03 August 2020

Barry Hearn praises ‘perfect person’ Katie Taylor ahead of Delfine Persoon rematch

Former boxing promoter Barry Hearn has labelled undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor the ‘perfect person’ ahead of her rematch with Delfine Persoon on August 22.

The Irish superstar won a controversial majority decision against the Belgian back in June last year in a sensational scrap to pick up the final belts in the 135 pound division.

Taylor and Persoon will meet in a hotly-anticipated rematch later this month (PA Wire/PA Images)

And Hearn, whose son Eddie promotes Taylor, could not have been more complimentary of the Irish superstar despite some feeling she lost the first fight.

“I was at that fight at Madison Square Garden - that was the best women's fight I have ever seen. I thought Delfine lost - a lot of people thought she won but I thought she just lost," he told The Sun.

"I also thought that Katie Taylor...I don't know what it is - whether it's Irish, whether it's women, whether it's Christians - I don't know. I don't think I've ever met a more perfect person than Katie Taylor.

"I mean, in the ring, she's brutal. Technically, she's the best woman technical fighter I've ever seen. I've never seen a woman throw body shots like Katie Taylor does - she's like a Mexican man - and that's a complement, by the way.

"But also, she lives her life in such a way that she's such a great example to everyone."

Taylor will rematch Persoon on the undercard of the Dillian Whyte v Alexander Povetkin pay-per-view show which will take place behind closed doors in the garden of Hearn’s Matchroom headquarters.

It will be the final of four shows to take place at the house in Essex - the first of which was staged last weekend.

And although some believe Persoon may have enough to hand Taylor her first professional defeat, Hearn is confident the Irish champion can deliver.

"That (Persoon) is a really tough fight - I think Katie wins again but it's one of those 50/50 fights," he added.

"Delfine is too strong for her weight and that's the big advantage she's got but Katie is a much better technical boxer and I think she should, hopefully, win.

"But, it's a hell of a fight to take. You should never be biased - I don't know how many fighters we've got under contract, a hundred, I don't know - that's not my department anymore.

"But we spend a good bit of time thinking about Katie Taylor because she's very special - very, very special. She's a special person."

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