Katie Taylor draws her strength from quoting the bible, not trash-talking, as Delfine Persoon rematch looms

Taylor unified the lightweight division against Persoon last year.
Getty Images

“In quietness and trust is your strength.”

That Bible excerpt — from the book of Isaiah — is the one which Katie Taylor will turn to in the build-up to Saturday’s world title rematch against Delfine Persoon.

It perhaps best sums up the softly spoken, media-shy fighter from Bray in County Wicklow, Ireland, who prefers her gloves to do the talking. But it also speaks volumes of how big a part religion plays in the daily life and pre-fight preparation for the undisputed world lightweight champion.

With her mum, Bridget, there is a daily prayer in fight week. It’s primary aim, explains Bridget, “is to pray for the safety of her opponent and things like that”.

She adds: “It’s a huge part of who she is. It helps to calm her nerves and keep her in a place. Things get thrown up in fight week and things get taken personally. She likes to quote the Bible verse, ‘in quietness and trust is your strength’. She lives a very quiet life, that’s the way she likes it.”

Taylor shies away from boxing's usual trash-talk.
PA

In the past few months spent training in the United States, Taylor has continued her quest to be the greatest female fighter in history.

Amid that pursuit, though, there is an apparent lack of awareness of her impact on boxing.

When she fought on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez’s title defence against Rocky Fielding at Madison Square Garden in December 2018, she was surprised by some of the attention she got. Her manager Brian Peters recalls: “She’s a modest superstar who doesn’t quite realise [her impact on boxing] .

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"I’ll give you a good example. Around that Canelo-Rocky Fielding fight, we suddenly had about 150 Mexicans running towards us. She presumed Canelo was behind us and nearly stood back to get out of the way but they were running towards Katie. I think she has an effect on people with her integrity and humbleness.”

Taylor was back at the iconic New York venue last summer for her first fight against Persoon. That night they were scored 95 points apiece by two judges, with Taylor getting the nod 96-94 by the third while many argued the Belgian was the rightful winner.

Taylor’s promoter Eddie Hearn, who is staging the bout in his garden as part of Matchroom’s Fight Camp, says the Irishwoman wanted the rematch to silence the doubters. Katie said: “If there is any doubt, I want to put that out of people’s minds.”

While many people’s lives have been turned on their heads by the Covid-19 pandemic, Taylor’s schedule — admittedly shifted in terms of her next fight date — has been relatively unchanged.

“I kind of think she’s the queen of isolation,” says Peters. “In the whole pandemic, she hasn’t changed that much.”

It has, though, denied her the opportunity to be with her tight-knit family. She is idolised by her nieces and nephews, who always refer to her by her full name… Katie Taylor, bellowing it out like it’s fight night.

And there are the jokes with her sister that have been missing. As mum puts it: “Her and her sister have good banter — they could have a YouTube channel!”

Quiet in public and witty and sharp with her family, there is an authority her camp speak of. As a budding Irish football international, she was made captain — less for shouting orders and more for leading by example.

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For her manager, there are facets of her personality which are akin to Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. “I read a 10 things about Tiger Woods in a book about him and I could swear it was Katie they were talking about,” says Peters.

“And the same with Michael Jordan in Last Dance — there’s certain qualities you notice also with Katie. There’s just no bull, and people like that.”

In terms of her support base, it ranges from impressionable young girls to 80-something grandmothers.

“Great sports stars cross over,” he says. “We get letters from 86-year-old ladies that admire what she stands for, the kids go mad for her. Sometimes, I don’t think we appreciate when we have greatness. I got to see Jordan play live, I got to see Mike Tyson live. With Katie I’m in the corner and get to see that up close and in person.”

Hearn has described Taylor as his favourite in the Matchroom stable, but he too brings it back to the quiet.

“Before a fight — and it’ll be the same this weekend — it’s just silent in her dressing room,” he said. “She’s just so driven and dedicated. It means everything to her. She’s a very special individual.”

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