Chantelle Cameron and former world champion Mikaela Mayer are set to collide once again in a high-stakes rematch on the blockbuster Jake Paul versus Cedric Doumbe fight card scheduled for Christmas Eve.
The unified super-welterweight world champion will share the ring once more with the American star in Dubai, taking place just four months after their initial encounter in Birmingham, which captivated the boxing world. Their first meeting was widely regarded as a Fight of the Year contender, culminating in a hard-fought and dramatic unanimous decision victory for Cameron following a fiercely contested and fiery build-up. Now, Cameron is relishing the opportunity to face Mayer for a second time on a major Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) spectacle, which forms part of an event highlighted by Jake Paul returning to the ring for his first bout since his heavily discussed fight against Anthony Joshua.
Reflecting on the swift turnaround and the promise made between the two fighters, Cameron noted that the agreement was already in place before their first bell even rang.
"We agreed to the rematch before the first fight, so we both kept our word," said Cameron. "And now the rematch is on the biggest stage in boxing."
The first chapter of their rivalry left deep competitive scars, particularly for Mayer, who strongly voiced her displeasure with the judges’ verdict. Following the bout, the 36-year-old American claimed that she should have been awarded the decision, going as far as accusing Cameron of being fortunate to secure the win in her home country, stating that the champion was "lucky in her little back yard."
Despite the controversy and the heated war of words that followed their super-welterweight clash, Mayer’s primary focus has firmly shifted toward redemption and reclaiming her status as a world champion. She has spent the intervening months analyzing her performance and addressing the strategic missteps that she believes cost her the belts in Birmingham.
"Although I don’t feel I performed to my highest potential, I’ve been working hard to fix the mistakes I made and I will 100 per cent come back stronger," Mayer said, setting her sights firmly on the upcoming holiday date. "I’m taking my belts back on Thursday, December 24."
The championship rematch is just one part of a star-studded and action-packed card assembled by Most Valuable Promotions for the festive season event at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. The undercard also features the undefeated US Olympian and 2021 amateur world champion Jahmal Harvey, who carries an unblemished 5-0 record with four knockouts into his next test. Harvey is scheduled to face Scotland’s Craig Morgan, who holds a 15-1-1 professional record, in a tightly contested eight-round lightweight bout set at 135 pounds.
Nakisa Bidarian, the Chief Executive Officer of Most Valuable Promotions, emphasized the significance of booking the rematch so quickly and placing it on such a prominent international platform.
"Chantelle Cameron vs Mikaela Mayer 2 marks MVP’s latest seismic pound-for-pound clash with two of the world’s top ten fighters meeting again in their prime," Bidarian said. "Their first meeting just a few months ago was a clear ‘Fight of the Year’ contender and both immediately called for the rematch following the fight – a testament to both being willing to take on the hardest challenges."
Bidarian highlighted the elevated magnitude of the upcoming event, noting that Cameron will be placing three of her prestigious titles on the line against an opponent as motivated and accomplished as Mayer.
"Now the stakes rise even higher for Chantelle as she puts three titles on the line against a hungry Mayer, one of the sport’s biggest faces in her own right and a US Olympian," Bidarian added. "They are joined by USA’s knockout sensation and future face of the lightweight division Jahmal Harvey. Topped by an unmissable Jake Paul vs Cedric Doumbe main event, MVP’s Christmas Eve spectacle only gets bigger and better."
The main event itself brings together internet superstar-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former Glory kickboxing champion and Professional Fighters League (PFL) star Cedric Doumbe. The pair are scheduled to face off in an eight-round cruiserweight professional boxing match that has already generated substantial international attention and intrigue among combat sports fans.
Doumbe transitions to this high-profile boxing assignment backed by a stellar and extensive combat sports background. The French-Cameroonian athlete is a former two-time Glory welterweight kickboxing champion who amassed a remarkable 75-7-1 record during his storied kickboxing career, a run that featured an astounding 45 victories by way of knockout. In addition to his exceptional striking pedigree in the kickboxing ring, Doumbe has also transitioned successfully into mixed martial arts, where he maintains a 6-1 record, and holds prior professional boxing experience with a 1-0 record stemming from a points victory over Mohamed Fodil back in 2015.
With elite championship stakes, lingering bad blood from a fight of the year candidate, top-tier promotional backing, and a major cross-disciplinary main event matching Jake Paul against a feared striker like Cedric Doumbe, the Christmas Eve fight card in Dubai promises to deliver an unforgettable night of professional boxing.
