Caroline Veyre vs Delfine Persoon and More News
By David A. Avila
Punches are going to fly.
Belgium’s Delfine Persoon and Canada’s Caroline Veyre meet today to determine the new WBC super featherweight titleholder at Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Persoon (50-3, 20 Kos) is a former lightweight world champion who recently dropped down a weight division and meets Veyre (10-1) on Tuesday Feb. 10, at GLC Live at 20 Monroe, in Grand Rapids. DAZN will stream the Salita Promotions fight card.
Both are fighting for the WBC super feather title that was vacated by Alycia Baumgardner who opted to fight a three-minute 12 round match against Leila Boudoin last December in Miami, Florida. The WBC organization does not allow three-minute nor 12 round fights.
Baumgardner’s decision to vacate left an opening for Persoon and Veyre to claim it.
Persoon, 41, had entered the boxing ring against Baumgardner back in September 2024 but a clash of heads caused a bloody gash on Persoon and the match was stopped just short of the completion of the fourth round. The fight was declared a No Contest.
The Belgian fighter has developed a reputation as one of the fiercest female fighters in the world with her nonstop punching attacks and pressure style. She nearly defeated Katie Taylor in their first confrontation in June 2019 in Madison Square Garden. She later lost the rematch that took place in London, England during Covid. She has not lost since the two losses to Taylor.
Veyre 37, lives and trains in Montreal, Canada but was originally born in Paris, France. She has an aggressive boxing style and has an extensive amateur career that included participating in the Tokyo Olympics and winning the Pan Am games
Though Veyre has no knockouts as a professional she has an offensive approach and always seeks to dominate her foes with combination punching and constant firepower.
Veyre or Persoon do not like to fight going backward.
Both are seeking to meet Baumgardner in the boxing ring a chance to become undisputed super featherweight champion. The big question is which fighter will emerge victorious: Persoon and her nonstop punching or Veyre and her combination punching?
Jake Paul Question
Jake Paul, the fighter/promoter who lives in Puerto Rico, wrote on social media his sentiments on Puerto Rico’s Bad Bunny performing the half time show on the recent Super Bowl game between Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. On his own social media account he posted: “Turn off this halftime. A fake American citizen performing who publicly hates America. I cannot support that.”
Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican singer and actor is internationally known and beloved by his fans, that includes Amanda Serrano the undisputed featherweight world champion who is Puerto Rican. Immediately after Paul’s post Serrano posted her own comment: “We are not ‘Fake Americans.’ We are citizens who have contributed to this country in every field, from military service to sports, business, science, and the arts, and our identity and citizenship deserve respect.”
Every American citizen has the right to their opinion that is their Constitutional right. But I am sure Paul’s comments blindsided Serrano whose career was boosted by their affiliation.
Paul also is co-head of Most Valuable Promotions which has a lengthy roster of dozens of the best female fighters in the world. What will this mean for the future?
What kind of impact will his comments have on the boxing public that follows boxing and especially women’s boxing.
Christy
Recently I saw the motion picture “Christy” that depicts the story of Boxing Hall of Fame fighter Christy Martin. The main character was portrayed by Sydney Sweeney and directed by David Michod.
While watching the film a flood of memories hit me as I remembered my first encounters with Martin back in the early 2000s. I also attended many of her fights including her battle with Belinda Laracuente in Las Vegas and her last two fights in her career against Dakota Stone and Mia St. John. These last two fights occurred after being nearly murdered by her then husband Jim Martin.
What I remember most is trying to locate and talk to Martin for a story I was doing on one of her earlier fights. At the time women’s boxing was not receiving any exposure except for Martin and Laila Ali. Most female prizefighters were skeptical about journalists and Martin was very leery of journalists.
When I finally reached her by phone we talked for about 30 minutes after she grilled me first about my knowledge of women’s boxing. Once she was satisfied with my answers, she provided me with thoughtful and thorough answers. I remember that day vividly. I was sitting in my car at a parking lot of Redlands City Hall in Redlands, Calif. I was there to interview the mayor concerning a zoning dispute with nearby city of Highlands. I sat in my car taking notes of what Martin told me concerning an upcoming fight and the future of women’s boxing. I’m not sure of the date but it was between 2003 and 2007.
When Martin was voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, I was among those that voted her and Ali into the prestigious Hall. They were voted in unanimously.
I also read Ron Borges book on Martin called “Fighting for Survival.” It’s an excellent book that gets into the details of Martin’s career and life as a boxer. Women’s boxing has come a long ways and still has not reached nearly its peak in my estimation. But it is getting there and thanks to Martin who nearly gave her life for it.
Every time I see Martin I can’t help but smile. Or when I see any of the female fighters from the 90s and early 2000s that suffered and toiled to keep women’s boxing alive.
Martin is a promoter now and married to her former boxing foe Lisa Holewyne. Boxing is in her blood and she still promotes the sport that she helped propel starting in 1989.
For me Martin represents all women with her indomitable spirit and willingness to accept pain in exchange for victory. I still remember her match against Dakota Stone at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Martin had broken her wrist or arm and was still fighting and still trying to punch with the injured hand. Anyone who ever suffered a broken wrist or arm can attest to the pain. The fight was stopped by the referee and there was Martin begging the referee not to stop the match.
I knew the end might be near for Martin. When it was announced she would fight Mia St. John in a rematch for the vacant WBC super welter world title I knew I had to be there and drove 400 miles to witness the fight. It was Martin’s last fight.
More Fight News
Argentina
Lucrecia Belen (8-9) beat Luz Cordoba (2-5-2) by decision after six rounds on Friday Feb. 6. The super bantam fight took place in Adelia Maria.
Australia
Louise Creaven (5-1) beat Macca Jean (1-5) by split decision after six rounds on Saturday Feb. 7. The welter fight took place in Fortitude Valley.
Belgium
Ines Es Salehy (2-0) defeated Klaudia Ferenczi (20-138-10) by decision after six rounds on Saturday Feb. 7. The bantam fight was held in Forest.
France
Romane Moulai (8-0) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Althea Shine Pores (6-1-1) on Saturday Feb. 7. The light fly match was held in Marseille.
Selma Reinier (9-0) knocked out Amy Naert (12-7) in the seventh on Saturday Feb. 7. The minimumweight fight took place in Cazouls les Beziers.
Lauryne Brankaer (8-0-2) knocked out Yazmin Martinez (3-3-2) in the eighth round on Saturday Feb. 7. The bantamweight fight took place in Chateauroux.
Germany
Fani Vilicic (1-4-1) defeated Marleen Muench (1-1) by knockout in the second round on Saturday Feb. 7. The feather fight took place in Mitte.
Japan
On Tuesday Feb. 10, minimumweights Kanae Maehara (4-4-2) and Ayumi Shuzui (4-1) meet six rounds in Tokyo.
India
On Sunday Feb. 15, super bantams Renu Phogat (7-4) and Kavita Varma (0-6) meet six rounds at New Delhi.
Ireland
Sarah Murphy (2-0) beat Katherine Quintana (0-40-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Feb. 7. The lightweight match was held in Dublin.
Italy
Narymane Benloucif (6-2) defeated Michela Braga (8-2) by split decision after 10 rounds on Sunday Feb. 8. The super bantam regional title fight took place in Genoa.
On Sunday Feb. 15, flyweights Mery Di Bari (3-0) and Sara Marjanovic (10-14) meet eight rounds at Catania, Sicily.
Netherlands
Tessa Van Stenus (3-3) beat Eva Hubmayer (6-14-1) by decision after four on Saturday Feb. 7. The welterweight fight took place in Helmond.
South Africa
On Friday Feb. 13, bantams Tarisai Mutsau (1-2) and Asandisiwa Nxokwana (8-7-2) meet six rounds at Cape Town. Also, super feathers Saarah Karriem (2-0) and Thembisile Twala (0-1) meet six.
Spain
Sarah Liegmann (13-0) defeated Basilia Mancilla (7-13-2) by decision after eight rounds on Friday Feb. 6. The feather match was held in San Sebastian.
On Friday Feb. 13, super feathers Amy Andrew (8-0) and Victoria Lomax (3-3) meet six rounds at Marbella. Also, super lights Carolyn Redmond (7-2) and Joanna Fraszczak (1-3) meet six.
Tanzania
On Saturday Feb. 14, feathers Asia Meshack (2-2) and Husna Zamba (0-6) meet six rounds at Dar es Salaam. Also, light heavies Nargis Selemani (7-0) and Sesilia Mohamed (0-5) meet six rounds.
On Sunday Feb. 15, bantams Egine Kayange (13-9) and Halima Bandola (2-8-1) meet six rounds at Tegeta.
Thailand
Patricia Bohm (1-0) knocked out Phatcharaphon Kransakun (0-11-1) in the second round on Saturday Feb. 7. The light fly fight took place in Bangkok.
Quiyan Lu (5-0) knocked out Saowaluk Nareepangsri (19-25) in the second round on Friday Feb. 6. The super bantam fight was held in Bangkok.
Pinmai Photjanasuk (3-3) knocked out Praethip Pawuttinun (8-2) in the fourth on Friday Feb. 6. The bantam fight took place in Bangkok.
On Thursday Feb. 12, super bantams Maria Phoudom (1-3) and Orathai Hamala (0-0) meet four rounds at Pattaya.
United Arab Emirates
On Saturday Feb. 14, welters Aleksandra Sitnikova (3-1) and Komalpreet Kaur (3-0) meet four rounds at Dubai.
United Kingdom
On Sunday Feb. 15, bantamweights Megan Redstall (6-0-1) and Consolata Musanga (14-8-4) meet 10 rounds at London, England.
USA
Whitney Gomez (2-0-1) and Denise Moran (3-1-1) fought to a majority draw after four rounds on Friday Feb. 6. The super feather match was held in Tacoma, Washington.
On Tuesday Feb. 10, super feathers Delfine Persoon (50-3) and Caroline Veyre (10-1) meet 10 rounds for the vacant WBC super featherweight title at Grand Rapids, Michigan. DAZN will stream the Salita Promotion card.
On Friday Feb. 13, super bantams Courtney Chase (0-0) and Sarah Click (2-12-1) meet four rounds at Fall River, Mass.
On Saturday Feb. 14, light flies Teaira Skinner (0-0) and Samantha Maury (0-0) meet four rounds at Richmond, Virginia.