Michael Conlan can’t see his fellow two-time Irish Olympian Katie Taylor
losing against Delfine Persoon on Saturday night in New York.
Taylor, the IBF/WBO/WBA champion, meets the Belgian WBC titlist Persoon with unification of the entire lightweight division on the line at Madison Square Garden.
Conlan won bronze at London 2012, where Taylor won gold.
Both boxers then turned pro after dropping controversial Rio 2016 last eight decisions to Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin and Mira Potkonen of Finland respectively, with at least bronze up for grabs.
And Conlan, who meets Nikitin in a pro fight in his native Belfast in August,
believes most top female pro fighters can’t get near Taylor and reckons her hand speed is as good as, if not better than, most men.
“I’ve sparred Katie a few times with the Irish team. She’s fast, very fast. She’s faster than most professional male boxers,” said Conlan, who will be
ringside at the Garden on Saturday.
“There are not many female pro boxers that can match her. Katie won’t lose against this girl.”
If Saturday’s fight goes the distance and unbeaten Taylor wins she’ll have unified her entire division in 14 bouts, 104 rounds and just under three and a half hours of prizefighting since making her pro debut in November 2016.
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