Alycia Baumgardner Warns Caroline Dubois: “Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew”
Alycia Baumgardner, the unified junior lightweight champion, has issued a warning to Caroline Dubois, the WBC lightweight champion, not to underestimate her experience and skills in the ring. The two fighters will be competing on the undercard of the highly anticipated Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua fight on Friday, which will be streamed live on Netflix at 8 p.m. ET (1 a.m. Saturday GMT).
Baumgardner, 31, and Dubois, 24, unexpectedly exchanged words at a news conference on Wednesday, with Baumgardner praising Dubois’ hunger and ambition but also cautioning her to be patient and not rush into a fight she may not be ready for. “One thing about Caroline, she’s a hungry fighter,” Baumgardner told ESPN. “For a UK fighter to come to a platform like MVP to fight on Netflix, that gets somebody hungry as a champion, she should be hungry.”
Baumgardner, who will be fighting Leila Beaudoin under men’s rules of 12 three-minute rounds, has been labeled the next face of women’s boxing by Jake Paul. While she didn’t rule out a potential fight against Dubois, Baumgardner emphasized that she wants to see more from the British champion before considering a matchup. “I’m way too much,” Baumgardner said. “I have to see her fight somebody. She’s calling me out. I’m still undisputed at 130 [pounds]. You are at 135. Go fight one of those other champions like I did… go do something.”
Dubois’ Ambition and Baumgardner’s Experience
Dubois, who signed with MVP last week and will be fighting on the Paul-Joshua undercard, has been vocal about her desire to face Baumgardner. “I feel like she walks around like she’s the biggest, baddest fish in the pond and that’s not true,” Dubois said. “I believe I am. So when she says that and has that energy, it triggers me a little bit because I’m like: ‘That’s not right.'” Baumgardner, however, remains confident in her abilities and experience, warning Dubois not to underestimate her. “Baby, don’t bite off [more] than you can chew because I’m a big dog,” Baumgardner said.
The upcoming fight between Baumgardner and Dubois is expected to be an exciting matchup, with both fighters looking to prove themselves as the best in their respective weight classes. As the women’s boxing scene continues to grow and gain popularity, fans can expect to see more high-profile fights like this in the future. With Baumgardner’s experience and Dubois’ ambition, this fight is sure to be an unforgettable one.
