Expect to see a different Katie Taylor when the undisputed lightweight champion steps into the ring for the highly anticipated rematch with former champion Delfine Persoon.
Words from the fighter herself ahead of this Saturday's encounter in Matchroom’s Fight Camp, which will take place at promoter Eddie Hearn’s back garden in Essex.
The two fighters met in June 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York when the Bray native unified the division by adding Persoon’s WBC belt to her own haul of world straps.
The bout was Taylor’s 14th straight win as a professional fighter and while she remains clear in her mind that she won the bout, it proved a very close contest, with the Irish women taking it on the scorecards by majority decision, with one judge scoring it a 95:95 draw.
Naturally, a rematch would follow and not only does Taylor welcome the second installment of this growing rivalry with the long-time champ, the 2012 Olympic gold medallist is determined to show her class on Saturday night.
"The first fight was too close for my liking," said Taylor.
"It has been hanging over my head over the last year, so I was delighted when the rematch was nailed down.
"I’m looking forward to putting on a more dominant performance on August 22nd and shutting up everyone that has criticised me over the last year.
"I did watch the fight back and it was obviously a very close fight. That’s why there is a rematch.
"I definitely couldn’t have given her more than five rounds, so for people to say it was a disgraceful decision or it was a robbery, is a disgrace in itself. I felt like I deserved to win the fight even though it was very close."
Taylor became embroiled in a brawl with Persoon in the first fight, which prevented the five-time world champion from controlling the encounter with her superior boxing skills, but now she intends to win by a much bigger margin.
"I think I’m going to be a completely different fighter," said Taylor.
"I think people are going to see a completely different performance and a completely different fight from my perspective.
"I got drawn into a bit of a fight in the first one and sometimes that happens. I’m definitely going to be a bit more disciplined in this fight. I’m going to be ready for whatever Persoon throws at me.
"I’m completely prepared for this fight. I’ve been training for a big fight since January so I’m more than ready to step in and put on a dominant performance."
Taylor versus Persoon II takes place on the undercard of Dillian Whyte's Interim WBC Heavyweight world title fight against Russia's Alexander Povetkin.
