Chantelle Cameron was waiting to ringwalk at the 3 Arena when the final motivation to ruining Katie Taylor's homecoming was delivered.
Self-admittedly lacking in belief sometimes, Cameron’s team had told her she would be proven the superior fighter.
Dublin’s 3Arena was the lion’s den as the home fans awaited their hero.
The talk all of fight week was of Taylor's return to these shores, rather than the magnitude of an undisputed clash.
The atmosphere built all night to welcome home the challenger. The champion played second fiddle.
"It played into my hands," Cameron claimed yesterday. "In the changing room it triggered me a bit. It was that last little switch. I said to myself 'I've had enough of this now'.
"Then it was game on.
"I knew what I was coming into. When I won I was still getting booed. I didn't take it personally. I just thought 'get me back to the dressing-room!'"
Taylor was left to come to terms with a first professional loss.
A week on from the bout she told RTÉ Sport that she felt tired early in the fight, one of the few hints she has given about what led to coming out second best.
Yesterday, she pointed to simply being less active in those opening rounds.
There could be many excuses when facing an undefeated opponent at a higher weight, especially when Cameron is the younger fighter.
'This fight matters for my career. It's must-win’ - @KatieTaylor tells @EvanneNiC that she is looking to make amends against undisputed super-lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron in November pic.twitter.com/cOeXRpWgw7
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 26, 2023
But there are none in the eyes of the Bray boxer. All that counts is the rematch on 25 November.
"I lost the fight. That is all that matters really. I just have to come back stronger. I've been in this position before (as an amateur).
"I know how to make the necessary adjustments to come back stronger. I'm just looking forward to being able to do that.
"Obviously, after a loss you are forced to analyse absolutely everything. I think that is where all the growth happens during the losses and setbacks. I realise I have to do a few things differently in the next fight.
"You can't expect to do the same thing twice and get different results. We understand we have to make a few adjustments and to be a bit effective. We know what we need to do.
"People have said to me 'What was it like to lose your zero?’ (unbeaten record).
"I don't think I was ever overly-concerned about losing my zero. I was just really extremely disappointed because I lost, rather than being disappointed about losing my zero.
"It's part of the journey. I'd much prefer to be sitting here as an undefeated fighter but that's not the case. One thing is for sure I gave it my absolute all during the fight and I can be very proud of that."
'Legacy' and 'trail-blazing' are words associated with Taylor. For so long she has been the star of the female divisions and has established herself on the world’s sporting stage.
One more defeat could potentially mean the end for such mega occasions. Taylor's promoter Eddie Hearn has admitted that her career is on the line.
The 37-year-old smiled and joked after a question about considering retirement, first claiming it to be insult before breaking into laughter.
But she followed it by saying bowing out on such low was just unthinkable.
"I think I have learned an awful lot. Sometimes you learn more from the losses than the victories. I certainty feel like I learned so much from the last fight.
"I know the night didn't go my way but it was still an amazing night. The atmosphere was very special. I was nearly getting emotional walking out that night, just hearing the crowd. It was my first fight here. It was not how I wanted my homecoming to go but it was still an amazing night.
"You have to take one look at my career and who I have fought to know my goal has always been to be involved in the biggest fights in boxing.
"My goal wasn't to retire with a zero. That was just a side note. I just wanted the biggest fights possible. I want to be involved in history-making fights.
"Another loss means becoming a two-weight undisputed champion would be very difficult so I know this fight matters a lot for my career. I love these kind of fights and these pressure situations."
"Nobody expected me to win. I did it and proved everyone wrong. I kind of shocked myself"
In a sport awash with brashness and assurance, Cameron's step of revealing that even she was unsure if the Olympic champion could be toppled was unusual.
Now that it has been completed, doubt has been removed for this second clash.
"I have never been the most confident person," Cameron admitted.
"The first fight made me realise I could beat the best. Nobody expected me to win. I did it and proved everyone wrong. I kind of shocked myself.
"In the rematch, I know for a fact I'm going to be a lot better. I'm never over-confident. I'm never complacent either. If anything I'm hungrier because I have to come and prove a massive point again.
"I'm all wrong for Katie. I'd rather it wasn't back in Dublin. I wanted it to be on neutral ground. I feel I have more spite in me now [because it is in Dublin again]."
