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 hopes Baumgardner emerges victorious, but expects a tough fight. 'She's fighting one of my past opponents, whom I've already beaten,' Dubois stated.
'I want her to win, as she's a prominent name in the sport and knows how to promote a fight.' However, Dubois also expressed concerns about Baumgardner's ability to overcome Shin. 'I think it will be a challenging fight, and Bo may expose some of Baumgardner's weaknesses,' Dubois said. The Londoner is increasing the pressure on Baumgardner to agree to a high-profile bout. 'She doesn't want to fight me,' Dubois claimed.
'Every time Alycia Baumgardner's name is mentioned, people bring up my name. They're calling for a fight between us, and I don't see why we shouldn't give the fans what they want.' Dubois will continue to verbally challenge Baumgardner, citing her confidence as the reason for her bold statements. 'I'm not playing the villain; I'm just being myself and expressing my confidence,' Dubois said.
If a fight with Baumgardner cannot be arranged, Dubois has other options, including a potential bout against Elif Nur Turhan, the current IBF champion at 135lbs. 'I don't think Turhan is a skilled fighter, but she's dangerous, and that's what makes the fight exciting,' Dubois said. 'I want to continue progressing and be involved in the biggest fights, creating a great legacy for myself.'