‘She doesn’t have the guts’ – Persoon offers Taylor €300,000 to rematch in Belgium

Delfine Persoon [43(18)-2(1)] claims her team have offered Katie Taylor [14(6)-0] €300,000 to rematch her in Belgium – but taunts that the undisputed champion of the world won’t have the guts to accept the offer. 

The 34-year-old came out the wrong side of a close and exciting encounter between the pair in Madison Square Garden on Sunday, but was left annoyed at the result.

The Bray took Persoon’s WBC lightweight title adding the final piece to the undisputed jigsaw, but the Belgian believes she should be the one admiring all the marbles at the present time.

Indeed, there were some ringside who argued the former WBC champ may have got the nod – and those ‘doubters’ aligned with the fact the pair served up such an exciting fight have made a rematch inevitable.

Persoon wants that rematch to play out in her home country and claims a substantial six figure sum has been offered to team Taylor to do the repeat in Belgium.

However, the former world champion isn’t confident the four belt champ will accept.

“I think she doesn’t have the guts to come to Belgium for the fight.” Persoon told Sean McGoldrick of the Irish Independent. 

Team Persoon offered Taylor a €170,000 the undisputed bout in her home town, but Team Taylor were never going to turn down the chance to make history in Madison Square Garden live on DAZN on the undercard of the high profile Anthony Joshua American debut card. It’s also suggested Matchroom and Dazn would have easily trumped that figure.

Indeed, the offer from Team Persoon looks a move for publicity, with Taylor likely having earned more than €300,000 for the fight at the weekend and with her promoter, Eddie Hearn, promoting a $1,000,000 purse for the Irishwoman in the near future.

Both fighters should be handed a pay increase for the rematch but it may not happen this year. Taylor seems to want it immediately, but her team whilst admitting it will happen again claim it won’t happen next.

The loser of Saturday’s epic isn’t confident she will get another shot and argues if it’s delayed it’s ‘not a rematch’.

“I was sure when the final bell sounded that I had won the fight. I respect Katie and if she looks back at the fight she will know that she didn’t win it. I want a rematch, but I want it within the next five months.

“It is not a rematch if it happens in two years’ time. There is a lot of talk about the rematch, but I’m not banking on it happening.”