Chantelle Cameron has declared “it’s me against the world now” after losing her undisputed light-welterweight title to Ireland’s Katie Taylor.
Cameron, from Northampton, was unhappy with the referee chosen for the fight.
“It wasn’t just me and Katie in that ring. If it was, I’d take the loss and say the better women won on the night,” the 32-year-old said.
“I had everything against me. The ref on the night… it was such a high-status fight, why would you put in a referee that no-one had heard of?
“That’s not my job, it’s my job to fight. I don’t look into who’s reffing, who’s judging. I’m just frustrated – if I could turn back the hands of time, I would make sure that was all looked into. I’ve learnt my lesson,” she told BBC Radio Northampton.
Cameron received the Freedom of Northampton at a special ceremony in the town on Tuesday, along with Northampton Saints rugby player Courtney Lawes.
And she is already focusing on a third meeting with Taylor – although she does not believe that Matchroom, who promote both fighters, want it to happen.
She told BBC Look East: “They always knew I was a threat against Katie Taylor and that’s what happened in the first fight when you see Eddie (Hearn) nearly crying when I actually beat her.
“In the second fight, in the celebrations, he forgot I was his fighter as well. He was jumping up and down, happy…..obviously they’ve had a great story together, and a great journey, but they represent me as well.
“I want the trilogy but it’s hard to work with someone that does that to you. I respect him as a promoter, I became undisputed (champion) under him, but that (Hearn celebrating Taylor’s win) was a little bit cruel and embarrassing for me as well.”
In a statement, Matchroom responded: “We have supported her throughout her journey with us and will continue to do so.
“We hope to make the trilogy fight with Katie Taylor next so Chantelle has the opportunity to fight again for the titles she lost last month in Dublin.”
Taylor went down in the opening round of what turned out to be a classic contest last month, but it was ruled a slip by referee Roberto Ramirez Jr.
The previously unbeaten Cameron suffered a bad cut to her forehead during the fight and although she wobbled Taylor several times in the final three rounds – two judges scored 98-92 and 96-94 to her opponent, with the third calling it a draw.
Having lost her IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO belts, she has yet to look at a video of the bout.
“It’s not the time to watch it back at the minute because it will just make me more and more angry, so for the time being, I’m just going to let it settle a bit,” she said.
Cameron is willing to accept any terms for a third fight with Taylor and after that hopes to achieve her long-held goal of fighting at Saints’ Franklin’s Gardens stadium.
She does not want to fight in Northampton, though, until she is a champion once more.
“I need to get a belt so I can bring it back to Northampton and fight in front of my home town, my friends, my family, a homecoming,” she added.
“I’ll get a belt back. I’ve got the champion mindset. I don’t think it was a fair match, the belts were snatched off me by not just Katie, there was a lot of stuff going on outside the ring.
“I’m determined now to kind of fight everyone, I feel it’s me against the world now.”
