Belgian Boxer Delfine Persoon has asked to be given amateur status in order to be able to participate in next summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo, a status she will get from January 1 2020.
She will not, therefore, be fighting in a return bout against Irish boxer Katie Taylor, who deprived her of her world lightweight title (-61.2 kg) on 1 June in New York's Madison Square Garden.
Taylor was declared the winner on points to the surprise of all, thereby taking the WBA, IBF, WBO and WBC lightweight titles.
Filiep Tampere, Persoon's trainer, lodged a complaint with the World Boxing Council (WBC) against the controversial result, as did the Belgian boxing federation. Taylor promised Persoon a return bout, but this will not take place as the Belgian boxer had asked to change her status to amateur so she will be able to take part in the Tokyo games.
After her controversial fight against Taylor, Persoon won an interim WBA world super featherweight belt (-59kg) by beating Nigerian Helen Joseph in a unanimous points decision on November 11 in Ostend.
The Brussels Times
