Caroline Dubois accused Alycia Baumgardner of cowardice after the two women exchanged a fiery exchange at ringside on Saturday night. The clash between the British champion and the American contender has been linked to a possible blockbuster bout, especially as Baumgardner prepares to move up to Dubois' weight class for her upcoming challenge against Elif Nur Turhan for the IBF lightweight title on November 8. The tension began when Baumgardner, who was watching from the audience, approached Dubois at the ropes shortly after Dubois secured a unanimous decision victory over Amelia Moore in Birmingham.
The brief encounter quickly escalated into a tug‑of‑war over the microphone, with both fighters hurling sharp words at one another, further stoking an already simmering rivalry. Dubois later took aim at Baumgardner's decision to skip the post‑fight press conference, labeling her absence as a sign of fear. "I'm surprised she isn't there. I think she's a coward," Dubois said, adding that she wished Baumgardner were present so she could confront her directly.
"I think she's a coward because she isn't here today. She should have come to the press conference. This is the biggest fight in women's boxing." Baumgardner, for her part, dismissed Dubois' performance as "lacklustre" and warned that Dubois would need to "tighten up" if she hoped to defeat the former undisputed world champion. The back‑and‑forth between the two fighters has drawn considerable attention, with many commentators speculating that a match between them could become the marquee event of the year for women's boxing.
Dubois fired back by questioning why Baumgardner had never secured high‑profile bouts against established stars such as Katie Taylor or Claressa Shields. She argued that, at 25 years old, she was already ahead of Baumgardner in terms of skill and experience.
"She's tried as hard as she can to dismiss me and make it seem like I'm not on her level, but I am," Dubois asserted. "I'm the world champion, and she's moving up to my division.
Yeah, I think this is the biggest fight in women's boxing." Dubois also expressed a measured optimism about Baumgardner's upcoming fight with Turhan, saying she hoped the American would succeed but acknowledging the uncertainty of future match‑ups. "Maybe it's Elif who wins, and it'll be me and her facing off, so let's not try and write off Elif," she added. Another potential opponent for Dubois is Stephanie Han, who has emerged as a viable contender after Dubois defended her WBA lightweight title with a majority decision win over Holly Holm. Dubois recounted how MVP co‑founder Nakisa Bidarian flew her to a recent fight where Han faced Holm, and how she used the post‑fight press conference to publicly challenge Han.
"I wasn't afraid to come to the press conference. I called her out openly there and then, and she promised me we would do it, that it is a fight that's going to happen, and I intend to hold her to that. I want to fight Stephanie," Dubois said.
MVP founder Jake Paul, speaking to Sky Sports, confirmed that his promotion is fully prepared to sign contracts for a Dubois‑Baumgardner showdown as soon as the parties are ready. "We are 100 per cent ready to go when they want to sign the contracts," Paul said, emphasizing that the organization is waiting for the right moment to make the fight official. The rivalry has also drawn comments from other notable figures in women's boxing. Former champion Claressa Shields accused Baumgardner of being "scared" of Dubois, a charge that Baumgardner rebuffed by calling Shields "jealous".
Jake Paul weighed in on the exchange, stating, "Alycia is not scared of anyone, I know it's going to happen, she has to get through November 8 and then we can have those discussions. I think it's funny when fans or critics say certain people are scared of somebody – they aren't scared, it's what they do for a living." As the November 8 lightweight title fight approaches, the speculation surrounding a potential Dubois‑Baumgardner clash intensifies.
Both fighters have made it clear that they view each other as the ultimate test, and the boxing community is eager to see whether the animosity at ringside will translate into a historic bout inside the squared circle. If the fight materializes, it could indeed become the biggest event in women's boxing, drawing global attention and possibly reshaping the landscape of the sport for years to come.