‘Verbally agreed’ – Hearn finally close to announcing massive undisputed fight

It looks he may have once again failed to persuade Deontay Wilder into an all of the belts heavyweight fight with Anthony Joshua, but Eddie Hearn could confirm another massive undisputed fight before March is done.

After watching Katie Taylor become Ireland’s first ever three belt world champion with victory over Rose Volante in Philadelphia on Friday night the Matchroom boss confirmed the Irish sensation’s next bout should be for the remaining lightweight title.

Hearn, who works with DAZN and Sky Sports, revealed a verbal agreement is in place between IBF, WBA and WBO world champion Taylor and WBC beltholder Delfine Persoon.

A contract will be sent to Team Persoon on Monday and Hearn expects a boxer he claims ‘will always be my favourite fighter’ to fight for all the marbles this summer.

Taylor and Persoon, who Gavin Casey of the42.ie fame suggests will receive upwards of €200,000 for the fight, look likely fight it out for undisputed lightweight status on the undercard of Anthony Joshua versus Jarrell Miller as soon as June 1st.

“I don’t want to jinx it but we have a deal in principle,” Hearn said in the dressing room post Taylor’s historic win.

“(Persoon’s) team have definitely shown an interest and given us an in-principle deal to fight on June 1st.”

“I wanted to just get tonight out of the way, because I didn’t want to start signing contracts until we got through tonight. But they’ll get one on Monday, and if they’re true to their word — which I believe they will be — then it will be announced in the next two weeks.”

Persoon has long since been a target, but like Volante, who Taylor stopped on Friday, has been biding her time with regard to agreeing to fight the Wicklow warrior.

Hearn, Taylor’s manager Brian Peters and even the fighter herself have bemoaned the fact the long reigning champion has never appeared overly keen, but the promoter points out that the opportunity and the pay packet are just too good to now turn down.

“I think that Persoon — not just with the money, but with the ‘undisputed’ tag, with Madison Square Garden — it’s hard for her, really, to turn down that opportunity.”

There have been some suggestions mega bouts with the likes of  seven weight world champion Amanda Serrano or 140lbs undisputed star Cecilia Braekhus might appeal, but it seems those are targets for a later date. 

“Persoon is the fight which is available, and when you’ve got a chance to make an undisputed fight like that, you really have to jump. There’s no perfect time for everybody. It just comes together. And there seems to be a chance to do that fight on June 1st, and it’s never looked like it was possible before.”