The world championship duel between super featherweight queen Alycia Baumgardner and challenger Delfine Persoon produced no winner.
For a long time it looked as if undisputed champion Alycia Baumgardner (15-1, 7 knockouts) would successfully defend her WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO world championship belts against Delfine Persoon (49-3, 19 knockouts). And not only because the challenger from Belgium competed with a brace on her right knee and therefore appeared somewhat more immobile than usual from the start.
Baumgardner dominated the fight and skillfully used her left jab. Shortly before the end of the first round, the 30-year-old American, nicknamed “The Bomb”, landed a left hook. Persoon lost her balance and touched the mat with her glove. Referee Laurence Cole counted her out.
World champion sets clear goals
In the following rounds, the image of the dominant world champion was reinforced. Baumgardner repeatedly landed clear strikes. In particular, she skillfully targeted the body of her 39-year-old opponent. Persoon had little to counter this, but got into the fight a little better in the course of the third round.
A short time later, the clash was over again. Unfortunately, the boxers collided with their heads in the fourth round. The collision left Persoon with a gaping laceration that made it impossible to continue the duel. On the advice of the ring doctor, the fight was therefore stopped and scored as a “no contest”.
Text: Marcus Holzer