Person after Dubai: ‘No unsportsmanlike behavior or rookie mistake’
Already in the first round she got her opponent Kerwat against the canvas, but because according to Persoon the referee didn’t intervene immediately, she continued for a while. “They always say you can box until the referee reacts,” says Persoon. ‘That is the case in boxing, and also in judo. You must always keep your cover or defend yourself until the referee says ‘stop’ or ‘break’. And you can clearly see that the right hit is over, that Kerwat starts to stagger, she’s only half standing, I take a step back, and you see me half looking at the referee, but he just doesn’t react. The referee wasn’t paying attention.’
“No unsportsmanlike conduct or rookie foul”
According to Persoon, there is no question of unsportsmanlike behavior or a beginner’s mistake. “Any boxer who is boxing at that level and who has a killer instinct is going to do that at that point. Otherwise you don’t want to win. That’s that rush you have in you, that adrenaline rush. And that moment that killer instinct says ‘I have to win’ and then you just go for it.’
Rematch or world title fight?
The match ended without a winner. It is not yet clear whether there will be a rematch, or immediately a fight for the world title, possibly in May next year. “We have heard that I will officially remain the challenger because it is a no-contest. That is, there is no winner. So no ‘match zero’. So I do remain the official challenger to Alycia Baumgardner. I just hope that camp will be there’, concludes Delfine Persoon.