‘Il Capo’ makes her case in WBO title scrap

Former undisputed super lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron returns this Sunday, April 4 as she takes on Michaela Kotaskova for the vacant WBO super welterweight title. The fight takes place at The Olympia in Kensington as part of MVP’s debut Sky Sports Main Event card. The evening will be headlined by Caroline Dubois’ world title unification with Terri Harper.

Read on for my Cameron vs Kotaskova predictions.

Cameron vs Kotaskova Odds

Chantelle is a massive favourite at 1/33 while Kotaskova is unfancied at 12/1. The draw is marketed at 22/1.

If you like Cameron for the stoppage it’s 8/15 while the fight is 7/5 to go the distance.

Cameron vs Kotaskova Fight Preview

Cameron should be the biggest star in women’s boxing. Northampton’s ‘Il Capo’ did what no other professional boxer has done. She beat Katie Taylor, in Dublin no less. Imagine if someone had beaten Floyd Mayweather or Joe Calzaghe in their pomp. Cameron made the unthinkable a reality at the 3Arena in May 2023.

We are closing in on three years since that joyous victory in Ireland and Cameron is not the mainstream superstar such a conquering creates. She lost her undisputed super lightweight title to Taylor in a rematch at the same venue that November and has been allowed to drift since. 

Taylor’s restoration was prized above Cameron’s ascension. The fact she was an undisputed champion who had just beaten Taylor and yet was still made to return to Ireland for the rematch was egregious. Cameron lost a close fight back at the 3Arena. Unlike Cameron, Taylor is yet to grant a rematch.

Instead, Cameron has had to watch while the pioneering ‘KT’ has played out a trilogy with Amanda Serrano, despite winning her first two fights against the Puerto Rican. Cynics would say that Serrano received a third fight precisely because Taylor beat her twice, while Cameron had the temerity to actually beat her in their first fight. 

Taylor is a legend and has earned the right to call her shots but, with her retirement looming, it is fair to say her legacy will have a Chantelle Cameron-shaped hole in it if the Irish superstar opts to fight anyone else in her final bow.

Since the trilogy snub, Cameron has fought three times against fine opposition. She scooped the interim WBC belt with a win over former European champ Elhem Mekhaled. Cameron defended the belt twice, beating ex-world champ Patricia Berghult and former title contender Jessica Camara.

Cameron’s interim title was eventually upgraded to the full WBC title when Taylor opted to vacate the green and gold rather than face her. Bizarrely, Cameron herself then vacated the title rather than face mandatory challenger (and now champion) Sandy Ryan. Chantelle stressed she vacated the title due to inequality surrounding the WBC’s refusal to allow 12-round women’s title fights with three-minute rounds.

I spoke with Cameron on this very issue in an article for a wonderful publication, The Sportsman, a few years back. The fighter was as keen then as she is now to emulate the men’s structure, saying “ I think for my style three-minute rounds would suit me a lot more. I think if we want equal pay and equal rights, then we kind of need to do what the men are doing.”

Cameron elaborated on the entertainment factor, acknowledging that “Twos are great, and entertaining for the fans because it's a high pace, high tempo. But the extra minute can give you more time to get your opponents out of there. Boxing fans want to see stoppages. It's the hurt game.”

This WBO title attraction is over 10-twos, but the organisation has sanctioned a 12-round title fight in the past. Amanda Serrano’s unanimous decision win over Danila Ramos in 2023 was over 12, three-minute rounds and the WBO championship was on the line. The WBC withdrew their recognition from the fight, echoing what Cameron said while vacating their title.

Should Cameron win, one would assume the WBO are fine with her going the 12-round distance in future defences. Of course, this talk is premature. Kotaskova will be doing all she can to make sure Cameron never has to worry about defending the title.

Kotaskova is unbeaten and a former WBF champion, a minor world belt compared to the big four but good for building experience in title bouts. She has defended that strap twice with her best win coming over former world champ Mikaela Lauren.

Lauren aside, most of Kotaskova’s other wins have come over journeywomen and novices. Cameron isn’t a step-up, she’s a Warp 10 flight to the stars. Chantelle has been in with the best and beaten them. She has defeated eight former or reigning world champions and was the first boxer to beat then-undisputed queen Jessica McCaskill in five years.

That is one hell of a record and even if you excised the three best wins from it, it is still galaxies away from Kotaskova’s ledger. Now it falls to the visiting Czech Republic warrior to close the gap on Chantelle Cameron.

Cameron vs Kotaskova Full Card

Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper

Ellie Scotney vs Mayelli Flores Rosquero

Irma Garcia vs Emma Dolan

Chantelle Cameron vs Michaela Kotaskova

Chloe Watson vs Teresa Makinen

Shannon Courtenay vs Sasha Booker

Elizabeth Oshoba vs Chelsey Arnell

Gemma Paige Richardson vs Johana Rajmont

Harvey Smith vs Juan Alberto Batista

Arjon Basi vs Jake Price

Cameron vs Kotaskova Prediction

You never know what an undefeated fighter has until someone solves the puzzle and beats them. But I reckon Chantelle will come through this challenge without too much trouble. Camara and Berghult had both demonstrated more pedigree than Kotaskova and Cameron beat each woman widely on points.

I think Cameron will pull off a similar result here. I’m backing Chantelle on points at 17/10.

You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page and our latest boxing odds here.