Persoon shocked that she got the rematch
When former lightweight world champion Delfine Persoon (44-2, 18 KO’s) left the ring following her first fight with undisputed world lightweight champion Katie Taylor (15-0, 6 KO’s), she was heartbroken. After putting on a high-paced frenetic masterpiece, the Belgian boxer was certain that her hand was to be raised in victory.
This was the general thought in most boxing circles as well. Despite the sheer amount of people who thought she prevailed, the ultimate victory was awarded to Taylor. Worse than losing was feeling that she would never get the chance to redeem the night.
LUCKY DAY
Persoon was so unyielding in that belief that she exiled herself from the division. She saw no motive for undisputed champion Taylor to face her, so she didn’t see the point in sticking around. In her eyes, it was an obligation to become a world champion again. So, when her phone rang with news of a golden ticket do-over, Persoon was all too happy to jump at the offer. She retold as much during their final press conference.
“We don’t think, we already changed from cuttery because lightweight was closed with Katie with Katie Taylor, super lightweight was closed with McCaskill, so we got no titles to get for it. So, we say what are we going to do and I said I changed to super featherweight to get the titles there.”
“But yeah, we were very surprised to because we don’t think Katie going to take this risk because for her it’s a big risk. It’s her life, she earned her money with the boxing and if she lost this fight it’s not good for her career. So yeah, I appreciated that she took this big risk because we don’t think it.”
JUST HOW I DO IT!
In their first encounter, the bout was fought toe-to-toe and at a high work rate. One would not be out of place to say that the two women went to war. This is not how Persoon would describe the first contest. For her, rather than engage in a war, she simply applied the style of fighting that comes natural to her.
“They say that this is a war but for us, this is boxing! You punch, you go back, you punch back, how do you say, block a punch, slip a punch, it’s a way of boxing also. It’s not a war. The grappling and the holding, that’s not the box sport. But if you box offensive and you jab and you work, that’s a way of boxing. And maybe for people it’s like a war but it’s my way of boxing.”
If we are lucky, Taylor will be seduced, or forced, into fighting another dust-up according to Persoon’s in-ring preference! In any case, let’s just hope that it’s a good fight and the correct winner is crowned!
By: Bakari Simpson
