Alycia Baumgardner: Mikaela Mayer rematch can wait. Now I’m shooting for the undisputed title | Boxing News

Alycia Baumgardner will hold off her rivalry with Mikaela Mayer as she goes for the undisputed super featherweight title.

Baumgardner unified the WBC, IBF and WBO world titles when he outpointed Mayer in October in a split decision.

Their rivalry intensified during the fight and remained bitter afterward, with Mayer insisting the verdict was worth it.

“I dominated that girl from round one to round 10,” Baumgardner said Sky Sports. “The judge was right and that’s what we did, we won and kept pushing.

“To beat Mikaela Mayer is probably the best win I’ve had and it’s amazing because it’s a women’s movement – it’s happening in the O2 arena, women are headlining the card, we can sell it and it really just put women’s boxing on the map.

“We don’t think: ‘Can do this, can do that.’ I won, I’m the unification champion of the world and now I can fight undisputed.”

With the WBA 130lb title now vacant, Baumgardner will fight Elhem Mekhaled for all four headliners on February 4 at Hulu Theater Madison Square Garden.

“They [Mekhaled] supposed to fight for the title, that didn’t happen and now he can fight for undisputed so I know he’s a hungry fighter, he came with everything but it’s time to shine,” said Baumgardner.

“There is more to show the world and to show ourselves that we change every fight, we dominate every fight and I am all for growth and I am all for this movement that is now in women’s boxing. .”

Another undisputed women’s fight will headline the bill in New York. Amanda Serrano, who returned down to featherweight after losing a memorable fight with Katie Taylor last year, took on Erika Cruz for the WBA, WBO, IBF and WBC titles.

“I’m on fire,” Baumgardner said. “When you look at Alycia Baumgardner and you look at her story and you look at her losses because of the build up, she fights for the world title, the defense and then against other great fighters. You see the story behind it.

“I think you respect what the fighter has gone through to get to the top. Now that we’re here we’re not going to back down. You see with Amanda Serrano who lost, Canelo who lost. Losses don’t define you. .”

Her feud with Mayer never went away. It could still eventually lead to a rematch.

“The competition is always there. Mikaela lost on record and that loss was to Alycia Baumgardner,” he said.

“You will always remember my name. No matter how our career goes, there will always be bitterness in him. I’m sure people will love to see a rematch. In boxing anything can happen but now at this time. I take it for undisputed.

“I know Mikaela would love a rematch, maybe something out of the ordinary, but for now I’m holding the card.”

There’s no doubt Mayer wants revenge. He previously told me Sky Sports he believes he should win the match by two innings.

“If Mikaela had come to her senses and was like: ‘You know, Alycia Baumgardner has beaten me fair and square and I’d love a rematch,’ it might have been a different answer,” Baumgardner said.

“Because he didn’t admit it and because he’s still bitter, so I feel like you still don’t get it. When you lose, you take that loss. You move forward. You grow from it. I’ve been through that experience. . I know what it looks like , I’m not going to sit up and be like, ‘I won that fight, I have to rematch.’ It can’t be like that.

“I would say, take a simple pie, get well, do what you have to do and maybe we’ll see each other in the end.

“You can’t go back to the scorecards. They raised my hand that night. I’m united but we’re moving forward. There’s more to do in the sport and as a fighter and I’ll continue to be a light for women. boxing.”