Katie Taylor suffers homecoming heartbreak in first ever loss as Chantelle Cameron beats her in front of Conor McGregor
KATIE TAYLOR suffered heartbreak in her homecoming fight - losing a classic to Chantelle Cameron.
Taylor returned to fight back in Ireland for the first time in her professional career.
And she did so in a scintillating affair with Cameron, which was end-to-end action from the bell.
But after ten thrilling rounds, two judges scored in favour of Cameron, with one failing to separate the pair.
It meant Taylor, who moved up to super-lightweight, tasted defeat for the first time in her career.
Cameron - having voiced fears of being on the end of a tight decision - was left relieved and rewarded with victory.
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She said: "I was petrified, I have seen it before, I thought i'm not going to get the decision. Katie is a great fighter, but I turned up to the occasion.
"I don't mind getting hit, it's one of them where they let me off the leash.
"She is so fast, rapid, tough, I thought maybe I have nicked some rounds there."
Taylor, 36, started fast and was quick to counter the bigger and heavier Cameron, 32, landing in combinations.
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But as the bout progressed, Taylor struggled to fight off the pressure of the champion, who kept bulldozing forward.
Cameron was the more relentless of the two, hammering combinations to the body and never letting her foot of the gas.
Taylor scored in spurs with flashy combinations, much to the delight of UFC superstar Conor McGregor, who was sat ringside.
But after the ten completed rounds, it was Cameron's pace, power and pressure that separated the pair.
Taylor, who lost for the first time in 23 bouts, is already eyeing a rematch.
She said: "It was obviously very close, it's not how I wanted my homecoming to go, I am just grateful for all the support, thank you very much.
"Congrats to Chantelle, thanks for the opportunity to fight for your belts, and I look forward to the rematch.
"I wouldn't say I was surprised how fast she was, it was a tough battle, I just came up short tonight, I look forward to when we face each other again."
