Becoming A Boxing World Champ With Chantelle Cameron

Chantel Cameron is the former boxing world champion in two weight classes,

but it was her love for Buffy the Vampire Slayer that got her there to begin with.

With Buffy as her female role model, Chantel spent her teenage years as an undefeated amateur kickboxer.

But when she heard that boxing was in at the London Olympics, she made the switch.

While she didn't get to the Olympics, Chantel has an almost unblemished professional record,

winning 18 of her so far 19 professional fights.

And now she's gearing up for fight number 20, ready to unleash her competitive streak once again.

My name's Sophie and I'm the producer here at the Female Athlete Project.

This week, Chloe caught up with Chantel as she gears up for her comeback fight on the 20th of July.

This is a passionate and fiery chat at times, so warning, there's a bit of coarse language, but we hope you enjoy it.

Chantel, welcome to the Female Athlete Project.

Thanks for having me on.

I'm really looking forward to having a chat with you.

I think first boxer we've had on, or actually we've had Taylor Harris.

Taylor Harris, who's an Aussie boxer, but also AFLW player.

I don't know if you've heard of her.

We've had her on, but footy is her main sport.

So first pure boxer on the show.

So I'm looking forward to having a chat.

What a pleasure.

Can you take us back and tell us?

Tell us a little bit about your childhood and describe what you were like as a little kid.

Yeah, so I was always a bit of a handful.

I was always energetic and always loved play fighting, but got me in a bit of trouble most of the time

with people knocking at my mum's door saying,

Chantel's beating so and so up.

But it was just play fighting.

It was nothing malicious.

I just liked watching Buffy the Vampire.

I liked watching Buffy and that.

So I'd go out and I'd want to play it.

But obviously,

I was a bit more heavy handed than most of the kids.

So I was a bit of a handful for my mum and dad.

And nobody wanted me to get into the sport of Kewattson.

There was already no, like, do running, do basketball.

They didn't, they really didn't want me to get into fighting, but I just kept pushing and pushing and pushing, being an annoying kid.

And my mum and dad took me to a local Kewattson gym.

And ever since then, I never looked back.

I was, even at the age of 10, I was training Kewattson like a boxer would as a professional.

Maybe not as intense, but as an amateur, I was in the gym every night, wouldn't miss training.

I think the most time I ever had off was a week if I was ill.

And even that was like the bare minimum because I just loved being in the gym.

I loved the Kewattson family that we had and didn't want to miss out on tournaments.

So.

Even as a kid, I was very active and always like pushing myself to the limits and making sure that when I was at the competitions, my dad would be putting me in about four or five categories.

So it'd be like one mat to another mat to another mat.

And I don't know, now I look back and think, how did I do that?

Because sometimes I'd have one fight on one mat and the referee would be calling my name on the mat, the other end of the legisent house, I'd be running over having another fight.

It was, it was crazy.

But you know, when I look back, I think what an experience.

And I think it's also made me the fighter I am today as well.

And it's because my parents really invested in me and putting all the time and money into my Kewattson days.

And I love them as well.

When I left Kewattson, I actually cried my eyes out because I didn't want to quit Kewattson, but got to the stage where it was going nowhere for me.

And obviously boxing, it was announced in the 2012 Olympics and my Kewattson coach was kind of like, I'm going to do this.

And I was like, I'm going to do this.

And I was like, I'm going to do this.

And I was like, I'm going to do this.

And I was like, I'm going to do this.

And I was like, I'm going to do this.

And my Kewattson coach was kind of like, I've got good hands and I could do well in boxing.

So he pushed me into the boxing side of things.

You touched a lot on your parents and how they've supported you in your sporting career.

Was sport a big part of your family growing up?

No, not at all.

That's a weird thing.

No one in my family sported.

I think my great granddad was a boxer in the army, but that's all we've got.

And my mum and dad not sporting whatsoever.

My brother and sister.

Not sporty.

And I don't think even my cousins were nothing.

I think my cousins were good at, one of my cousins was a very good runner and cyclist.

But that's why I never cousin was good at motocross.

But they did try to get my dad and my uncle tried to get me into motocross, but it didn't work.

So it was like, yeah, I don't think she's going to be good at motocross.

So they let me go to the Watson gym.

What do you think it was that kept you going in the sport for such a long time?

Kind of finding obviously that love for kickboxing.

And then working out that there might be a potential to go to the Olympics.

I think it, I'd say my family, they've been my biggest supporters.

And they've always, when obviously in sport, you know how it is.

It's a rollercoaster.

There's many highs and many lows.

And I'm very competitive.

So losing to me is like the end of the world.

So when I lose, I'd be like, I'm not doing this anymore.

Like I'm kind of bothered, blah, blah, blah.

And my family would be like, like, shut up, Chantel.

Just get back in the gym and just try harder.

So it was kind of like tough love, but it was good because it's kept me,

kept me going.

And obviously in pro boxing, there's a lot of politics,

which is a lot different to the kickboxing days where kickboxing was just family.

It was just like fun, family friendly, just like a bond that especially me

and my dad had, like going around the country at tournaments and competitions.

It was, it was just completely different where when I went into boxing,

when I got onto Team GB, I realized it was kind of sucked the love out of it.

Because it was more, you're trying to get to the Olympics, you have rivals and it's politics.

Boxing is just full of politics.

And it did suck that kind of love out for me, but I just love fighting.

So I knew that I had a career in fighting.

I was getting paid to fight and I was good at it.

So I just stuck it.

And I definitely say my family have been the best influence on, on the dark and down days.

They've kept me going.

Was that a hard decision to go into pro?

Professional boxing.

And probably before you answer that, can you just give us a bit of a breakdown for

listeners who might not know how boxing works in terms of amateur and pro?

Yeah.

So amateur boxing is more, it didn't suit me as much.

So I've done well, I was on Team GB for five or six years and I've just narrowly

missed out on qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympics, but amateur boxing is less rounds.

So when I was amateur boxing, it was four, two minute rounds.

I think it's free freeze now for women.

But it was more like tic-tac.

So you're on your toes more and it's scoring points.

So like if someone's head gets knocked back, you score a point and body shots ain't really

counted as a point.

So it's, you see, it's very like, it's more boxing and a bit more technical and you never

really suited me because I like to fight on the inside and get stuck in.

So that's more amateur, whereas pro is, and you wear a headguard, so it's amateur and

you wear bigger gloves.

And pro is you have no...

No headguard, you wear eight ounce gloves and you do more rounds.

So you do 10 twos if you're fighting for a title, or you do six twos or eight twos, depends

what level you're at.

And pro boxing is just more, you can get stuck in where you can like knock someone out and

it gets awarded and the fight will be over where in the amateurs, it's hard to knock

someone out because you have bigger gloves on, but they're not really looking for brawlers.

They want technical boxers.

And pro boxing always suited me a lot more.

Just even the way that you're talking about it, I feel like you're the kind of person

who likes getting stuck in more.

Yeah, yeah.

More on the top of the fight and get into a tear up and tic-tac-toe.

And you've progressed like incredibly throughout your career.

What does it feel like to reflect?

Like you're still fighting and we'll get to the fight that you're preparing for a little

bit later in the chat, but what does it feel like to look back on what you've already achieved

to date?

When I look back, I achieved things I never thought was possible because I've always like

not had the best self-belief.

And my coach has always said, I need to believe in myself more.

I need to see what they see.

So I've always doubted myself.

I never thought I'd become a world champion.

I never thought I'd become a unified world champion.

And I definitely didn't think I'd become undisputed, but I did it.

And I think that was just my perseverance.

And maybe the fact that I wasn't arrogant and cocky that I thought, oh, I'm going to

do all this because I'm good.

Whereas I always push myself to be better because I'm never satisfied with what I'm

doing.

So I could box and win every single round, but I'd always be like, that wasn't good

enough.

I need to be better.

So I think that's probably my best strength is because I'm never complacent and I always

strive for more.

But when I did become undisputed, it was kind of like, what do I do now?

I achieved what I wanted to achieve in boxing.

And then I got my fight with Katie Taylor, the first fight.

And I beat Katie Taylor and it was like, what am I going to do now?

And I did try, I wanted to become a two-weight undisputed world champion.

So my fight before Katie Taylor was in Abu Dhabi against Jessica McCaskill, who was a

weight above me, undisputed world champion.

And I beat her.

So I said, let me fight for your belt.

Let's run it back, but put your belts on the line.

And that could have been my achievement of becoming a two-weight undisputed world champion.

But...

But she didn't want that.

So when I beat Katie Taylor, I had to have a rematch because it was contracted.

And I said then, like, right, let's run it back, but at the lower weight for her belts.

Because then it was like another swimming class that was going to give me that hunger

and something to achieve where defending my belts again, it was kind of like, I've done

it, I've beat you, I've done it, and I've got to do this again.

Like, how do I get motivated for that?

But she wouldn't put her belts on the line.

So I ended up losing that fight.

And it was kind of like a massive lesson to me that I do need that.

I need something to want to achieve and not just get in the ring because it's a fight.

And I need something to, like, give me kick up the ass, really.

And if it's missing, then it's not good for me.

Can you break that down?

So you can fight someone, but if they don't want to put their belts on the line, you still

fight them, but it's just to have a fight?

Yeah.

So, like, when I...

When I beat Katie the first time, it was always...

I wanted to prove to everyone I could beat.

In most people's eyes, it was the best female boxer.

And I knew that I could beat her, so I wanted to show everyone that I could do that.

And I did do that at homecoming, so I ruined her homecoming where I was meant to be a Katie

Taylor win, especially not Katie Taylor, but I turned up to Ireland and I ruined the show

for them.

And that was my best achievement.

I was literally on cloud nine.

I was on top of the mountain.

And I showed everyone how good I am.

And then when it comes to the rematch...

It was kind of like...

I couldn't get up for it because I was putting my belts back on the line again because she

wouldn't put her belts on the line.

I had to go back to Dublin where it was so hostile.

I've never...

It's like the weirdest experience because I was getting booed.

It was just...

It was horrendous.

Like, she would hit my arms and the crowd would go ballistic and it would clearly, like,

the shots would hit my arms.

And obviously, that does have an impact on judges as well.

And because my head was already like, I don't even really want to be here, it was just a

bit of a...

It was a poor performance for me.

And it was also a lesson because I realised with that sort of mindset, you shouldn't get

in the ring.

And I think that's what...

With me now, it's kind of like, belt on the line or no belt on the line.

I've got to make sure that I've got that motivation and hunger to...

No matter what the crowd's doing, no matter who I'm against, I've got to want that win

more than anything.

But with that fight, it's been a...

It just wasn't my night.

So, you beat Katie and then she beat you.

And then you're waiting for...

The decider, the third fight.

Well, we should be, but she's been a runner.

We should be.

So, she beat me and she actually headbutted me and my head was, like, gashing with blood

and I scored a knockdown, but the referee didn't give me a knockdown.

So, the fight was a bit, like, it was a bit controversial, to be fair, because she hit

the floor and it should have been a 10-8 round, but the referee just, like, brushed it off

saying she slipped.

But my fist hit her in the chest and she fell.

So, it was a knockdown.

And she was throwing some headbutts in and, like, I had a massive cut on my head.

So, the fight was just...

It just wasn't going to go well for me the whole night.

And after she did beat me, she said about, oh, because women's boxing never had a trilogy.

So, for women's boxing, it would have been absolutely massive because women's boxing

is still growing and it still needs these sort of big fights.

And she did say in her country, in front of all of her fans and people, that the next

fight would only be a trilogy for her, for women's boxing to push her on.

But then she changed her mind and she walked away.

She walked away and fighting someone else now.

What does that mean for you when you're kind of preparing for that fight and then it just

doesn't happen?

So, to be honest with you, the fight, if we had the third fight, it would be a completely

different fight because now I'm gunning for her.

Like, I have no respect.

I want my belts back because I lost all my belts.

And if we went back to Ireland, we might.

I'm aware with box, it'd just be a different scenario because she's all I think about now.

She took my first, she gave me my first loss.

So, I want my redemption.

I took her first loss.

She got a chance at redemption, but she's not giving me that chance.

And now, like, I'm built up with anger because I just want my hands back on, back on them

belts and put that, put that wrong right again.

But obviously, can't if she's not willing to fight me.

How is it for you as a boxer where...

Like, when, when the lights are on, everything's happening, there's a huge amount of attention

on you from all across the globe, particularly for a fight like that, and then it finishes

and some things are out of your control.

So, to be honest with you, people don't understand it because unless you've done it and you've

boxed or competed at a high level, you prepare for so long, people don't see the preparation

that you put in for a big night or a big event.

And you're literally tunnel visioned for...

And for 10, 12 weeks, you head down and you have your big night.

And then when it's over, you're on a massive come down and the adrenaline wears out.

And after events like that, I'm always ill for about a week because I think, like, because

I'm quite a shy person as well.

So, the whole build-up, the whole fight week, the build-up, it just exhausts me.

And then I'm zapped.

And then when it comes to when it's all over and you don't know when your next fight was

going to be, it's very political boxing.

So, you're told one thing, but another thing will happen.

And then you wait for a call to be when you're fighting.

And you've had all that media and all that tension for a week or two.

And then when your fight's over, you've forgotten about it.

You're just a bit of history.

And yesterday's news.

So, it is quite hard to, like...

Now I've got better, but I've been just into keeping myself busy when my fights are over

because I used to really struggle with it.

And mentally, I'd just...

I'd be zapped and it'd be like a massive, massive come down where I'd be poorly for

like a week.

And then I'd have to just get back up and get back out there again.

Is it a lot of pressure on you when you're not fighting to keep your followers happy

and your sponsors happy?

Because it is.

It's these...

When it is few and far between of your fights, I imagine that's a lot of expectation around

the work that you have to put into your social media and things.

Yeah, 100%.

I think...

Obviously, sponsors are paying me.

I think it's a lot of pressure on me to represent them and get their name out there.

And sometimes, like, if you...

Sometimes, like, you're still a human being.

If you need to step away from social media for a week or two or however long you need,

like, you should because it's your mental well-being.

But when you do have commitments to sponsors and you want to keep your fans happy and you're

selling tickets, it is hard to step away.

And also, like, you've got to keep everyone knowing what you're doing.

And then saying you're active and showing people what you're up to.

But then also, do you want to really indulge in your personal life as well?

So it's kind of like, how much of your personal life do you want to show?

Can you step away from social media for a month or two?

So it's kind of like, can you, can't you?

And you know that if you do step away, you are going to...

You could lose money potentially as well.

So it is quite tricky.

And social media now, it rules everything.

It's taken over.

Do you find there's more pressure for women in boxing to put a lot into their social media

compared to men?

I think that's a very good question.

I think a lot of women, I fear them.

So whereas I'm the opposite, like, I generally couldn't care.

Whereas I think, like, a lot of women are having to do the whole, I'm a woman, I'm a woman,

I want to be sexy, I want men's eyes on me.

That kind of thing for social media.

Like, to get followers and attract attention.

Whereas, like, I believe I'm a good fighter.

And I think I've kind of learned as well, you can't please everyone.

So I'm just going to please myself.

And I'd rather be comfortable and happy and also respectful to my family of what I do put on social media

and what I don't put on.

So I think women are trying to sell that a bit more because obviously women's boxing ain't the same as the men's.

Yeah.

But women's boxing is still growing massively.

So I think a lot of women boxers are having to go down the route of being on social media

and making themselves look sexy and get followers to be, like, men mainly to be attracted to them

and think they're sexy to get their face and name out there more.

But I just can't be bothered because I think other people just respect me for my fighting

and whatever comes with it comes with it.

But I wouldn't change it.

But I am just for followers and views and sell a few more tickets.

What has your experience been like with trolls on social media?

Oh, horrendous.

Trolls on social media, horrendous.

They're the ones that make you want to come off social media.

But then you do have your sponsors to keep happy.

You do have the genuine fans.

I have some amazing fans that are amazing that support me since the very, very start.

And I think, why should you come off social media and not interact with the nice people?

And the genuine people and the supporters.

But I've had a load of trolls over the time, like, loads.

And I just think, how miserable could you be to sit there behind a screen

and abuse a woman for trying to achieve her goal and say horrendous things?

But if they see me to my face, they wouldn't say nothing.

They'd probably ask for a picture or say what I'm doing or just be nice.

And I just think, it's just sad, the confidence and bravery social media gives people,

and especially on fake accounts.

But the sad thing is, is the next generation have got to go through this.

And people can be vile on social media where I'm kind of thick-skinned,

where I just think, oh, you idiots.

Or I just laugh at them, thinking, you've all sat at home, miserable,

nothing good going on in your life, so you want to bring someone else down for the day.

And it does, like, I think anyone who says, when they read stuff on social media about them,

says it doesn't upset them.

It does, it upsets everyone.

No one wants to see bad stuff about them.

You can't say bad stuff about yourself on social media,

because you know that the whole world can see it, and you can't do anything about it.

So it does it, it does suck, and it does make you feel pretty shitty for a few days.

But at the same time, you can't please everyone, and you can't change the world.

And unfortunately, the world now is full of nasty people that want to go on social media

and make someone feel rubbish about themselves.

Have you seen your tat on your arm that says positive?

Where did that come from?

Yeah, so ups and downs in boxing,

because I've had a rollercoaster, and I think it was my brother.

It basically was like, just got to always look at the positive side of things,

because the down days don't last forever, and the good days don't last forever either.

So just stay positive, work hard, and when the bad days come, just grind through it,

because you know that it's going to come to an end at some point.

And if it was plain sailing, everyone would be doing it, and the downfalls make you stronger.

So I had positive, just to remember.

To always be positive, and look on the bright side of life.

I love that.

That's really cool.

A question I've been asking a lot of athletes recently is, what is your favorite failure?

My favorite failure would probably be losing, because losing gives me that question myself to think,

how much do I really want this?

And I'm the biggest loser, like biggest bad loser.

I hate losing.

So failing at anything.

I have a personal best in the gym, setting my mind to not achieving it, losing a fight.

It makes me think, how much do I really want this, or have I still got it in the tank to want to be the very best in my sport?

So I think probably that would be my favorite failure is losing,

because it gives me that understanding of where I'm at in my life, and how much I really want something.

Yeah, I love that.

That's really cool.

I've heard a story, I've heard you tell a story about a teacher that,

pretty much said you weren't going to amount to anything.

Can you tell that story, and where it kind of came from?

Yeah, so it was my psychology teacher.

Remember, I wasn't good at psychology in 2000.

I wasn't the best in education.

I did struggle a bit, because I was always kiroxing, boxing, and if I could turn back time,

I would have put more into my schoolwork.

But psychology was just way above my head, and I didn't enjoy the session, so it didn't take a massive,

like, to me.

And I remember, yeah, one day he just said,

are you going to be 16, left school, packing shelves in Tesco with an army of kids at home?

And I was just like, wow.

And I went home and said it to my mum, and obviously my mum was like going crazy,

because you can't say that to a 16-year-old girl.

And especially because of the area that I was from,

it was a stereotypical thing to say to someone from the Eastern District.

And nothing was done about it, because it was a teacher,

and back then they couldn't say,

they couldn't say what they wanted to say, but he always held it.

Even to this day, I always think, oh, I'd love to see him now,

and say, don't have no kids, become a world champion in boxing,

and I've got my own properties, so fuck you.

I love that.

That's really cool.

That, man, just flexing those world titles is pretty special, isn't it?

Yeah, yeah.

I think you got me completely wrong.

I may not be a psychologist, but I've got a few houses,

and I've done okay in boxing.

Yeah.

What is that?

What's that experience been like for you, like the properties

and just learning how to look after your money and invest

and kind of planning for your future?

So I'm very good at saving.

I always have been, and I always know that anything can happen in sport,

especially boxing.

Like, for example, my last fight was supposed to be with Katie Taylor

for the Trinity, and again, politics got involved,

but when I did lose, the promoter at the time went into my changing room,

so I was getting my head stitched up.

I was getting my head butted, and he'd come into my changing room saying,

oh, don't worry, she took the last bit of the trilogy,

she'll become a millionaire and all this, and this was from the promoter.

And then when it comes to negotiations,

they was going to pay me less money than both fights,

so it took a massive U-turn, and I accepted it.

I accepted it.

I thought, you know what, I want this trilogy,

so I'll take less money than the first two fights,

and I did come in the changing room and say in front of my team at the time,

my dad, that I was going to be earning a lot more money now.

But then it took, actually, when he did offer me the money,

it was less than half, but I was like, listen, I want the fight.

But examples like that, I've always known that sport is,

it's like, it's all about money in pro-boxing.

As much as I love the sport, it's 80% business and 20% boxing,

and all I can control is the fighting side.

The money side and business side, I have no control over.

So when I started doing well in boxing,

straight away I was putting money into property,

because I know that boxing's not going to last forever,

and it's full of false promises,

and you never know when my last fight could be.

I could get injured tomorrow,

so I've always been very smart in making sure that I've invested well,

just because you never know,

there could be a rainy day where it all ends for me.

What has it been like, your experience,

being a woman in a sport that has been traditionally quite male-dominated?

So again, this is where the social media trolls come in.

Because I'm a woman in a male-dominated sport,

I think a lot of people say it as well, but don't say it openly,

whereas I'm very, what you see is what you get.

And that could be my downfall in boxing,

but at the same time is I want the next generation to be like that.

I think don't be fake, don't be a people pleaser,

just try.

Try and get what you want because it isn't one of that.

People need voices and people need to talk and tell people the truth

because then it's just, the box will just be a full lie.

The whole sport will be a lie and just the corruption will continue.

Whereas if more people start speaking out,

telling people how it really is,

it's going to change the sport for the better,

but I think personally,

and it will give women more of a chance where,

when I have spoke out about certain situations

and been quite open about situations,

I've got so much hate for it because I'm a woman.

But if I was a man and spoke out and said facts,

then it'd be completely different.

But because I'm a woman,

I should shut my mouth,

get paid and just be happy.

Whereas I'm not absolutely not a chance.

I think about the next generation and the next generation,

I want it to be easy for them.

And I want them to be able to be open and voice their opinion instead of being kept quiet.

And a couple of times people in boxing men have said,

you're a woman,

be quiet.

And I'm like,

absolutely not a chance.

Like if I want to speak,

I'll speak.

Because they just think you should be grateful where I'm like,

no,

I'm grateful for the hard work and the opportunities I've achieved and been given.

I've been given some amazing opportunities.

But if I do think there's been certain situations where I want to speak out,

I will speak out.

And people on social media think that I should be quiet and I should shut up

and just be grateful.

And I think,

no,

because if you was in my shoes,

you wouldn't.

And because most of our men,

you see on the accounts as many men.

And I think you just don't like it because I'm a strong,

independent woman.

And I probably scare them because I'm a woman that doesn't take no shit.

So it's probably intimidating to women like that.

They try to bring down and write stuff on social media to make you feel rubbish.

I'm just sitting here nodding along aggressively as you're talking.

I've played rugby for many years and there's a lot of parents,

a lot of the time who talk about their young daughters and they're like,

Oh,

I'd be scared to get my little girls into rugby.

Is it a similar thing you experienced with boxing?

Yeah,

definitely.

I think it's because the stereotype of boxing,

I get broken noses,

get knocked out,

et cetera,

et cetera.

So I've been boxing since I was 10 on February now,

never had a broken nose and I've never been knocked out.

That's pretty solid.

So it's pretty,

so it's good.

But I think it is like,

if I had a daughter,

I probably wouldn't let her box.

Because yeah,

because the business side of it,

it is,

I don't know if it's because I'm not doing other sports.

I don't know.

I don't know if it's like it in other sports,

but it's horrible.

And like,

I wouldn't want to see my daughter go through what I've been through with the

politics side of boxing.

So to be honest with you,

I'd probably say no,

like you're not boxing.

But again,

I don't know if that's with other sports,

but I think boxing is a mentally,

boxing is a physically tough sport.

But I think the mental side of boxing is worse than the physical.

And if you take away the politics and all of that mess of it,

and just think about you just going down to do a training session,

like at your local boxing place,

is that where the love for it comes from?

So when I fight,

it's my happiest place.

So when I'm in the gym and when I'm actually in the ring fighting,

that's,

that's why I do the sport.

That's why I love it.

Because I love the feeling of competitiveness and winning and being in the

ring and having the eight ounce gloves on and having a,

you know,

and I love my gym.

I love preparing for fights.

I love the gym atmosphere.

I love people in boxing,

like in my gym.

And yeah,

that's why I do it because that's where my passion is.

And I'd hate to walk away from boxing and not,

not have that anymore.

Yeah,

absolutely.

Looking ahead to July,

July 20,

you're back in the ring.

Tell us about it.

What's happening.

Yes.

I'm excited.

I've got a tough opponent.

It's basically,

I'm on the road back to claim my belts back.

So I've got,

I've got a good opponent,

good competitive fight,

but I know that I have to get through her because if I don't get through her,

I'll never get the shot at fighting for my belts again.

And it's kind of like my mindset now is everything leads to chasing down the

140 pound belts.

So I'm on a,

on a job to just write through anyone that stands in my way and force Katie

Taylor to fight me.

And unless she has to,

she even vacates the belts or she fights me.

And my mind,

my mindset now is the best is yet to come.

Yeah.

I love that to finish us off.

What would you tell young Chantel about what you've learned about life?

So what I tell young Chantel is enjoy life more.

Um,

I've achieved massive things in boxing.

I took losses very bad,

but if I could tell myself now,

I'd be put more into other,

I put everything into my boxing and kibbutz in,

whereas I do wish I put a little bit more,

into my education.

I wish I went to university and bring,

bring all in together for boxing and kibbutz.

And I wish I'd done it all.

I wish as much as it is good,

how much focus I had.

I do wish I did experience other things as well.

Example,

uni and more education,

trying other sports.

I never tried other sports.

So I would have definitely tried different sports as well.

All right.

Next time you're in Australia,

we can have a kick at the footy.

Yeah.

Yeah.

We can be happy soon.

All right.

I look forward to that.

Thank you so much for your time,

Chantel.

It's been a huge privilege to chat to you.

You're an absolute champion at what you do,

but it's been really amazing to hear your honesty and your rawness.

And I love,

I think it's so refreshing that you just say it like it is.

And I love how you're just so clear about what you want to do and what you

want to achieve.

So thank you so much again.

Thanks for having me on as well.

Thanks so much for listening.

If you got something out of this episode,

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