Katie Taylor and Delfine Persoon reportedly will do it again.
Taylor, the undisputed lightweight titleholder, will face Persoon in a rematch on the Dillian Whyte-Alexander Povetkin card Aug. 22 at Matchroom Boxing’s Fight Camp outside London.
Taylor (15-0, 6 KOs) unified the lightweight titles by a close majority decision over Persoon in June of last year in New York, after which Persoon cried robbery. The scores were 96-94, 96-94 and 95-95.
The 2012 Olympic champion from Ireland added a junior welterweight title by outpointing Christina Linardatou in November, thus becoming a two-division champion, but she’s moving back down because the magnitude of the rematch.
She had hoped to fight Amanda Serrano but the parties couldn’t reach terms.
“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, according to Sky Sports.
“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.”
Persoon (44-2, 18 KOs) lost a sanctioning-body belt she had held for five years against Taylor. The Belgian veteran believes she has received an opportunity to right a wrong.
“I am ready to get the victory following the injustice last June in New York,” Persoon said. “Not by words, but in the ring. I am ready!”
Persoon is coming off a unanimous-decision victory over Helen Joseph in November.
