How a Northampton council estate shaped a boxing champion
Britain's top-ranked female fighter says her upbringing played a key role in her rise to the top
A world champion boxer from Northampton has said the challenges and stigma she faced growing up helped drive her success.
Chantelle Cameron, Britain's top-ranked female fighter and a former undisputed world champion, is preparing for a world-title fight against American Mikaela Mayer on Saturday.
Born and raised on Northampton's Eastern District estate, Cameron said she is proud of her roots and believes her upbringing helped shape the person and athlete she is today.
"I'm very proud of where I've come from in Northampton," she said.
"I'm glad I had the upbringing I had because it's made me very strong. I'm very streetwise, I'm strong and I don't back down from anyone."
Cameron began her combat sports career in kickboxing before switching to boxing after women's boxing was introduced to the Olympic Games.
She said she faced negative perceptions growing up because of where she lived and recalled being told by a teacher that she was unlikely to achieve much.
"At school, you'd always be frowned upon if you were from the Eastern District," she said.
"If someone tells me I can't do something, I always prove them wrong."
The 35-year-old said those experiences motivated her to challenge stereotypes about where she came from.
"I wanted to show everyone it doesn't matter where you're from," she said.
"If you've got the mindset, determination and you want to become something, you can become anything you want."
Cameron credited her parents, a carpenter and a cleaner, with teaching her the value of hard work and perseverance.
She said her mother remained one of her biggest inspirations.
"My mum is a cleaner and I'm proud of her. She works hard, she loves her job," Cameron said.
"Hard work, perseverance and never letting anyone put you down are the biggest lessons they taught me."
Cameron said women's boxing had changed dramatically since she entered the sport, with female fighters now enjoying far greater recognition and support.
However, she believes more progress is needed, particularly in encouraging more girls to take up boxing and helping the sport continue to grow.
Ahead of her fight with Mayer, Cameron said she hoped her story would inspire others from similar backgrounds.
"Nothing is out of reach," she said.
"Things are only out of reach if you give up. The mind is so powerful and if you really want something, you can make it happen."
Cameron will face America's unified WBA and WBC super-welterweight champion Mikaela Mayer on 29 August, with three world titles on the line in a 10-round unification bout.