Busy day: Cameron-Taylor 2, Harper-Braekhus, Buatsi-Azeez set
Trio of significant fights all made official on Wednesday
A note to Fight Freaks Unite readers: I created Fight Freaks Unite in January 2021 and eight months later it also became available for paid subscriptions for additional content — and as a way to help keep this newsletter going and for readers to support independent journalism. If you haven’t upgraded to a paid subscription please consider it. If you have already, I truly appreciate it! Also, consider a gift subscription for the Fight Freak in your life.
It was a busy day for British boxing with three notable fights being made official. Here’s a look:
Cameron vs. Taylor 2
Matchroom Boxing announced the expected rematch between undisputed women’s junior welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron and Katie Taylor, the undisputed lightweight champion.
The sequel will take place on Nov. 25 (DAZN) at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, the same venue where Cameron retained the titles via majority decision in an action-packed fight on May 20 in Taylor’s long-awaited first professional fight in her native Ireland, where she is a national hero.
“Last time out Chantelle Cameron proved that she in one of the very best female fighters on the planet by handing Katie Taylor her first loss in the professional ranks,” Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn said. “Katie will be desperate to avenge that loss but Chantelle is determined to prove that it wasn’t a one off.”
Cameron (18-0, 8 KOs), 32, of England, became the undisputed champion in November when she outpointed Jessica McCaskill to retain the WBC and IBF belts while also winning the vacant WBO and WBA titles. Then she upset Taylor.
“Last time out I pulled off one of the best ever away wins against the best female fighter on the planet,” Cameron said. “To go over to Ireland for her homecoming with my belts on the line and beat her was a brilliant experience, but beating her on Nov. 25 will surpass that as I know what to expect now.
“I’ve boxed at that high level with a huge amount of pressure on me and the crowd against me. Going into Nov. 25, I’m more than prepared this time. I know what it feels like now and I’m going to go in there with more aggression and energy and I’m confident of getting the job done in better fashion. I’m going to be a lot better in the rematch. In the gym we’re correcting mistakes that I’ve made. There were little things that I was doing during the first fight that led to me being head-butted a lot. That’s why my face was very bruised up at the end of the fight.”
Cameron said she has no problem fighting on Taylor’s turf again.
“Going back to Ireland to beat Katie Taylor twice in a row will show that it wasn’t just a lucky night for me and an off night for Katie,” Cameron said. “I said it last time I think I’m all wrong for Katie. I’m too big, I’m too strong and my will to win is too strong. I’m going to be there all night long. Katie picked the wrong fighter to fight.”
Taylor (22-1, 6 KOs), 37, suffered her first defeat but said immediately afterward she would invoke her contractual right to an immediate rematch.
“I'm delighted the rematch has been made and really can't wait for another huge night in November,” Taylor said. “I relish challenges like this and these are the occasions I live for.”
Listen to the new podcast episode and subscribe
Harper vs. Braekhus
Terri Harper will defend the WBA women’s junior middleweight title and go for the vacant WBO title against former longtime undisputed welterweight champion and pound-for-pound queen Cecilia Braekhus on Oct. 7 (DAZN), Matchroom Boxing announced.
The bout will take place on the card headlined by WBA featherweight titlist Leigh Wood’s defense against former two-time titlist Josh Warrington at Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England.
Harper and Braekhus were originally scheduled to fight on the undercard of Cameron-Taylor I in Dublin on May 20 but the fight was called off on the morning of the bout when Braekhus became ill.
“It would’ve been a shame for it to have never happened,” Harper said of rescheduling the fight. “I’m excited and grateful to everyone for making it happen again and it'll be even more special this time with the opportunity of unifying the division.
“When the fight fell through last time I sulked for the weekend but thanks to Matchroom and Eddie I was back in the gym the following Monday ready for another fight week. Looking back this experience has made me a stronger fighter with even more experience now gained. Cecilia is an icon of the sport and has already done everything I want to achieve. That's why me and my team were so keen to pursue this fight. I see this fight as a passing of the baton and another stepping stone towards my ultimate goal of becoming undisputed at the weight.”
Harper (14-1-1, 6 KOs), 26, of England, a former junior lightweight titlist, will be making her second junior middleweight title defense.
Braekhus (37-2, 9 KOs), 41, of Norway, lost the undisputed welterweight title to Jessica McCaskill in by disputed majority decision in August 2020 and then lost a decision to her in an immediate rematch in March 2021.
Since then, Braekhus, who held the welterweight title from 2009 to 2020, has won her only fight, a six-round decision over lesser opponent Marisa Portillo in December. Now she will have her first junior middleweight fight.
Buatsi vs. Azeez
British countrymen and friends Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez will met in a WBA light heavyweight final eliminator on Oct. 21 (Sky Sports in U.K., no U.S. broadcaster so far) at The O2 in London, Boxxer announced on Wednesday, confirming Tuesday’s Fight Freaks Unite report.
The winner will become the mandatory challenger for titlist Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs).
“We've been friends for years, but there's too much on the line here for either of us to say no to this fight,” Buatsi said. “We can be friends again afterwards but on Oct. 21st it's all business. I'm preparing to beat the best version of Dan Azeez and I’m doing everything I need to do to achieve that, whether that’s by decision or knockout.”
Buatsi (17-0, 13 KOs), 30, is coming off a near-shutout 10-round decision against Pawel Stepien on May 6 in Buatsi’s first fight in a year and first since leaving Matchroom Boxing and signing with Boxxer.
Azeez (20-0, 13 KOs), 33, stopped Thomas Faure in the 12th round in his home country of France for the vacant European title in March and then won an eight-round decision over sub-.500 foe Khalid Graidia in a stay-busy fight July 15.
“I’ve earned my way to get to this stage of my career and there’s still more to earn and prove,” Azeez said. “This fight is another step closer to the top and it means a lot to me so I’m preparing like I always do for everything and anything in order to be victorious come Oct. 21st.”
A note to subscribers
I sincerely appreciate your readership. If you’re reading, it means you love boxing just like I do. If you’ve been reading you also know the quality and quantity of what I produce. It’s one-stop shopping. Read the newsletters and there is no need to search multiple websites or click a multitude of links to get the latest news, opinion and detailed fight schedule. Everything you need is in one spot and delivered directly to your inbox (or via phone alert if you download for free the superb Substack app). You don’t have to hunt for the news; it comes to you.
I believe that is worth something, so while I will continue providing stories, notes and the schedule for free, I encourage you to upgrade to a paid subscription for the most content. A paid subscription is your way of keeping this reader-supported newsletter going and supporting independent journalism. I am beholden to no network, promoter, manager, sanctioning body or fighter. If you have read my work at all during the past 23 years I’ve covered professional boxing you know that I keep it real and that will not change.
To upgrade your subscription please go here:
Thank you so much for your support of Fight Freaks Unite!
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danrafael1/
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanRafael1
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanRafaelBoxing
