Mikaela Mayer paused for a moment, then a wry smile spread across her face as she realized who had just spoken. "Ohhh Alycia," she replied, not to a reporter but to her old adversary, former undisputed champion Alycia Baumgardner, who had secured a front‑row seat at Thursday’s Birmingham press conference ahead of Mayer’s much‑anticipated world title bout against Chantelle Cameron. Baumgardner had been on the microphone only minutes earlier, after the announcement of her November 8 showdown with Elif Nur Turhan. She turned the spotlight onto Mayer, asking about the boxer’s mindset, her development, and why the upcoming Saturday fight would be different – presumably different from the one they had shared.
Mayer answered confidently, "I’ve gotten better and better, I’ve learned not to repeat the mistakes I made against you. When I step into the ring I’ll start fast, I won’t give anything away, and I won’t leave the outcome to the judges because you can’t always count on them." Mayer’s composure was notable, especially given the history between the two.
Their previous encounter was a world‑title unification bout at The O2 in October 2022, which ended in a split‑decision loss for Mayer. She has long maintained that she deserved the win, a sentiment that still fuels the rivalry.
The conversation quickly shifted away from personal grudges and toward the broader landscape of women’s boxing in 2026. While Baumgardner appears to be steering toward a potential clash with Caroline Dubois—provided both win their upcoming fights—the main focus for Saturday remains the clash of styles between Mayer and Cameron, two of the sport’s most technically proficient fighters. "I’m at the stage of my career where these are the fights I truly want," Mayer said.
"Our careers have had highs and lows, but we’ve always aimed to give our best. We’ve fought our way back to the top." Analysts agree that there are few, if any, more compelling match‑ups in women’s boxing at the moment. The consensus is that the winner of Saturday’s bout could cement her place among the all‑time greats. Chantelle Cameron echoed the excitement, declaring, "Let’s go get fight of the year." Cameron carries a unique distinction: she is the only boxer to have defeated Katie Taylor in Taylor’s professional career, a fact that adds an extra layer of intrigue to the upcoming showdown.
Cameron currently holds the WBO super‑welterweight title, while Mayer is the holder of the WBA and WBC belts. Both women have overcome setbacks to return to the pinnacle of the sport. Cameron suffered a loss in a rematch against Taylor, and Mayer has felt the sting of controversial decisions in fights against both Baumgardner and Natasha Jonas. Yet each fighter insists they are in peak condition.
"I’ve had ups and downs, but I’m in a great place. I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life," Cameron said. "Mikaela is an excellent boxer, I respect her a lot. I wanted to fight her because I want to face the best.
Our styles complement each other and should make for an exciting fight." Mayer, on the other hand, believes her versatility will be the decisive factor. She told reporters that Cameron’s style is relatively straightforward, whereas Mayer possesses a broader toolkit. "I can adapt.
If I need to change the game plan, I have the tools in my pocket. In big fights you sometimes have to adjust, and I have what it takes to do that," Mayer explained. "My arsenal is more diverse, and I think that will give me an edge on Saturday." The undercard will also feature a headline bout: Caroline Dubois defending her WBC and WBO lightweight titles against American challenger Amelia Moore. Dubois, who recently moved her training base to Los Angeles and overhauled her team, spoke about her ambitions and the importance of respecting every opponent.
"I’m 100 percent confident. I’ve come a long way, changed my team, moved to LA, and I’m excited to show why I’m the best at 135 lb," Dubois said.
"I don’t overlook any opponent. My goals are big – I want to become undisputed – and I’ll train as hard as possible to achieve them." With both main‑event fighters promising high‑octane action and the undercard offering its own narratives, Saturday’s night of boxing on Sky Sports looks set to be a landmark event for the sport. Fans can tune in live via Sky Sports or stream the fights through a contract‑free boxing platform, ensuring that the excitement reaches a global audience.