Delfine Persoon
Delfine Persoon is a Belgian professional boxer. She held the IBF female lightweight title in 2012 and the WBC female lightweight title from 2014 to June 2019, losing the title in a unification fight against Katie Taylor for the undisputed lightweight championship. As of May 2020, she is ranked as the world's best active super-featherweight, and the second best active female, pound for pound, by BoxRec.
Professional boxing career
Persoon, who works as a railway policewoman, started professional boxing in 2009 - switching to boxing after a career in competitive judo. In March 2011 she became EBU European Champion against Nicole Boss. She successfully defended her title in November 2011 against Myriam Dellal.In February 2012 Persoon won the WIBF world title with a technical knockout against Lucia Morelli. In September 2012 she added the IBF world title with a TKO against Erin McGowan. In January 2013 she successfully defended her WIBF title against Anita Torti. In December 2013 she also gained the WIBA world title.
In March 2013 Persoon won a WBC final eliminator against Kremena Petkova, gaining her the right to challenge Erica Farias for the WBC title. In September 2013 she was stripped of the IBF title for inactivity, having failed to defend it in the intervening year. The vacant title was claimed by Victoria Bustos on 21 September.
In December 2013 she won a unification fight with Lucia Morelli for the WIBF & WBF titles. This victory made her the number 1 lightweight in the world according to BoxRec.
On 20 April 2014 Persoon won the WBC title on points from Farias.
Persoon vs. Taylor
In December 2018 it was revealed that Persoon offered $100,000 to IBF and WBA champion Katie Taylor for a fight. Taylor's manager however stated that Taylor would not even get out of bed for this sum.. Eventually, a lightweight unification fight between Persoon and Taylor was set for 1 June 2019, at the Madison Square Garden in New York, on the undercard for the Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. heavyweight title fight. In addition to all four sanctioning body's titles being on the line, The Ring magazine belt was also at stake. Persoon's management labelled Taylor's team "totally disrespectful" and claimed "psychological warfare" after a series of late fight week demands. This included forcing Persoon to switch hotel as Taylor was staying in the same hotel, demanding that she take an additional blood test and prove Persoon has exercise asthma. Taylor won a controversial majority decision to become the undisputed lightweight champion.Super-featherweight
On 11 November 2019 Persoon won the WBA interim super-featherweight title.Persoon vs. Taylor II
A rematch with Taylor is scheduled to take place on 22 August 2020 at the Matchroom Sport headquarters in Brentwood, Essex, for the undisputed female lightweight title.Professional boxing record
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 47 |  Katie Taylor | – | 22 Aug 2020 |  Brentwood, England.png" /> | For WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring female lightweight titles | |||
| 46 | Win | 44–2 |  Helen Joseph | UD | 10 | 11 Nov 2019 |  Versluys Dôme, Ostend, Belgium.png" /> | Won WBA interim female super-featherweight title |
| 45 | Loss | 43–2 |  Katie Taylor | 10 | 1 Jun 2019 |  Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. | Lost WBC lightweight title; For WBA, IBF, WBO, and inaugural The Ring female lightweight titles | |
| 44 | Win | 43–1 | Melissa St. Vil | RTD | 7 | 9 Mar 2019 |  Kortrijk, Belgium | Retained WBC female lightweight title |
| 43 | Win | 42–1 |  Judy Waguthii | TKO | 10 | 8 Dec 2018 | Ardooie, Belgium | Retained WBC female lightweight title |
| 42 | Win | 41–1 |  Natalia del Valle Aguirre | UD | 10 | 9 Jun 2018 | Sportcentrum, Ichtegem, Belgium | Retained WBC female lightweight title |
| 41 | Win | 40–1 |  Monica Gentili | UD | 8 | 20 Jan 2018 | Moorslede, Belgium | |
| 40 | Win | 39–1 |  Myriam Dellal | UD | 10 | 11 Nov 2017 | Zwevezele, Belgium | Retained WBC female lightweight title |
| 39 | Win | 38–1 | Everline Odero | DQ | 8 | 25 Dec 2016 | Stedelijke Sporthalle, Izegem, Belgium | |
| 38 | Win | 37–1 | Ruth Stephanie Aquino | DQ | 1 | 11 Nov 2016 | Sporthal De zwaluw, Zwevezele, Belgium | Retained WBC female lightweight title |
| 37 | Win | 36–1 |  Christina Linardatou | UD | 10 | 4 Jun 2016 | Sporthal Schiervelde, Belgium | Retained WBC female lightweight title |
| 36 | Win | 35–1 | Maïva Hamadouche | UD | 10 | 11 Nov 2015 | Zwevezele, Belgium | Retained WBC female lightweight title |
| 35 | Win | 34–1 | Jane Kavulani | UD | 8 | 26 Sep 2015 | Gits, Belgium | |
| 34 | Win | 33–1 |  Nicole Boss | TKO | 9 | 25 Apr 2015 | Sternensaal, Berne, Switzerland | Retained WBC female lightweight title |
| 33 | Win | 32–1 | Florence Muthoni | TKO | 8 | 28 Feb 2015 | Ghelamco Arena, Ghent, Belgium | |
| 32 | Win | 31–1 |  Diana Prazak | TKO | 9 | 11 Nov 2014 | Zwevezele, Belgium | Retained WBC female lightweight title |
| 31 | Win | 30–1 | Judy Waguthii | UD | 8 | 27 Sep 2014 | Zaal Ogierlande, Gits, Belgium | |
| 30 | Win | 29–1 | Érica Farías | UD | 10 | 20 Apr 2014 | Zwevezele, Belgium | Won WBC female lightweight title |
| 29 | Win | 28–1 | Lucia Morelli | TKO | 10 | 13 Dec 2013 | Zaal Forum, Aalst, Belgium | Retained WIBF lightweight title; Won WIBA, and WBF female lightweight titles |
| 28 | Win | 27–1 |  Eva Bajic | TKO | 3 | 11 Nov 2013 | Zwevezele, Belgium | |
| 27 | Win | 26–1 |  Irma Balijagic Adler | UD | 8 | 4 Oct 2013 | Topsporthal Vlaanderen, Ghent, Belgium | |
| 26 | Win | 25–1 |  Galina Gumliiska | TKO | 2 | 23 Aug 2013 | Kursaal, Ostend, Belgium | |
| 25 | Win | 24–1 | Kremena Petkova | KO | 2 | 29 Mar 2013 | Topsporthal Vlaanderen, Ghent, Belgium | |
| 24 | Win | 23–1 | Fatuma Zarika | UD | 8 | 23 Feb 2013 | Sporthal Schiervelde, Roeselare, Belgium | |
| 23 | Win | 22–1 | Anita Torti | UD | 10 | 12 Jan 2013 | Sporthal Sint Pieter, Sint Truiden, Belgium | Retained WIBF lightweight title |
| 22 | Win | 21–1 |  Marianna Gulyas | KO | 3 | 1 Nov 2012 | Sporthal, Izegem, Belgium | |
| 21 | Win | 20–1 | Erin McGowan | TKO | 7 | 21 Sep 2012 | Lotto Arena, Antwerp, Belgium | Won vacant IBF female lightweight title |
| 20 | Win | 19–1 |  Valija Lasmanovica | TKO | 3 | 29 Jun 2012 | Moorslede, Belgium | |
| 19 | Win | 18–1 |  Loli Munoz | UD | 8 | 27 Apr 2012 | Topsporthal Vlaanderen, Ghent, Belgium | |
| 18 | Win | 17–1 | Lucia Morelli | TKO | 5 | 25 Feb 2012 | Expo-Hallen, Roeselare, Belgium | Won WIBF lightweight title |
| 17 | Win | 16–1 | Myriam Dellal | UD | 10 | 1 Nov 2011 | Stedelijke Sporthalle, Izegem, Belgium | Retained European female lightweight title |
| 16 | Win | 15–1 |  Angel McKenzie | UD | 6 | 30 Sep 2011 | Topsporthal Vlaanderen, Ghent, Belgium | |
| 15 | Win | 14–1 | Milena Koleva | UD | 8 | 24 Jun 2011 | Feesttent, Torhout, Belgium | |
| 14 | Win | 13–1 |  Floarea Lihet | UD | 6 | 1 Apr 201- | Topsporthal Vlaanderen, Ghent, Belgium | |
| 13 | Win | 12–1 | Nicole Boss | UD | 10 | 5 Mar 2011 | Sporthal, Lichtervelde, Belgium | Won vacant European female lightweight title |
| 12 | Win | 11–1 | Daniela David | 3 | 25 Dec 2010 | Stedelijke Sporthalle, Izegem, Belgium | ||
| 11 | Win | 10–1 | Mirabela Calugareanu | KO | 2 | 10 Dec 2010 | Grote Markt, Sint Niklaas, Belgium | |
| 10 | Loss | 9–1 | Zelda Tekin | TKO | 4 | 1 Nov 2010 | Stedelijke Sporthalle, Izegem, Belgium | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Zelda Tekin | 2 | 9 Oct 2010 | Sporthal De Branding, Middelkerke, Belgium | ||
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Kristine Shergold | UD | 8 | 11 Sep 2010 | Studio hall, Bruges, Belgium | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Nicky Mutsaert | KO | 2 | 24 May 2010 | Brielpoort, Deinze, Belgium | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 |  Arlene de Freitas | UD | 6 | 30 Apr 2010 | Sporthal Tempelhof, Bruges, Belgium | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Julie Robert | UD | 8 | 6 Mar 2010 | Zaal Ogierlande, Oostkamp, Belgium | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Arlene de Freitas | UD | 6 | 5 Dec 2009 | BC Noble Art, Deinze, Belgium | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Mariska Mulder | 2 | 21 Nov 2009 | Sporthal Riderfort, Oostkamp, Belgium | ||
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Renata Szebeledi | 6 | 4 Oct 2009 | Olympia Stadion, Marke, Belgium | ||
| 1 | Win | 1–0 |  Jana Latova | 2 | 23 May 2008 | Zaal Ogierlande, Gits, Belgium |
Awards
- Vlaamse Reus in 2014.
- Belgian Sportsman of the year in 2015.