Alycia Baumgardner Rebukes Linardatou Over PED Attack
Undisputed junior lightweight champion Alycia “The Bomb” Baumgardner (15-1, 7KO), and former WBO junior welterweight champion, Christina “Medusa” Linardatou (14-3, 6KO), recently engaged in a heated exchange on social media.
Baumgardner has come under intense scrutiny following reports of a positive drug test for performance-enhancing substances. The failed test reportedly occurred during the build-up to her rematch with Linardatou.
FIRE AND RETURN-FIRE
In light of this news and upon contemplation of her defeat, Linardatou believes that Baumgardner’s improved performance in the rematch can be attributed to foul play. She stated that cheating was the reason behind the undisputed champion’s increased strength.
Baumgardner did not shy away from the call-out and responded by reminding Linardatou of her own previous statements.
On July 15, Baumgardner avenged the sole loss on her record by securing a dominant victory over the former champion through a unanimous decision. In all fairness, the undisputed champion has exhibited remarkable growth since their initial encounter in 2018.
It’s worth noting that Linardatou had been on a year-long hiatus and had dropped two weight divisions prior to the rematch. Her timing appeared to be off, and she stuck to the same fighting style employed in their first bout.
These factors played in Baumgardner’s favor, as her defense, counterpunching ability, and ring IQ were significantly sharper during the rematch.
Despite the allegations, Baumgardner continues to assert her innocence and has committed to keeping her fans informed throughout the unfolding process. However, her reputation has undoubtedly suffered a major blow due to this scandal. As of the time of writing this piece, there is no word on whether she plans to request a reevaluation of the B sample.
