Alycia Baumgardner says Caroline Dubois 'has no backbone' and calls herself 'the cash cow'

Baumgardner, who challenges Elif Nur Turhan on Sunday, says Dubois turned that fight down, with money the excuse, and gives her a C- for her win over Amelia Moore.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Tue 3 Nov, 19:37 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Alycia Baumgardner speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show from a boxing gym — Photo: The Ariel Helwani Show

Alycia Baumgardner says Caroline Dubois "has no backbone" and calls her out to get recognition, days before she challenges Elif Nur Turhan for the IBF lightweight title in Arlington, Texas.

"I am the cash cow. People need to fight me. Caroline obviously has no backbone, so she has to call me out in order to get some type of recognition," Baumgardner told Ariel Helwani on The Ariel Helwani Show. "So again, I understand who I am, the position I'm in, and whatever fight is next, I'm willing. I'm never ducking any smoke, but the money got to be right. Always."

Helwani asked what she meant by no backbone. "No backbone in regards to who she is as an individual," she said. "Yes, she's hungry. Yes, she wants that fight. But like I said, put some skin in the game. I'm actually fighting a girl you didn't want to fight. So that tells me already the champion mindset that you already have."

Asked whether Dubois was offered the Turhan fight first and said no, Baumgardner said: "Yes, I think it came down to wanting to take the easy way out." She went on: "Caroline didn't want to bet on herself with the fight with Turhan." Dubois, she said, was "already in the weight class at 135, already had a title", and she added: "I think she mentioned like she wanted too much money." Baumgardner said using money as an excuse "tells me that you don't want that work, so now I'm doing it for you".

She was just as hard on Dubois's performance when she went to England to watch her beat Amelia Moore. Asked if she was impressed, she said "No", and when Helwani offered a C+, she answered "C-". She said she saw "a lot of holes in her game", and that Dubois is "not confident enough". She added: "I run through Caroline. She gases out."

Baumgardner said the next talk is whoever wins between Dubois and Stephanie Han, and confirmed she has been told that winner will be her next opponent if all goes well on Sunday. "We cannot overlook Stephanie Han," she said. "Stephanie Han is a great world champion herself."

Dubois leant through the ropes to confront Baumgardner in August after that win over Moore, with Baumgardner ringside on commentary duties. Promoter Nakisa Bidarian has predicted the pair will fight in the next 12 to 18 months.

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Alycia Baumgardner Elif Nur Turhan