Alycia Baumgardner pulled an upset — not a huge one, but an upset — over Mikaela Mayer today in London, winning a very competitive split decision to unify three of the four world titles at 130 lbs.
Scores were 96-95 twice in Baumgardner’s favor, and one card of 97-93 for Mayer, who was very unhappy with the decision, but did accept — if not embrace — Baumgardner coming over to her after the fight for a quick hug. Bad Left Hook unofficially scored the fight 95-95.
Baumgardner (13-1, 7 KO) started the fight very well, using her athleticism to get in and out against Mayer (17-1, 5 KO) and give the former Olympian some real issues. But Mayer’s “basic” attacks got going in the middle rounds, and after about the sixth, the two of them were sort of going back-and-forth. Baumgardner did make some adjustments to keep Mayer from potentially running away with the fight, and Mayer was still competitive in each round, too.
“For all the doubters, I told y’all haters! Yes, I did that! Unified champion of the world!” Baumgardner said. The crowd was largely pro-Mayer, and she got some boos.
“I think I landed the cleaner shots, the harder shots. I cut her. I was the harder puncher and I dug deep,” she added.
It’s going to be a debated decision. Their trash talk sold the hell out of this fight, and now you have the angle where the “loud” underdog basically did what she said she’d do, and the, well, also “loud” favorite took a loss she will not think should have been a loss.
It’s an easy sell for a rematch, but Baumgardner isn’t thinking that way at the moment.
“That girl ain’t gettin’ no rematch,” she said. “I’m going after (WBA titlist Hyun Mi) Choi, like I said, (for) undisputed.”
Choi has worked with Matchroom in the past, and Baumgardner is still a Matchroom fighter. But Choi has also shown no real interest in mixing it with the division’s best, so we’ll see.
Mayer vs Baumgardner highlights
Undercard highlights and results
- Lauren Price TKO-4 Timea Belik: A ridiculous mismatch even by the standard of televised boxing being 80 percent ridiculous mismatches. Price, who won gold in Tokyo, is a serious welterweight prospect and a very skilled, well-schooled fighter. Belik looked like she was in her backup gym class attire. Belik was awkward enough to make it last as long as it did, but the referee thankfully stepped in and ended this, because it had no real reason to continue. This wasn’t competition on any level.
- Caroline Dubois TKO-5 Milena Koleva: Give Bulgaria’s Koleva (10-15-1, 4 KO) credit, she came here and fought and was really trying, but Dubois (4-0, 3 KO) was just too good, and even flashed some real power, dropping Koleva late in round four before finishing off in round five, after hurting Koleva on a body shot and then following up with a barrage that forced referee Sean McAvoy to stop the fight. The 21-year-old Dubois, Daniel’s younger sister, is really one of the most exciting young prospects in women’s boxing right now. She should settle in at 135 when the fights get serious, but I mean, it’s women’s boxing, she could also wind up fighting at 154.
- Karriss Artingstall PTS-6 Marina Sakharov (60-54): Artingstall (2-0, 0 KO) way too skilled for Sakharov (5-17-2, 3 KO), as the Tokyo bronze medalist is honestly really stepping back in skill level opposition-wise in her early pro fights. Women’s featherweight was a very good division in Tokyo, to medal out of that group is no joke, and Artingstall has real skills. Sakharov, uh, doesn’t. If we’re going to be honest.