Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner needed to be split by security as the American duo resumed their heated rivalry on Wednesday ahead of this weekend’s title unification bout at London’s O2.
The pair came to blows during the recording of their Face-Off after Baumgardner’s suggestion that her rise through the ranks did not benefit from the “resources” and “income” Mayer had enjoyed.
Mayer proceeded to explain that she was “sick of that narrative” before Baumgardner reiterated her intent to “hurt” her opponent on Saturday night.
Speaking at Wednesday’s Grand Arrival event from The O2, Mayer insisted she is only focused on the WBO, IBF and WBC belts in play rather than any supposed bad blood.
Live Fight Night
Saturday 15th October 7:30pm
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Check out Mikaela Mayer’s fight week preparation’s as she prepares for her bout against Alycia Baumgardner at the O2 Arena on Saturday.
“That’s what it’s always been about to me, Baumgardner seems to have taken it all a lot more personally,” Mayer told Sky Sports.
“She seems very emotional, she seems to hate me a lot, probably because she’s been wanting to fight me for a long time because I’ve always been the No 1 girl of this division in the amateurs and now in the pros.
“But for me it’s all about going undisputed like I plan to, when I set out to do something I do it and I have been going after every single champion.
“If you don’t like me as a fighter that’s fine but you can’t say I haven’t tried to make the biggest fights because that’s what I’ve done and this is just one step towards getting that undisputed title.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Promoter Ben Shalom and Adam Smith look ahead to Saturday’s all-female card at the O2 Arena
An ongoing war of words between the world champions has pointed towards a Fight of the Night contender in what marks the penultimate contest before Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall’s headline bout for the undisputed championship.
“She gets so antsy and stuff I know I am under her skin but it is great,” said Baumgardner.
“You need to tune into this fight because it is going ton be a fight worth watching. You have two world champions, one as an underdog, one as the favourite and again, the underdog always prevails.
“I showed that when I fought Terri Harper and became world champion and you will see that when I beat Mikaela Mayer Saturday night.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Savannah Marshall says it does not get any bigger than Saturday night’s fight against Claressa Shields, whilst Shields says this will be her statement fight
Baumgardner announced herself with a fourth-round TKO victory over British star Harper to claim the WBC title in November 2021, and has since successfully defended the belt with a unanimous decision win over Edith Soledad Matthysse in April to improve her record to 12-1 (seven KOs).
Mayer (17-0, five KOs) returns to action for the first time since defeating Jennifer Han by unanimous decision in April having unified the WBO and IBF titles in a thriller against Maiva Hamadouche last November.
The 32-year-old is braced for Baumgardner’s acclaimed punch power, suggesting she is one-dimensional when it comes to the threat she poses.
“I obviously don’t feel like taking the brunt of her power in every shot, but I trained as if I’m going against a very very strong opponent, I’d be stupid not to,” said Mayer.
“We’ll see, we’ll know first round. We have a game plan and we know how to handle it and I still feel very confident regardless of her power or not because I feel like I’m the more skilled fighter and I can fight in all areas of the ring.
“Once that power doesn’t work for her and she can’t hurt me the way she thinks she can, she’s not going to have a Plan B. I’m ready to go.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Unified super featherweight world champion Mikaela Mayer insists that her rivalry with Alycia Baumgardner is very real, ahead of their bout on 15 October.
Mayer added that her willingness to take on any and every fight in her career is important in the continued progression of women’s boxing, which reaches new heights with Saturday’s historic all-female card.
“I’ve had all the experience I need and in order for women’s boxing to take off we have to do something different, we have to be bigger and greater and have to put our tail on the line,” she said.
“I’m doing my part by making the biggest fights possible while I’m still in my prime. I have three years left and I feel like it’s big fights only from here.”
Watch Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner meet to unify the WBO, IBF and WBC titles live on Sky Sports from 7.30pm on Saturday.
