There isn’t much to her rise to the championship level that has caught Alycia Baumgardner by surprise.
Having to fly across the Atlantic Ocean for every title fight would be the exception.
“I never envisioned that every one of my championship fights would take place outside the U.S.,” Baumgardner told BoxingScene.com with a smile of her current title reign. “But I’m excited that my journey has been what it is. Because I was able to stay with my faith and stay on this journey, I’m here living my dream.
“The UK fans have embraced me. I feel like I’m adopted by them, going in there for the third straight time.”
The latest trip features one of the fiercest rivalries in the sport, one that will be settled in the form of a three-belt unification bout. Baumgardner (12-1, 7KOs) will put her WBC junior lightweight title on the line for the second time versus IBF/WBO champ Mikaela Mayer (17-0, 5KOs) in a battle for 130-pound supremacy. The classic grudge match is due to take place Saturday at The O2 in London, though is at risk of being postponed due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II at age 96 on Thursday. Her Majesty’s death will prompt a period of mourning in the United Kingdom, which will bring all events—sports and otherwise—to a halt during that time.
For now, Baumgardner is prepared for her third straight fight in the U.K.
“I'm going in there with the mindset of winning, and of knocking Mikaela out in front of my UK fans,” insisted Baumgardner. “We have a foreigner coming in. Mikaela is the foreigner.”
The 28-year-old boxer-puncher from the greater Detroit area traveled to what was sold as hostile territory for her challenge of unbeaten WBC titlist Yorkshire native Terri Harper last November 13 in Sheffield. Baumgardner was instead warmly embraced even as the visiting fighter before literally punching her way to the top in a stunning fourth-round knockout to win the title.
One title defense has followed, a ten-round shutout of former unified featherweight titlist Edith Soledad Matthysse this past April 16 at AO Arena in Manchester, England. The fight marked her first since officially signing a co-promotional agreement with Matchroom Boxing, who also promoted her title win but as Harper’s promoter.
At the time, Baumgardner was in talks for a title unification bout with WBA titleholder Hyun Mi Choi. Such a fight had a shot at taking place in the U.S., though became moot once Choi’s team stopped taking calls. Baumgardner then set her sights on Mayer (17-0, 5KOs), a 2016 U.S. Olympian and current unified titlist from Colorado Springs.
The two agreed to terms, with their bout announced in May at a location to be determined at the time. The venue was soon confirmed, paired up with another grudge match as two-time Olympic Gold medalist and three-division world champion Claressa Shields (12-0, 2KOs)—Mayer’s 2016 Olympic teammate and longtime friend—faces former amateur rival Savannah Marshall (12-0, 10KOs) for the undisputed middleweight championship.
While great strides have been made for women in boxing, this side of the sport still remains at cult status in the U.S. while treated with its deserved respect in nearly every other boxing-rich region, including the U.K.
“They really respect the sport and they love the women in boxing,” noted Baumgardner. “They’re excited to see Alycia Baumgardner.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
