Alycia Baumgardner laughed off suggestions she is scared of Caroline Dubois and insists the Londoner is not at her level yet amid talks of a potential showdown.
The American WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring super featherweight champion was recently accused by Claressa Shields of swerving a fight with Dubois out of fear of suffering her second professional defeat.
The stars, though, have flirted with alignment this week following the announcement of Baumgardner's world title fight against Elif Nur Turhan on November 8 and with Dubois scheduled to face Amelia Moore this Saturday, all arrows pointing towards a meeting between the respective winners.
"Claressa has always been jealous of me," Baumgardner told Your Site. "Because she's not the weight class that I am, making the biggest fights.
"But I could never be scared of anybody. You can't be scared when you do a sport like this."
Baumgardner previously alluded to a fight against Dubois as being premature for the 25-year-old, who defends her WBC and WBO lightweight world titles against Moore in the co-main event of MVPW-06 alongside Mikaela Mayer vs Chantelle Cameron this weekend.
The former undisputed world champion is an admirer of her rival's mindset, but believes she is yet to earn her shot and position herself on the same level.
"She does (still have to reach her level), but she's a hungry fighter and I'm all for her wanting to take a challenge," said Baumgardner.
"But when you step up to the plate, you're stepping up to a big dog. You're a puppy, I'm a big dog. There's a difference. But I love it. I love that you're hungry."
Baumgardner made her presence known in Birmingham this week as she surprised former rival Mayer with a question from the front row of Thursday's final press conference.
But had she asked Dubois a question, what might it have been?
"What I would ask her is, why does she feel the need to ask other trainers that I've trained with how she beats me?," said Baumgardner.
"Why not so confident in yourself? If you're confident, you don't ask those types of questions. But people talk. You're in the USA now, baby. That's my country."
While the prospect of a Dubois fight looms, Baumgardner quashed the idea she could fall into the trap of looking beyond IBF lightweight champion Turhan, who is a perfect 14-0 with eight knockouts to her name.
"I think the boxing world wants that fight with me and Caroline," she said. "But I don't overlook anything. It could be anybody's night.
"I know Amelia (Dubois' opponent Amelia Moore). I've seen her. I know that she's game. And I know that it could be anybody's opportunity, anybody's night."
MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian also warned of the danger in both Dubois and Baumgardner underestimating opponents, but believes a matchup between the pair would captivate the world of boxing.
"Caroline has no easy feat ahead of her this Saturday night, Amelia Moore is a decorated amateur," Bidarian told Your Site.
"Look at Amanda Serrano's fight last weekend. People thought she was going to blow away this young 27-year-old, even Amanda probably thought, I'm going to annihilate this woman.
"I hope Caroline is focused on this weekend because she needs to go out there and handle her business. If she handles her business, and if Alycia is able to get through the Golden Turkish Warrior who's a knockout monster, of course, that's a super fight that I think will engage fans globally in women's boxing."
One of Mayer's two career defeats notably arrived against Baumgardner back in October 2022 when she lost by split decision in a fight she maintains should have gone her way.
She, too, pointed towards the threat of Turhan in derailing any plans for Baumgardner to take on Dubois.
"I think it'll be a great fight. It's a fight that definitely needs to happen," Mayer said. "Alycia Baumgartner finally moved up to 135.
"I don't think she's taken on a challenge since me, and that was years ago. So it's time for her to do that. She got a tough test in front of her with Turhan first.
"I know they're setting that up so that Baumgardner and Dubois can fight, but you never know. Turhan's got that power.
"Alycia's a good boxer, and she's strong. But her defense isn't perfect. And if she gets caught with one of those shots from Turhan, that could change the whole trajectory, and we could be seeing Dubois versus Turhan."
Watch Mikaela Mayer vs Chantelle Cameron this Saturday with Caroline Dubois in action against Amelia Moore, live on Your Site. or .
