NEW YORK -- In the four-belt era only two women and four men have achieved undisputed status. Cecilia Braekhus is the undisputed welterweight champion of the world while Claressa Shields is the undisputed middleweight champ. The only men to achieve this are Oleksandr Usyk, Terence Crawford, Jermain Taylor, and Bernard Hopkins. On June 1 on DAZN a new undisputed champion will bring crowned when Katie Taylor brings her IBF, WBA, and WBO lightweight titles to the ring to take on Delfine Persoon and her WBC strap. Not only is this fight for undisputed status but it also pits two top 10 pound-for-pound women against each other.
Some fighters have plenty of skills but don't fight very aggressively. Other fighters are very aggressive but don't have elite skills. Taylor (13-0, 6 KOs) has both. Not only does she flash elite skills but she has the kind of aggressive style that keeps fans coming back. The Ireland native has a fantastic jab that she likes to follow with an accurate straight right hand from the outside. Taylor also has a left hook she throws with band intentions and when she gets inside she loves to let her hands go and let the heavy leather fly. When she's on the inside she is open for return fire but often her offense is so overwhelming that her opponents don't mount much of an attack.
Against Persoon, Taylor will be making the seventh defense of her WBA title, the fifth defense of her IBF title, and the first defense of her WBO title. Taylor's professional career didn't begin until 2016 when she was already in her late 20s. That's because she was busy putting together an incredible amateur career that saw her win a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics along with 17 gold medals combined between the World Championships, European Games, European Championships, and EU Championships. As a pro Taylor has already beaten names like Cindy Serrano, Eva Wahlstrom, and Rose Volante but Persoon will be the toughest test of her career. There have been talks of a showdown with seven division world champion Amanda Serrano but if that fight is to happen Taylor will first need to handle business against Persoon.
Persoon (43-1, 18 KOs) is a tall lightweight who will have a 4-inch height advantage over Taylor. Persoon doesn't have the fastest hands but she loves to let her hands go. She fights behind a busy jab that she likes to follow with right hands but also left hooks. When she gets in the pocket she can land punishing uppercuts with her right hand but she's really at her best from the middle distance. Although, along with that uppercut on the inside Persoon also does a nice job of attacking the body. Defensively Persoon usually does a good job of avoiding serious punishment although she does have a bad habit of squaring up to her opponent which could be disastrous against a fighter like Taylor.
Persoon turned pro in 2009 and hasn't lost a fight since 2010. In that time she's become a champion and is currently riding a 34-fight win streak helped by 15 knockouts. Persoon won her WBC title in 2014 and has defended it successfully nine times. Between fights Persoon goes back to work as a federal policewoman in her native Belgium. Belgium is a place where Persoon feels very comfortable because she's never fought anywhere else. Not only will her fight against Taylor be the biggest of her career but it will also be the first time in her 10-year career that she's ever fought outside of her home country.
In a time when so many elite fighters are avoiding each other like children on a playground screaming about cooties, it's refreshing when two of the best go head-to-head. Unification fights are special but fights to become undisputed are extra special, especially between two long reigning champions. Look for Persoon to try and use her size to lean on Taylor on the inside in an attempt to wear her down. Also expect Persoon to try and control the distance with her jab while picking her spots to drop power punches. As for Taylor, look for her to use her quickness to get inside and let her combinations fly. Taylor has the faster hands so she should try to land three punches to every one Persoon punch. As long as this fight doesn't end in a draw boxing fans will have a newly crowned undisputed champion of the world.
PREDICTION: After this fight Delfine Persoon will probably go back to fighting exclusively in Belgium. She's certainly a fine fighter but Katie Taylor is just on another level. Taylor may be smaller but she's a lot faster and that hand speed will help her win this fight by the way of unanimous decision.
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| Taylor catching Rose Volante with a right hand |
Against Persoon, Taylor will be making the seventh defense of her WBA title, the fifth defense of her IBF title, and the first defense of her WBO title. Taylor's professional career didn't begin until 2016 when she was already in her late 20s. That's because she was busy putting together an incredible amateur career that saw her win a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics along with 17 gold medals combined between the World Championships, European Games, European Championships, and EU Championships. As a pro Taylor has already beaten names like Cindy Serrano, Eva Wahlstrom, and Rose Volante but Persoon will be the toughest test of her career. There have been talks of a showdown with seven division world champion Amanda Serrano but if that fight is to happen Taylor will first need to handle business against Persoon.
Persoon (43-1, 18 KOs) is a tall lightweight who will have a 4-inch height advantage over Taylor. Persoon doesn't have the fastest hands but she loves to let her hands go. She fights behind a busy jab that she likes to follow with right hands but also left hooks. When she gets in the pocket she can land punishing uppercuts with her right hand but she's really at her best from the middle distance. Although, along with that uppercut on the inside Persoon also does a nice job of attacking the body. Defensively Persoon usually does a good job of avoiding serious punishment although she does have a bad habit of squaring up to her opponent which could be disastrous against a fighter like Taylor.
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| Persoon punishing her opponent with a right hand |
In a time when so many elite fighters are avoiding each other like children on a playground screaming about cooties, it's refreshing when two of the best go head-to-head. Unification fights are special but fights to become undisputed are extra special, especially between two long reigning champions. Look for Persoon to try and use her size to lean on Taylor on the inside in an attempt to wear her down. Also expect Persoon to try and control the distance with her jab while picking her spots to drop power punches. As for Taylor, look for her to use her quickness to get inside and let her combinations fly. Taylor has the faster hands so she should try to land three punches to every one Persoon punch. As long as this fight doesn't end in a draw boxing fans will have a newly crowned undisputed champion of the world.
PREDICTION: After this fight Delfine Persoon will probably go back to fighting exclusively in Belgium. She's certainly a fine fighter but Katie Taylor is just on another level. Taylor may be smaller but she's a lot faster and that hand speed will help her win this fight by the way of unanimous decision.
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