Delfine Persoon claimed an Interim WBA super-feather title on Monday but she still has her eye on the biggest prize in women’s boxing – an Olympic gold medal.
The Belgian star, who was controversially beaten by Katie Taylor last June, improved to 44 wins from 46 outings thanks to a unanimous decision victory over Nigeria’s Helen Joseph to bag the WBA belt.
But it was a far from convincing performance from Persoon against the unheralded Connecticut-based puncher.
Persoon said after the fight that she expects to box at Tokyo 2020, with the help of the Belgian Olympic Committee in the coming months.
Professional boxers, including Katie Taylor, can return to the amateur ranks if they re-registered with their National Federations.
Given Taylor’s extraordinary reputation in both codes, any request to return for Tokyo 2020 would be listened to by the IABA.
Three pro boxers, including ex WBO champion Hassan N’Jikam, fought at Rio 2016 but all were beaten in the preliminaries.
If Persoon returns to the amateurs she’ll fight at lightweight and could meet Kellie Harrington at the European qualifiers in London next March.
A top-six finish in London in the female lightweight limit will book a ticket for Tokyo 2020 and there will be a final world qualifier in Paris in May.
Dependant on which weights Japan takes its six host places at Tokyo, there will be four or five women’s lightweight places up for grabs in Paris.
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