Caroline Dubois and Alycia Baumgardner Head Toward Undisputed Showdown
Caroline Dubois and Alycia Baumgardner are on course for a huge undisputed title clash, but the fight is on to seal home advantage. Dubois is the WBC and WBO lightweight world champion and takes on Stephanie Han, who has the WBA belt, in a February 20 unification bout. Meanwhile, Baumgardner moves up from super-featherweight to challenge for Elif Turhan's IBF strap in Dallas, Texas.
The path toward an undisputed showdown has generated substantial interest across the boxing community. Both athletes have carved out dominant positions in their respective weight classes, making a future meeting between them one of the most anticipated events in the sport. As they navigate their upcoming preparatory bouts, fans and promoters are already looking ahead to the logistics of a potential clash.
Caroline Dubois Prepares for Ringside Scouting in Texas
Dubois has relocated from London to California for training and will be ringside for the fight in Dallas with the hopes of taking on the winner. She is eager to observe her potential future opponents up close to gather valuable intelligence on their fighting styles and physical power.
Speaking about her upcoming trip to ringside, Dubois stated that she is excited to watch them up close. She mentioned that she has never seen Alycia fight personally, and she has actually never seen Elif fight up close as well. She added that it is going to be really good to see them and hear the punches, hear what they are hitting with, and noted that she is excited to be there ringside and calling out the winner, of course.
This scouting mission mirrors a previous encounter where Baumgardner watched the Brit's August victory over Amelia Moore from the commentary box. Following that bout, the two engaged in a heated face off, though Baumgardner remains entirely unbothered by the ongoing back and forth between them.
Alycia Baumgardner Responds to Heated Rivalry and Attention
Baumgardner has brushed off the verbal sparring and the intense face-offs that have characterized their interaction so far. She views the rising star's callouts as a natural byproduct of her own established status and drawing power within the sport of boxing.
Offering her perspective on the dynamic, Baumgardner said that this is nothing new and that Caroline is coming on the scene and needs somebody like her just to even give her some attention. She explained that if people were not talking about her, they would not pay her any attention anyway. She emphasized that because she is a star in America who has built her resume by herself and has fought on big stages, she is someone that someone wants to talk about, making it fun.
The history between the two fighters dates back to 2022. Dubois shared the same card with Baumgardner when Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields sold out the O2 Arena. On that memorable night, Baumgardner, who is 32, beat American rival Mikaela Mayer, who is 36, in a chief support bout that nearly stole the show from the main event.
The Battle for Home Advantage: London Versus Las Vegas
While the sporting merit of the undisputed fight is clear, the location remains a major point of discussion. Dubois wants to bring Baumgardner back to South East London for a grudge match of her own, aiming to recreate the electric atmosphere of the Marshall and Shields card.
Dubois outlined her vision for the venue by stating that she wants to replicate that here and wants their fight to be at the O2 Arena, believing they have the ability to sell it out. She noted that she is from South East London originally and bringing that fight home, bringing that fight back to where she grew up, would be genuinely awesome. She reiterated her desire to fight Alycia Baumgardner at the O2 Arena and sell that place out.
However, Baumgardner has her sights set on a different legendary venue for the bout. Unenthused by the prospect of traveling to the British capital for a hostile crowd, she countered with her own preferred destination in the United States.
Baumgardner stated that she loves the UK and has always loved the fan base there, but personally, she would like that fight in Vegas. She explained that she thinks Vegas is the mecca of boxing when it comes to the sport and noted that she has yet to fight there. Concluding her thoughts on the venue, she added that if it is a big fight, that is where she would like to fight.