Alycia Baumgardner dismissed Caroline Dubois as still needing to prove herself before a potential fight. Baumgardner retained her titles against Bo Mi Re Shin, while Dubois expressed her desire for a matchup by the end of the year.
Key points
Alycia Baumgardner retained her junior lightweight titles.
Baumgardner dismissed Caroline Dubois as needing more experience.
Dubois expressed a desire to fight Baumgardner by the end of the year.
Both fighters are signed to Most Valuable Promotions.
Baumgardner is also interested in fights with Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.
Alycia Baumgardner walks to the corner during her unified junior lightweight title fight with Bo Mi Re Shin early Saturday morning in New York.Photograph: Ed Mulholland/Getty Images
Alycia Baumgardner walks to the corner during her unified junior lightweight title fight with Bo Mi Re Shin early Saturday morning in New York.Photograph: Ed Mulholland/Getty Images
(Photograph: Ed Mulholland/Getty Images)
A dismissive Alycia Baumgardner said Britain’s Caroline Dubois still has more to prove before the American will entertain a fight between the two unified champions.
That was the curt assessment from Baumgardner early Saturday morning after she retained her WBA, WBO and IBF junior lightweight world titles with a controlled, at times punishing display across 10 three-minute rounds against Bo Mi Re Shin in a main event that started well past midnight at Madison Square Garden.
“Like I said, I’m a piranha,” Baumgardner said. “That’s a guppy. Get her out of here.”
Related: Baumgardner shines after New Zealand’s Daniels seizes unified crown in jarring upset
Dubois, the 25-year-old sister of British heavyweight contender Daniel Dubois, has exchanged barbs with Baumgardner in the weeks since defeating Terri Harper to consolidate the WBC and WBO titles at 130lb on Easter Sunday at Kensington Oval – a showing which Baumgardner shrugged off as as “a C-level performance”.
“The fight I’m interested in is Alycia Baumgardner,” Dubois said after outpointing Harper over 10 two-minute rounds. “That’s the fight I want by the end of the year. There’s no need to waste time. The best versus the best.”
Both Baumgardner and Dubois are signed to Most Valuable Promotions, the five-year-old outfit co-founded by boxer-influencer Jake Paul, which last month launched a bespoke women’s platform, MVPW, alongside a three-year media rights deal with ESPN aimed at giving female fighters a regular, high-visibility platform on linear television.
Dubois headlined the inaugural MVPW event in London, while Baumgardner topped the second card in New York. Each has benefitted from increased exposure under the MVP banner, not least coveted spots on the televised undercard of Paul’s fight with Anthony Joshua in December at Miami’s Kaseya Center, which attracted 33m viewers globally.
“I believe she’s already spoken to [MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian] and said: ‘I don’t want that fight,’” Dubois said. “People say she hits hard, I know I hit harder. It’s the most exciting fight in women’s boxing … and we need to make it happen by the end of this year.
“She is not about that life. She is not as gangster as she makes out to be.”
Dubois escalated the simmering feud on Sky Sports in the run-up to Baumgardner’s fight with Shin, predicting the 31-year-old American would struggle with the durable South Korean and suggesting the bout could expose vulnerabilities she believes are there.
She also questioned Baumgardner’s integrity over positive test for a performance-enhancing drug after a 2023 fight, a ruling later overturned when an lengthy investigation found she didn’t intentionally use banned substances, saying her performances “haven’t looked the same” since.
Baumgardner, however, pointed elsewhere when discussing her next move, calling out Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, two of the sport’s biggest draws. Taylor, 39, has indicated she intends to retire later this year after one final bout in Dublin, with the 80,000-seat Croke Park her preferred stage, though plans are yet to be finalized.
Related: Alycia Baumgardner beats Bo Mi Re Shin to retain unified junior lightweight title – as it happened
“When we talk about Katie Taylor, we’re talking about someone very skilled,” Baumgardner said. “But when it comes to high-level women’s boxing, she’s the perfect opponent to show that separation.”
If that fight cannot be made, she said Serrano would be a natural alternative, particularly in New York.
“That makes sense, especially here,” Baumgardner said. “We can do it at the Garden. It doesn’t matter who’s tougher. Put me in there and I’ll show you.”
Pressed on a prospective bout with Dubois and why she bristles at the mounting public demand, Baumgardner made it clear she does not view the British southpaw as operating on her level.
“When you talk about my career and where I’m going, it has to align with the biggest fights,” she said. “I’m at that level now. Dubois is a great fighter, but she’s not where I am.
“This is a respect game. You don’t just get a fight by calling someone out. You have to put the work in. I’m a prizefighter, not a charity fighter.”
Q&A
What did Alycia Baumgardner say about Caroline Dubois?
Alycia Baumgardner described Caroline Dubois as a 'guppy' and stated that she has more to prove before a fight can happen.
What titles did Alycia Baumgardner retain in her recent fight?
Alycia Baumgardner retained her WBA, WBO, and IBF junior lightweight world titles in her recent fight against Bo Mi Re Shin.
What are Caroline Dubois' recent achievements in boxing?
Caroline Dubois recently defeated Terri Harper to consolidate the WBC and WBO titles at 130lb.
What are Alycia Baumgardner's future fight interests?
Alycia Baumgardner is interested in fighting Katie Taylor or Amanda Serrano, considering them high-level opponents.
Load next article
Related Articles
Sports
Man United close in on UCL return by beating increasingly toxic Chelsea
Manchester United's 1-0 win over Chelsea boosts UCL hopes
ESPN News··1 min read
Soccer·Recap
Messi stunner gives Miami's new coach debut win
Messi shines with two goals in Miami's win under new coach Hoyos!
ESPN News··1 min read
NBA·Recap
East playoffs: Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs cruise past Raptors
Cavs cruise past Raptors in playoff debut for Harden
ESPN News··1 min read
Sports·Recap
NASCAR: Carson Kvapil's car flips wildly less than 2 laps into O'Reilly Series race at Kansas
Carson Kvapil's car flips just 2 laps into NASCAR race at Kansas!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
"Todavía no soy muy consciente de lo que ha pasado aquí"
Marrero, el héroe de la Real Sociedad, aún no comprende su hazaña histórica
Marca··1 min read
NBA·Preview
Kevin Durant Ruled Out Of Game 1 vs. Lakers in Playoffs Series
Kevin Durant will not play in Game 1 against the Lakers due to a knee injury.
