Alycia Baumgardner says she feels no pressure ahead of her fight with Jennifer Miranda this Friday, July 11, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The contest serves as the co-feature to Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 3, live on Netflix.
Baumgardner (15-1, 7 KOs) of Fremont, Ohio returns to the ring after her previous bout against Delfine Persoon last September ended in a no contest. The 31-year-old puts her undisputed super featherweight title on the line and is confident in her victory on a “bigger stage.”
“Yes, I would definitely say this is another step in my career, something exciting, something new,” Alycia Baumgardner said at the final press conference on Wednesday. “For the ones who don’t know me, to know who I am, come Friday night. And it only gets better.”
Spanish Olympian Miranda (12-0, 1 KO) holds the division’s interim WBA belt. The 38-year-old, who makes her U.S. and international debut as a pro, said, “I have studied her very well. We’re going to put pressure on her so she doesn’t feel comfortable in the ring.”
Baumgardner countered, “No, I don’t feel the pressure. This is just another opportunity at another, bigger stage – and this time, the world gets to see worldwide.”
“[Jennifer Miranda wants to] make me uncomfortable. Baby, I breed in uncomfortable places, and this brick weighs 250 pounds, so tell her that in Spanish.”
The main event is a trilogy fight between Ireland’s two-division undisputed champion Katie Taylor (24-1, 6 KOs) and seven-weight champion Amanda Serrano (47-3-1, 31 KOs) of Puerto Rico. Taylor defends her super lightweight title, while Serrano looks to avenge two previous defeats.