Whyte vs Povetkin: Crisis time for Katie Taylor against Delfine Persoon?
Whyte-Povetkin and Taylor-Persoon 2 on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office
Thursday 20 August 2020 06:06, UK
Katie Taylor watched Delfine Persoon storm out of the ring in disgust at the decision to their first fight – is Ireland's phenomenon heading towards a crisis in the rematch?
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Taylor won the undisputed lightweight title via majority decision against Persoon last year and defends the prize on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office, aiming to keep her undefeated legacy alive in a major test of her mettle.
Carl Froch
Katie Taylor has had a great career, she's a fantastic champion, but I've got to be honest and say that when I watched that fight with Persoon, I thought that she lost the fight. I've got to stand by what I said. I think she lost, she got outworked and hit by far too many shots.
I don't think she's going to lose the rematch, I think she's going to adjust her style and box a little more tactically and use her skills. But she shouldn't get emotionally involved, just box and move, and use her fast hands and high work-rate.
It's going to be difficult to come back from, if she loses. A loss isn't career-ending, but with the first one she was fortunate to get the decision, if she then lost the rematch it would be a massive setback.
Johnny Nelson
I rate everything about Taylor, but if there is a criticism, it's that she lives the life completely, and she will be in a training camp for four or five months and that's when you leave the best of what you've got, that freshness, in the gym. When we saw her fight Persoon it showed in that fight.
A defeat to Persoon would show her vulnerabilities massively. If she loses this weekend, Persoon would have found the blueprint to beating her and that gives everyone else that blueprint as well.
Matthew Macklin
I think she would be devastated if she lost. It's a rematch that she wanted by the time she was back in the dressing room after the first fight. She knew it was close, she knew a lot of people thought she was fortunate to get the decision, so far that point of view, she wanted to wipe that slate clean. She doesn't want any doubts, she doesn't want any controversy hanging over her. She wanted to go straight into an immediate rematch. This is always a fight she wanted big time, which I think is a testament to her.
But I don't think Katie is even contemplating defeat or what that would mean. She's just totally focused on performing to the best of her ability and getting the game-plan right, making the improvements and adjustments from the first fight and getting the win.
There is more expectation on the fight, because of how epic the first fight was and because of the controversy. She's a consummate professional, but there is an added motivation in this fight.
Spencer Oliver
Taylor is a pioneer for women's boxing, which is on an all-time high. She's transformed the sport.
She's achieved everything and more already in the sport, but I think that a defeat here would be a massive setback for her. I don't think it's something that she can afford to do at this stage of her career. She wants more massive fights, there's talk of Amanda Serrano, and she needs a win here and I think she'll get in by the way as well.
You're not an Olympic gold medallist without working out how to overcome styles and I just think she had a bad night and we'll see something special from her on Saturday.
Andy Clarke
Taylor will look upon this as a must-win fight. She got dragged into quite a gung-ho battle last time. I've been watching footage of it this week and you see that bit when she backs to the ropes and waves Persoon in. She won't be doing that kind of thing again.
I think she'll look to box a smarter fight and I do think she might win quite comfortably. I'm not sure that Persoon can do anything different, whereas I think Taylor definitely can. I think that was Persoon's chance, that first one and I'm really glad that she's got the opportunity for the rematch, because she definitely, definitely deserves it. But I just tend to think that Taylor should have learned enough from the first one and has enough in her locker to adapt and make it an easier night of work.
Watch Whyte-Povetkin and Taylor-Persoon 2 on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office, from 7pm. Book it via your Sky remote or book it online here. Even if you aren't a Sky TV subscriber you can book and watch it here.
