Delfine Persoon

Professional Career

Delfine Persoon began her professional journey on May 23, 2008, with a second-round knockout victory over Jana Latova at Zaal Ogierlande in Gits, Belgium. Persoon quickly established herself as a formidable force, winning her first ten fights, including a unanimous decision win against Renáta Szebelédi on October 4, 2009, at Olympia Stadion in Marke, Belgium, and a second-round TKO against Mariska Mulder on November 21, 2009, at Sporthal Riderfort in Oostkamp, Belgium.

Persoon’s first professional loss came on November 1, 2010, when Zelda Tekin defeated her by TKO in the fourth round at Stedelijke Sporthalle in Izegem, Belgium. However, she quickly bounced back, securing the vacant European female lightweight title with a unanimous decision win over Nicole Boss on March 5, 2011, at Sporthal in Lichtervelde, Belgium. She continued to defend her title and climb the ranks with victories over opponents like Myriam Dellal on November 1, 2011, in Izegem, and Erin McGowan by a seventh-round TKO on September 21, 2012, at Lotto Arena in Antwerp, Belgium, which earned her the vacant IBF female lightweight title.

In 2013, Persoon continued her dominance, capturing multiple titles, including the WIBF, WIBA, and WBF female lightweight titles with a tenth-round TKO victory over Lucia Morelli on December 13 in Aalst, Belgium. Her impressive run of form continued as she claimed the WBC female lightweight title by defeating Érica Farías on April 20, 2014, in Zwevezele, Belgium. She successfully defended her WBC title multiple times, including a ninth-round TKO against Diana Prazak on November 11, 2014, and a unanimous decision win over Maïva Hamadouche on November 11, 2015, in Zwevezele, Belgium.

Persoon faced Katie Taylor for the undisputed lightweight championship twice, first on June 1, 2019, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where she lost by majority decision, and again on August 22, 2020, at Matchroom Fight Camp in Brentwood, England, where she lost by unanimous decision. Despite these setbacks, Persoon remained a top contender in her division. She continued her career with notable victories, including winning the vacant WBO Intercontinental super featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Elena Gradinar on July 3, 2021, in Eernegem, Belgium. Persoon then captured the vacant WBC Silver female super featherweight title with a unanimous decision win over Elhem Mekhaled on May 21, 2022, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Her bout against Ikram Kerwat on November 13, 2022, ended in a no-contest after an accidental foul. Most recently, on May 28, 2023, Persoon successfully defended her WBC Silver female super featherweight title with a split decision victory over Bo Mi Re Shin at Sportcentrum Van steenland in Torhout, Belgium.