Mikaela Mayer Doubts Alycia Baumgardner Wants the Rematch
On April 15, former IBF and WBO super featherweight champion Mikaela Mayer (17-1, 5 KO’s) will return to the ring. The prizefight, versus Christina Linardatou (14-2, 6 KO’s), will be her first since losing her belts to undisputed 130-pound champion Alycia Baumgardner (14-1, 7 KO’s) last October. The match will also mark the first time that Mayer has fought at lightweight in five years. Somewhat ironically, Linardatou is the only fighter to have defeated Baumgardner in the professional ranks.
If given her way however, Mayer would love to glove up and run it back with Baumgardner. This is something that the native Californian has remained very vocal about. Since losing her two belts by split decision, she has insisted that she won the initial encounter and is pining to prove it in the ring. Sadly for Team Mayer however, the champion is not so gung ho to provide that potentially redemptive showdown.
In a recent interview with Seconds Out, Mayer remained very candid about how she felt about the matter.
“Baumgardner has to want the rematch and she doesn’t want it! She holds the belts now, so the ball is in her court – her and Eddie [Hearn]. So they have to want this fight. They can’t be putting it on me and Top Rank. Like, that is not how it works. If they want the fight, then make it clear, but until then I am going to assume that they don’t.”
WHAT’S THE HOLD UP?!
As any true competitor would, Mayer unquestionably wants the opportunity to claim her pound of flesh. Yet, going a step beyond mere revenge, in Mayer’s opinion, it makes total business sense to supply the fight that she believes the fans are aching for.
“If they did want the fight, then they would be making the rematch happen. I mean the money is there, right? As a promoter, the money is there. As a fighter, the money is there, the viewership is there. You have everything you need for a mega-fight sitting in his back pocket, so it’s there. They have to want it.”
For her part, Baumgardner was just mixing up in the squared-circle this past February when she toppled Elhem Mekhaled by way of unanimous decision. With the win, she also snagged the vacant WBA super featherweight title, thereby crowning herself the undisputed champion. Perhaps she will give Mayer the highly desired fight in her next outing.
While the champ clearly is not as pressed, she has given indication that she would face Mayer again. Yet, largely due to their potent dislike for one another, Baumgardner is in no hurry to do Mayer any favors. Nevertheless, if she is going to maintain her good standing in order to be in a position to face Baumgardner, Mayer must first defeat the Dominican boxer Linardatou. So, let’s see how their battle on April 15 resolves itself! As always, 3Kings Boxing will be here to cover the news.
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