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Nick Parkinson
Katie Taylor and Delfine Persoon will meet in a rematch on Aug. 22, according to Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.
The announcement came as a surprise, hours after Persoon’s partner, manager and trainer, Filiep Tampere, was reported as saying there would be no deal because of disagreements over the contract.
But Hearn claimed later Thursday the pair will meet in a rematch next month in the back garden of Matchroom’s office headquarters in Brentwood, England.
“I can’t quite believe this fight has been made,” Hearn said. “I can’t give enough credit to Katie and Delfine for agreeing to do it again.”
Due to coronavirus restrictions, no fans will be present for the biggest fight in women’s boxing this year. Taylor will put all four world lightweight titles (WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO) on the line.
Taylor won the WBC belt from Persoon via a close, majority points win at Madison Square Garden in New York in June 2019. Seven-weight world champion Amanda Serrano, born in Puerto Rico and now based in Brooklyn, was initially linked to facing Taylor on Aug. 22, but when she declined the offer, Hearn switched attention to Persoon.
“With Amanda Serrano not taking the fight, I wanted the biggest fight possible in August, and I think a second Persoon fight is one that everyone wants to see,” Taylor said.
“I’ve been looking forward to a rematch ever since the first fight and I’m delighted it’s been made. It was definitely very close first time around, but I felt I deserved the win and I intend to leave no doubts in the rematch.”
Taylor (15-0, 6 KOs), 34, from Bray in Ireland, has been training in the U.S. in Connecticut since the start of the year.
Persoon (44-2, 18 KOs), 35, felt she deserved to get the decision last year. Many think the Belgium-based boxer deserves a rematch.
“I am ready to get the victory following the injustice last June in New York, not by words but in the ring,” Persoon said.
Both have boxed once since their first encounter: Taylor stepped up a division to win the WBO super lightweight title from Christina Linarda last November, while Persoon won a 10-round decision over Helen Joseph the same month.
Taylor-Persoon II will be on the same bill as the heavyweight clash between Dillian Whyte of England and Alexander Povetkin of Russia, who will meet to decide who challenges for the WBC heavyweight title in early 2021.