Alycia Baumgardner Tells Claressa Shields They Have To Fight At 147lbs

Alycia Baumgardner is hoping to get a massive fight next time out.

Baumgardner defends her titles against mandatory challenger Delfine Persoon on Friday in an intriguing bout. If Baumgardner wins, she hopes to secure a big fight against one of the top female boxers.

“I want the superfights. I want to showcase the highest level of skills and pedigree and a woman in business,” Baumgardner told BoxingScene. “I look completely different in this camp. I’m stronger, physically and mentally. It just gets better. I can only imagine how it will look when I fight Katie Taylor or Amanda Serrano. I’m the top of the top, and top of the food chain.”

One possible fight is against Claressa Shields. It would be a massive fight, but the weight has been an issue. According to Alycia Baumgardner, she wants the fight to be at 147lbs.

“I agreed to fight Claressa at 147 pounds,” said Baumgardner. “She agreed to it. There is proof that she said this. Claressa is at a stage of her life where she wants things to be easier for her. That’s why she moved up to heavyweight. Good for her. We can fight at 147, like I stated. If she don’t want it, she don’t want it. Competition is at the 130-to-147 range, and that’s where I plan to reign at. Right now, it doesn’t make sense to go up to 154 pounds. You have to be smart about these things each time you move up a weight class. I’m not going to jump into something if it doesn’t make sense.”

The hope for Alycia Baumgardner is to get the fight against Claressa Shields as she says it has gotten personal and she wants to box her now.

Baumgardner is 15-1 as a pro and coming off a decision win over Christina Linardatou. Her lone loss came to Linardatou in 2018.