Delfine Persoon

Delfine Persoon, born on January 14, 1985, is a renowned Belgian professional boxer with over 20 years of experience in the boxing industry. She began her professional career in May 2008 and has since had a total of 51 fights. Persoon has an impressive record of 47 wins, with 19 of them coming via knockout, three losses, and no draws. She has held two world titles and has successfully defended her titles nine times. Her achievements in the sport of boxing have earned her recognition as one of the best female boxers in the world today.

Persoon is an orthodox boxer with a height of 175 cm (5 ft 9 in). She has fought in two weight classes throughout her career, namely in the super-featherweight and lightweight divisions. Throughout her 51 fights, she has won two world titles in the lightweight division, namely the IBF female lightweight title in 2012 and the WBC female lightweight title from 2014 to June 2019.

Her path to becoming a world champion boxer began in May 2008 when she made her professional debut against Jana Latova. She won the fight via second-round knockout and went on to win eight more consecutive fights, including two via stoppage. She had her first world title fight against Erin McGowan for the vacant lightweight IBF title in September 2012. She won the fight via 7th round TKO and became the lightweight champion of the world.

Throughout her career, Persoon has fought several notable opponents, including Melissa St. Vil, Diana Prazak, Beatriz Aguilar, Galina Gumliiska, Eva Bajic, Florence Muthoni, and Kremena Petkova. Her most memorable fights, however, were against Erin McGowan in 2012 and Diana Prazak in 2014.

In November 2010, Persoon suffered her first loss to Zelda Tekin via 4th round TKO. She has been stopped once and lost two times via decision, with both losses being in title bouts. Her most recent fight was against German boxer Ikram Kerwat on November 13, 2022, which ended in a 1 round no-contest. Despite this, she is currently on a three-fight winning streak.

As of September 2020, Persoon is ranked as the world's best active female super-featherweight by BoxRec, the second-best active female lightweight by The Ring, and the second-best active female, pound for pound, by BoxRec, fifth by The Ring, and seventh by ESPN.

Early Life

Persoon was born on January 14, 1985, in Hooglede, West Flanders, Belgium. Her family was engaged in farming and her father was a butcher. Persoon attended a sports school in Bruges, Belgium, where she first discovered her passion for boxing. She was inspired by the likes of Muhammad Ali, a renowned boxer who also fought for social justice issues. Persoon's interest in boxing grew over the years and led her to pursue a professional boxing career.

Professional Career

Persoon's professional boxing career began on May 23, 2008, when she made her debut against Jana Latova. She won the fight via second-round knockout, setting her up for a promising career. Her career-best moments are her two world title wins, which occurred in 2012 and 2014, respectively.

First World Title Win

Persoon's first world title fight was against Erin McGowan in September 2012. It was a significant moment for Persoon as it marked the beginning of her path to becoming a world champion. She won the lightweight IBF title via 7th round TKO, becoming the champion of the world.

First Loss

Persoon's first loss in her professional career was to Zelda Tekin on November 1, 2010. She lost the fight via 4th round TKO, marking a painful moment in an otherwise successful career.

Second World Title Win

Persoon's second world title fight was against Diana Prazak in November 2014. It was a spectacular fight and was hailed as one of the most memorable moments in female boxing history. Persoon successfully defended the WBC lightweight title against Diana Prazak, winning the fight via 9th round TKO. Her performance in this fight cemented her position as one of the best female boxers of her time.

Loss to Katie Taylor

Persoon lost her WBC female lightweight title to Katie Taylor in June 2019 during a unification fight for the undisputed lightweight championship. Persoon lost the fight via a controversial decision in what has been one of the most controversial decisions in the history of female boxing. However, the loss did not dampen her spirit as she continues to remain one of the best female boxers in the world today.

Personal Life

Despite her busy schedule as an active boxer, Persoon has maintained a private personal life. Little is known about her family and relationship status as she prefers to keep that information out of the public domain. However, she has been vocal about her support for social justice issues and has used her platform as a boxer to raise awareness on various issues.

Conclusion

Delfine Persoon is a decorated Belgian professional boxer with over 20 years of experience in the sport. She has won two world titles, held the IBF and WBC female lightweight title, and has successfully defended her titles nine times. Persoon has an impressive record of 47 wins, with 19 of them coming via knockout, three losses, and no draws. Her journey to becoming a world champion has been an inspiring one, and she has become one of the most memorable female boxers of her time. Persoon continues to be an inspiration to young boxers worldwide and remains a testament to hard work and dedication in the sport of boxing.

Delfine Persoon Fight Record