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‘Katie throws one shot, runs away, then grabs’ – Persoon calls for Taylor to stand and fight

Delfine Persoon [44(18)-2(1)] has told Katie Taylor [15(6)-0] fight fans don’t want to see her hit and run come August 22.

The Belgian and Irish fighter shared 10 all action highly entertaining rounds in July of last year and face off again in a highly anticipated Sky Sports and DAZN broadcast return.

The former long reigning WBC world champion turned Olympic hopeful, who still disputed the Madison Square Garden hosted points defeat, doesn’t believe the repeat will as entertaining.

Persoon predicts the Olympic gold medal winner will ‘run’ for 10 rounds and ‘grab’ when the challenger gets into fight range.

“She will run,” Persoon told Sky Sports.

“In the first fight there was a lot of holding, holding, holding. In another country they would tell you: ‘Don’t hold’ then take away a point. But they never spoke about her holding me.

“In the fourth round her trainer said: ‘Grab her arms!’

“Is she going to run and grab me? For the people, that is not a good fight.

“Ten rounds of running with one or two punches is not a fight that people want to see.

“Take the first punch, answer, jab, come in, go out.

“Katie throws one shot, runs away, then grabs.

“I hope she wants a nice fight – two boxers to go for it, and the best boxer wins. Let’s show that two women can have a spectacular fight.

“But I don’t think she will.”

Taylor has since become a two-weight world champion

It’s say to assume the Police officer’s ‘stand and trade’ request isn’t made with entertainment and fans in mind.

No doubt the two weight world champion see’s a brawl as her best route to victory.

During their first meeting Taylor looked comfortable when she employed skill over will and flair over fight. It’s assumed if the Irish sensation can ignore the desire to entertain, she could box her way to a victory that will put any questions as to who is the better fighter to bed.

The 35-year-old predicts the technically superior fighter will take a more technical approach to the rematch, but warns she will planning to make it a physical contest.

“Technically she is a very good boxer, and better than me. But this isn’t three rounds of three minutes, it isn’t amateur boxing. This is pro fighting, this is 10 rounds of two minutes.

“Punch, run away, punch, run away.

“People want to see two boxers blocking shots, answering back.

“Technically she is better than me, I know this. But this is pro fighting, not amateur. Physically we have to go for 10 rounds.”

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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