Mikaela Mayer wasn’t too impressed by Alycia Baumgardner’s latest performance.
Michigan’s Baumgardner recently unified all four belts in the women’s 130-pound division with a unanimous points win over France’s Elhem Mekhaled last Saturday at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Baumgardner unified three titles in her weight class when she defeated Mayer last October in London.
Although Baumgardner won soundly on points on Saturday, Mayer, the former unified 130-pound champion from Woodland Hills, Calif., thought Baumgardner looked shaky throughout the fight.
In particular, Mayer, who is promoted by Top Rank, took issue with Baumgardner’s conditioning. Baumgardner is promoted by Matchroom.
“She obviously looked good,” Baumgardner told Boxing Social. “She looked strong and powerful, she always had that strength, always known that she’s a big puncher.
“Baumgardner almost finished Mekhaled in that second round and when she came out in the third she had completely gassed out. I mean she had punched herself out by round three. In two-minute rounds! I don’t know what she’s been doing since my fight. Maybe her head got a little big.
“She’s just in there (the gym) continuing to hit those weights and getting all hyped on that, but she has a conditioning problem. She has no stamina. I don’t know. I don’t know what she’s doing that she couldn’t last three rounds.”
Mayer has been feverishly angling for a rematch with Baumgardner, who reiterated that sentiment after her fight with Mekhaled. Baumgardner had initially rejected calls for a rematch. Mayer has consistently characterized their rematch as the best fight for both fighters, both from a competition and monetary standpoint.
“People won’t shut up about it,” Mayer said of the rematch. “Everybody’s asking – her whole undisputed night, it became about me. Everybody was asking about me. Everyone was asking about the rematch. That obviously pisses her the hell off, but you know it’s just what the fans want to see. It’s the next best business move for her. We’ve always known she wasn’t that smart, so of course she’s not gonna want to capitalize on that right away but it’s definitely the best move for her.
“She’s learning, she’s learning.”