Katie Taylor, Delfine Persoon to unify all four lightweight belts

Press Release

16/04/2019

Katie Taylor, Delfine Persoon to unify all four lightweight belts

Katie Taylor-- who holds the WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight titles-- will face WBC champion Delfine Persoon for the undisputed world women's lightweight championship on Saturday June 1st at Madison Square Garden in New York, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK. The winner will becoe the third woman, and sixth boxer ever-- to hold all four major sanctiong body titles simultaneously.  Taylor (13-0, 6 KOs) last fought in in March, stopping Rose Volante for the WBO belt in the ninth round in Philadelphia, a sixth win inside the distance for the Irish sensation after the former amateur star won her first World title in just her seventh pro outing. The Belgian Persoon (43-1, 18 KOs) has held the WBC belt for five years and made her ninth defense vs. Melissa St. Vil last month.  
 
The 32 year old Taylor takes on Persoon on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight title defense against Jarrell Miller in the Big Apple, making it the third time Taylor has boxed on the same bill as her fellow London 2012 Olympic gold medal winner Joshua.
 
“It’s great that she has finally signed for the fight and I’m delighted that Eddie has been able to make it,” said Taylor. “After my fight last month I went back home for a week but then it was straight back to Connecticut to start the hard work in training camp for this fight. When I turned professional my first goal was to win a world title but then my next priority was to become undisputed champion so obviously this fight gives me the opportunity to do that so it’s massive for my career. Women’s boxing is in such great place right now and these are the kind of super fights that will really take it to new heights. Persoon is recognized as one of the best in the world pound for pound and has been the WBC champ now for over five years so it’s the best against the best. Madison Square Garden seems like the perfect setting for a fight of this magnitude.”
 
Persoon said, “This is a very unique opportunity for me and I’m thankful we’ve got the fight made, I did not have the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games and now I get the chance to compete with the Olympic champion in Katie Taylor. I expect this will be a very tough and honest fight, and that the best boxer may win this title fight – and I expect that to be me.”
 
“This is it – this is everything, the absolute pinnacle of the sport,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “The dream is on, the undisputed championship and I can’t wait to see this fight on June 1st. This is the toughest test of Katie’s amateur and pro career, two pound-for-pound greats putting it all on the line at the mecca of boxing – the atmosphere is going to be something else.”
 
Tickets for the huge night of World title action in New York are on sale now via Madison Square Garden and StubHub (www.stubhub.com). Tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.MSG.com.