There was a pause from Mikaela Mayer, so too an emerging, ironic smile upon realisation as to who had asked the question.
"Ohhh Alyciaa," she said.
Not a reporter named Alycia, but instead a familiar foe in former undisputed world champion Alycia Baumgardner, who had claimed a front row seat at Thursday's press conference in Birmingham ahead of Mayer's blockbuster world title fight against Chantelle Cameron.
Baumgardner herself had been speaking just minutes earlier following the announcement of her November 8 clash with Elif Nur Turhan. The question? Mayer's mindset, growth, and why Saturday night's fight is different. Different, presumably, to their own fight.
"I've got better and better and better, I've learned not to make the mistakes I made with you," said Mayer.
"When I get in there I'll start quick, start fast, not letting anything get away from me, not leaving it to the judges, because you can't always trust the judges."
Mayer, who navigated an unwelcome reunion impressively, suffered a split decision defeat to Baumgardner in the pair's world title unification bout at The O2 in October 2022, a fight she previously said she believes she won.
But this was not about a rivalry between Mayer and Baumgardner, the latter of whom is instead seemingly on a path towards a potential showdown with Caroline Dubois, should both win their upcoming fights.
On Saturday it is Mayer and Cameron who take centre stage in a collision of two premier technicians amid their respective pursuit of greatness.
"I'm in the stage in my career, these are the only type of fights I really want," said Mayer. "We've had similar careers, a lot of ups and a few downs, but we both always wanted to fight our best.
"We are at the top of our game and navigated our way back to the top."
There are currently few, if any, better fights to be made in women's boxing, with predictions enduring a fence-sitting theme and the winner tipped or a seat among the best to ever lace up the gloves.
"Let's go get fight of the year," said Cameron.
Cameron is famously the only fighter to hold a win over Katie Taylor in the great Irishwoman's professional boxing career, as much feeding into a narrative seeking to nudge Saturday's victory towards iconicity.
She arrives as owner of the WBO super welterweight title, while Mayer occupies the WBA and WBC belts.
Both have hurdled setbacks to return to the top of the sport, Cameron having been denied in her rematch against Taylor and Mayer on the wrong side of what she deemed to be unjust decisions against both Baumgardner and Natasha Jonas.
"I've had a few ups and downs but I'm in a good place. I think I'm in the form of my life," said Cameron.
"I think Mikaela is very good, she's brilliant, I'm a fan of hers. I watch her and enjoy it, it's why I wanted to fight her, I want to fight the best.
"Styles make fights, Mikaela's style is different to Katie Taylor, I think our styles gel for a really good fight."
Mayer this week insisted it was 'impossible' for Cameron to train for her such was her new boxing arsenal, believing that her versatility will prove the difference come Saturday's main event.
"I think I can just do more. You look at her style, it's very straightforward, I'm a little more diverse," said Mayer.
"When I need to switch up the game plan if need be, I can, I have other tools in my pocket. Sometimes in these big fights you have to adjust, and if I have to I have what it takes."
Saturday's chief support will see Dubois defend her WBC and WBO lightweight world titles against America's Amelia Moore.
The Londoner admitted she affords herself the chance to envision the future such are her lofty ambitions in the sport, which may well feature Baumgardner. But despite being heavily linked to a mega-fight against the American, insisted there should never be doubts over her preparations for an opponent, including Moore.
"I'm 100 per cent confident, I've come so far, I've changed my team, moved to LA, dedicated myself and I'm excited," said Dubois. "It's an opportunity to show the world why I'm the best in the 135lb division.
"I always have an issue with people saying about overlooking opponents, I'm a person who believes in goals, big goals, little goals. Little goals can be training, big ones can be becoming undisputed, my mind and heart and soul is set on being undisputed, nobody will stop me achieving that.
"I see respect as training as hard as I absolutely can, I've trained like an absolute animal and left no stone unturned. There's no way I've looked past her."
Watch Mikaela Mayer vs Chantelle Cameron this Saturday with Caroline Dubois also in action, live on Your Site. or .
