Fight Camp begins on Saturday at 7pm live on Sky Sports - Eggington vs Cheeseman
Thursday 30 July 2020 09:15, UK
Katie Taylor deserves credit for embracing the challenge of the "relentless" Delfine Persoon, says promoter Eddie Hearn.
Hearn told Sky Sports News: "You need to give credit to both fighters. Taylor vs Persoon is not just the greatest women's fight I've ever seen, but one of the greatest fights.
"Twenty-thousand people at Madison Square Garden were on their feet last June for that fight.
"Many people thought Persoon deserved to win. She is so dangerous, she is relentless.
"Katie? Most people would say: 'You were beat, I'm moving on'.
"But Katie said: 'If there is any doubt, I want to put that out of people's minds'.
"I am so excited about women's boxing because they take the big fights - undisputed fights, unification fights.
"Next Friday on August 7 we have the first all-British world title fight [Terri Harper defends the WBC super-featherweight belt against Natasha Jonas].
"Women's boxing is flying and Taylor vs Persoon is a joy to promote."
Katie throws one shot, runs away, then grabs.
"In the fourth round her trainer said: 'Grab her arms!'
"Is she going to run and grab me? For the people, that is not a good fight.
"Ten rounds of running with one or two punches is not a fight that people want to see.
"Take the first punch, answer, jab, come in, go out.
"Katie throws one shot, runs away, then grabs.
"I hope she wants a nice fight - two boxers to go for it, and the best boxer wins. Let's show that two women can have a spectacular fight.
"But I don't think she will."
And controversy has been stirred up prior to next Friday's world title clash over claims (that have been denied) that the champion Harper was knocked out in sparring.
"Terri gets knocked out every day in the gym," her trainer Stefy Bull laughed. "Really bad knockouts. We all stand over her and count to 20.
"Terri is looking a million dollars, she's a special talent and I'm going to make this 2-0. It's going to be Stefy Bull 2-0 Joe Gallagher. I beat him with Robbie Barrett when he beat Scott Cardle for the British title, and we'll win again with Terri Harper versus Natasha Jonas.
"He likes to do those numbers, 43-0, 65-0 and records are for DJs. Tell him it's going to be 2-0.
"I've got text messages that say Natasha Jonas can only hold it together for four rounds and she falls to bits. Tell him that."
Jonas' trainer Gallagher had previously said: "I know in the past there were rumours - not for this camp but another camp - that Harper got put over. Those things happen in the gym."
