Cameron secures points win over Mekhaled

Former world champion Chantelle Cameron secured a solid victory over Elhem Mekhaled at Birmingham's Resort World Arena. Dominating the durable French woman for most of the contest, Cameron clinched the interim WBC light-welterweight title. Scored at 99-92, 98-92, with one contentious 95-95, this was Cameron’s first fight since losing her undisputed crown to Katie Taylor last November. This is prepared by SSP.

Making her debut under promoter Frank Warren, Cameron relished her return, saying, "I'm back now, and I'm coming for the belts again. This is just the beginning." In her first bout with trainer Grant Smith, Cameron showcased aggressive tactics, landing decisive left hooks and overpowering the backtracking Mekhaled. The performance reinforced Cameron's aspirations for a rematch with Taylor, aiming to build momentum with further bouts.

Mekhaled held her own in a grueling encounter, catching her breath after intense rounds but landing heavy hits by the fourth. The crowd’s interest briefly shifted due to an event in the stands, but the fighters kept engaging fiercely until the finale. Cameron’s superiority became evident as she outworked Mekhaled with finesse and volume punching, maintaining a relentless pace.

The bout opened new opportunities for Cameron, propelling her back into contention against Ireland’s Katie Taylor, her likely next challenger. Cameron had previously edged out Taylor earlier in May 2023, but faced a razor-thin defeat in their November rematch. With Mekhaled enduring notable losses lately, this latest contest underlined Cameron’s high-octane performance, as both fighters combined for an astounding 43 punches in the all-action fourth round and 194 in the tenth.

The Queensberry Promotions' ‘Magnificent 7’ series also featured Brad Pauls’ 12th-round stoppage against Nathan Heaney in their British middleweight title rematch. Pauls showcased dominance, knocking Heaney down in the fourth and pummeling him with a right-hand barrage to secure a pivotal win. Referee Michael Alexander counted Heaney out at 0:53, delivering Pauls the victory in a stirring main event.