Caroline Dubois has intensified her war of words with Alycia Baumgardner, labelling the American a coward following a fiery confrontation at ringside on Saturday night in Birmingham.
The pair have emerged as the leading candidates for a potential super-fight in women's boxing, with Baumgardner preparing to move into the lightweight division where Dubois currently reigns. According to Sky Sports, Dubois retained her WBC and WBO lightweight titles with a 99-90, 99-90, 98-91 unanimous decision over Amelia Moore, before the two rivals clashed immediately afterwards.
The confrontation erupted when Baumgardner approached Dubois at the ropes in the moments following the verdict. A tug of war over the microphone and a fierce exchange of words between the transatlantic rivals further stoked their escalating feud.
During her post-fight press conference, Dubois expressed frustration at Baumgardner's decision not to attend.
I'm surprised she isn't there. I think she's a coward. I wish she was here so I could say it to her face. I really do. I think she's a coward because she isn't here today. She should have come to the press conference. This is the biggest fight in women's boxing.
Baumgardner responded by dismissing Dubois's display as
lacklustreand suggested the British fighter would need to
tighten upif she hoped to compete with the former undisputed world champion.
Dubois struck back by questioning why Baumgardner has failed to secure high-profile matchups against Katie Taylor and Claressa Shields. The 25-year-old insisted she was already operating at a superior level.
She's tried as hard as she can to dismiss me and make it seem like I'm not on her level, but I am. I'm the world champion, and she's moving up to my division. Yeah, I think this is the biggest fight in women's boxing.
The Londoner acknowledged the possibility that Baumgardner might not emerge victorious from her upcoming challenge.
I think it will be a great fight, and I hope that she wins against Elif [Nur Turhan], but you never know. Maybe it's Elif who wins, and it'll be me and her facing off, so let's not try and write off Elif.
Baumgardner's path to a Dubois showdown
Baumgardner is scheduled to challenge undefeated Elif Nur Turhan for the IBF lightweight world title on 8 November 2026. According to Sky Sports, this bout represents the crucial stepping stone towards a potential unification clash with Dubois. Baumgardner holds a professional record of 18 wins, 1 loss and 1 no-contest, while the BBC reports that Dubois was unbeaten in 14 pro bouts with 13 wins and 1 draw as of late August 2026.
The feud had already been building before fight night, with Baumgardner publicly urging Dubois to defeat Amelia Moore in Birmingham to preserve hopes of a 2027 matchup. Dubois had earlier in the week suggested that Baumgardner needed to beat replacement-level opposition to keep a potential future encounter on track.
Alternative opponents in the frame
Stephanie Han has emerged as another possible option for Dubois following Han's majority decision victory over Holly Holm to retain her WBA lightweight title.
Nakisa [MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian] flew me out earlier this year to watch Stephanie fight against Holly Holm. I went to the press conference afterwards. I wasn't afraid to come to the press conference. I called her out openly there and then, and she promised me we would do it, that it is a fight that's going to happen, and I intend to hold her to that. I want to fight Stephanie.
MVP founder Jake Paul has signalled his readiness to facilitate a Dubois-Baumgardner clash once contracts are ready to be signed.
Alycia is not scared of anyone, I know it's going to happen, she has to get through November 8 and then we can have those discussions. I think it's funny when fans or critics say certain people are scared of somebody - they aren't scared, it's what they do for a living.
Shields weighs in on the rivalry
The escalating tension between Dubois and Baumgardner has drawn commentary from fellow champion Claressa Shields, who previously accused Baumgardner of being afraid of the British fighter. Shields backed Dubois to emerge victorious in a potential showdown. Baumgardner responded to Shields's criticism by calling her counterpart jealous, dismissing suggestions that fear played any role in the delayed matchup.
What comes next
The path towards a Dubois-Baumgardner super-fight hinges entirely on Baumgardner's performance against Turhan on 8 November 2026. If the American prevails in that bout, negotiations for a 2027 unification clash could accelerate. Dubois, meanwhile, remains focused on her own title defences and has made clear her willingness to face either Baumgardner or Han depending on how events unfold in the coming months.
