Caroline Dubois believes Alycia Baumgardner is intimidated by the prospect of facing her in the ring later this year. Dubois, who recently unified the WBC and WBO lightweight world championships by defeating Terri Harper, has been engaging in a war of words with the American boxer. Baumgardner is set to defend her IBF, WBO, and WBA super-featherweight titles against Bo Mi Re Shin in New York.
Dubois has expressed her desire to meet Baumgardner in a high-profile match, but thinks her rival will struggle against Shin. 'She's fighting one of my past opponents, someone I've already beaten,' Dubois stated.
'I want her to win, as she's a big name who does everything right in terms of promotion and build-up, which is why people want to fight her.' However, Dubois also acknowledged that the fight against Shin will be tough, saying, 'I think Bo will expose what I know and see, but I hope Baumgardner can pull through and win with her skills.' Dubois is increasing the pressure on Baumgardner to agree to a match, saying, 'She doesn't want the fight. Every time Alycia Baumgardner's name is mentioned, my name comes up in the comments.
People are calling for a fight between us, so I don't see why we shouldn't give the fans what they want. It's a great fight, and it's up to her promoter and whether she can find the courage.' Dubois will continue to verbally challenge Baumgardner, stating, 'I don't think I'm being a villain, I'm just confident and saying the truth. I'm not afraid to express my feelings, even if it triggers some people.' If a fight with Baumgardner can't be made, Dubois has other options, including a potential match against Elif Nur Turhan, the IBF champion at 135lbs.
'I don't think she's a good fighter, but she's very dangerous, which makes the fight exciting,' Dubois said. 'I want to continue progressing and be involved in the biggest fights to create a great legacy for myself.'