weigh‑in on Friday when the two fighters got into a physical confrontation, and the animosity resurfaced inside the ring on Saturday night.
After the judges handed the decision to Cameron—scores of 97‑93, 97‑93 and 96‑94—Mayer, still believing she had done enough to win, told the newly crowned unified WBA, WBC and WBO champion, "I did beat you." Speaking to Sky Sports News, Mayer explained her mindset in the immediate aftermath: "In the heat of the moment after the fight, I felt I had won, but I knew it was close, and I was prepared to go to the mic and 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 origins of the rivalry back to the pre‑fight build‑up. "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 said, suggesting that Cameron may have harbored hidden resentment that later surfaced as sharp words.
Cameron, who had previously expressed genuine respect for Mayer before the tension escalated, echoed the sentiment that the hostility had bounced back onto the American. After the final bell, Cameron 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 bout lived up to its billing, with both athletes showing visible signs of battle by the ninth round. Mayer sustained a cut near her eye, while Cameron bled from her own.
Despite the physical toll, the two embraced briefly at the end of the fight before the verbal sparring resumed. A day after the controversial decision, Mayer's tone shifted noticeably.
"I have not watched the fight back, but I am open to the idea that it was too close," she said. "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 milestone to an already impressive résumé that includes the only professional loss ever handed to Katie Taylor. Still, Cameron downplayed any talk of becoming the greatest of all time, acknowledging that Claressa Shields remains the benchmark for that title. Mayer confirmed that a rematch clause exists in their contract and that she expects it to be exercised. She also revealed that she had declined to relinquish her WBC belt in order to fight under three‑minute rounds, a condition Cameron later demanded for a potential sequel.
"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 in order to go three‑minute rounds. In order to go three‑minute rounds, I had to vacate that WBC belt but I know how much the belts play a role in your negotiation. She has the belts and she wants to go three‑minute rounds. We can absolutely do that.
I have no problem with that. It's her choice now, just like it was my choice for this fight." Cameron reiterated her preference for three‑minute rounds in the immediate aftermath of her dramatic win. "I want to do this again," she said on Saturday night. "It's up to Mikaela, but I want to do three‑minute rounds." Her trainer, Jamie Moore, added that if the sanctioning body objected, 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 two 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 had previously insisted any rematch should take place in the United States, did not specify a location for a potential sequel. Instead, she paid tribute to the British fans who supported her throughout the event. "I love you guys, I can't wait to come back.
I'm here for your entertainment," she said, underscoring her appreciation for the crowd that filled the arena and made the night unforgettable.