Unified super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner has urged Britain’s Caroline Dubois to “do her part” and beat Amelia Moore in Birmingham on Saturday to keep their hopes of fighting in 2027 on track.
American Baumgardner, 32, and WBC and WBO lightweight champion Dubois, 25, have clashed at news conferences and on social media over the past 12 months.
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They exchanged insults again on social media following Tuesday’s announcement that Baumgardner would be stepping up to lightweight to face IBF champion Elif Nur Turhan in November.
Dubois faces American Moore in the co-main event on Saturday, with Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron headlining in a light-middleweight unification contest.
Baumgardner and Dubois, who appear destined to meet if they both win their respective fights, were at separate news conferences at the BP Pulse Arena in Birmingham on Thursday to promote their upcoming bouts.
“The goal is to get past Turhan, which I will, and she has to get past Amelia, who I know very well and is a great fighter,” Baumgardner told BBC Sport.
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“In boxing, you never know. Do I want that? Absolutely. But she needs to do her part and step up like I’ve said for a long time – put some skin in the game.
“Energy speaks for itself. You know when a little puppy gets to shivering and they need their mommy?
“I’m always prepared to engage. This is what I do for a living.”
Dubois is undefeated in 14 professional bouts, winning 13 and drawing one, while Baumgardner has a record of 18 wins, one loss and one no-contest.
Baumgardner, who still holds the WBA, IBF and WBO titles at super-featherweight, planned to move up a division “a long time ago”, and is leaving her team to work out whether she will need to vacate those belts.
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Londoner Dubois, who has recently moved to America to link up with trainer Manny Robles after parting ways with Shane McGuigan, did not speak directly with Baumgardner during the media event and insisted she is solely focused on her own goals.
“I’m 100% confident, I’ve come so far, changed my team, moved to Los Angeles and dedicated myself as always,” Dubois said.
“I’m a person that believes in goals – big ones and small ones. The small ones are turning up at the gym and the big ones are becoming undisputed.”
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