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BAUMGARDNER: I’M WANT ALL THE SMOKE
Detroit, Michigan (July 14th, 2023)– Undisputed champion hunting Taylor, Serrano, Cameron and Mayer after revenge mission in Detroit. Alycia Baumgardner is hunting the biggest names in the sport – but only when she completes a revenge mission in style as she defends her undisputed Super-Featherweight title against old foe Christina Linardatou at the Masonic Temple in Detroit on Saturday night, live worldwide on DAZN.
Baumgardner (14-1 7 KOs) headlines in her hometown for the first time as she makes the second defense of her undisputed crown and can right the only loss of her career in the process as she meets Linardatou (14-2 6 KOs), the Greek who defeated her over eight rounds in July 2018.
‘The Bomb’ became undisputed with a huge win over Mikaela Mayer in London in October and now headlining at home, the 29 year old is getting a taste of the big time and wants more, providing she can exact her revenge on Saturday night.
“I’m writing a book, on who I am,” said Baumgardner. “Winning on Saturday closes a chapter. People are saying, ‘well Christina was her only loss’. There are only clips of the fight on YouTube, I’ve never seen the whole fight. I remember when I was in the ring that night and her hand was raised, I was like ‘damn, I’ve got my first loss’. But then I was like, ‘I’m not done, who cares?’
“It was needed for growth, and I want people to recognize what growth looks like; it’s ugly, and it hurts. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel and it tells a story.
“I wanted to show people that a loss doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I got to see at that given time, what it would have looked like had I won because I saw her career; she became a World champion after that. And I thought ‘wow, that could have been me’ but everything comes back full circle, and I am happy everything played out the way it was supposed to as now I’m undisputed and fighting her in my backyard. I keep thinking how the fight is going to play out, it will be spectacular, it will give me the feeling that this is what I have been waiting for and I am going to punish her.
“I want her to know that she is in with someone that isn’t the same fighter that she fought five years ago. I chose her. I could have fought anyone, but I chose her. She’s hungry and she should be. She has fought some great fighters, and she’s pumped that she’s beaten me before, that drives her, but she has no idea. After the first fight she came up to me and said you are the hardest fighter I’ve ever fought. If she thinks I hit hard then, just wait until she gets this work. You are in there with a dog, and I am going to punish you.
“To be in this era now as a woman fighter is everything I imagined when I turned pro. I can say I am part of history and we have been able to showcase to the world what a woman athlete looks like.
“I would love a fight with Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, Chantelle Cameron; those are huge fights. We have undisputed champions at every weight class and it builds to big fights, whatever way you look at it. A rematch with Mikaela, even at 135lbs, would be great, to beat her in the States in front of a sold-out crowd would be amazing. I want the Katie fight, I was there in Dublin, and I saw something different. I want all the girls, I’m hungry, I’m a fighter and I like a challenge.
“This is going to show everything, the full package, people have seen glimpses and in my last performance I gave myself a B, there’s an A+ out there and on Saturday it’s going to be that.”
Baumgardner’s defense is part of a big night of action in Detroit as Cuban amateur sensation Any Cruz makes his professional debut against former World title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos.
Michigan Heavyweight Jermaine Franklin returns to action after back-to-back fights in London, England against Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, and he faces unbeaten Mexican Issac Munoz, while the night is kicked-off live on DAZN by Detroit’s Ja’Rico O’Quinn taking on Carlos Mujica over ten rounds at Featherweight.
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES FROM BAUMGARDNER VS. LINARDATOU
Alycia Baumgardner (14-1 7 KOs) defends her undisputed Super-Featherweight title against Christina Linardatou: This is a full-circle moment for me. I am looking at her and picturing myself at our first fight, and knowing who I am now, the growth that was necessary to get to this moment, I’m a completely different fight now and she will see that on Saturday.
That fight was, at the time, me stepping up and looking for the challenge. I was 5-0, she was 9-1. I wanted a challenge and that was the one for me, it was a close fight, a split-decision, and I got the loss. But I just thought ‘what’s next?’ I had to be real with myself, change my team and my environment, location, everything, and it was all necessary to be here.
If you know anything about being a hunter, you must kill your pray. I’m going to make sure that arrow goes through her heart so she can’t get up. Even though I am undisputed I still have that dog in me, the hunger I had when I was eight years old, and she’s the perfect fighter to bring that out of me.
I am embracing all of this. It’s time to feel the love, another time to make history in Detroit and do that as a woman, show the world who I am. I am coming for destruction. I have my grown woman strength and I am ready to put these hands on her and get that lick back that I have been waiting to do.
Christina Linardatou (14-2 6 KOs) challenges undisputed Super-Featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner: it’s such a great opportunity for me, it’s something any boxer dreams of – the biggest thing a boxer can achieve. She’s already done it, but I have beaten her once and I will do it again.
She is very strong, I remember she was always hugging in the last round, she worked in the early rounds but then hugging – I was always hunting, never hugging, like I do in every fight.
I always fight hard from first to last bell, because I am the underdog and I know I must go and get it. I have many skills, but I need to be dog and go and get it.
I am not afraid of the power, I’m used to it, I spar with men, and I have been preparing for it, and I have a great defense too.
To win means a lot – I am looking for the big fights she is talking about. I want to do it; I’ve been through hell to get here. I feel unstoppable.
Andy Cruz makes his professional debut at Lightweight against Juan Carlos Burgos for the IBF International title: I want to thank everyone for the support I’ve had leading up to this. It’s all very new, but I am completely ready for this new challenge in boxing. I am going to take it on like I always have. I know it’s completely different even though it’s the same sport, but I have made all the changes necessary to be ready for it, and I think it’s going to be a great fight.
It’s important to have the positive energy in the gym and I am delighted to have made the step to Philadelphia with Team Ennis, and I feel I am learning every day being in that gym.
There are no easy fights in boxing, and if you do think you have one, there’s no creditability in taking on that task. So, I have prepared well for a hard fight, and I am going to put on a show for all those that have been waiting to watch me.
Juan Carlos Burgos (35-7-3 21 KOs) faces Andy Cruz for the IBF International Lightweight title: I want to thank Eddie Hearn for the opportunity to fight a great prospect like Andy Cruz. There is no doubt he has had a fantastic amateur career, but he is moving into the pro game, and it is very different. We will both be ready to put on a great fight on Saturday and the fans will be the true winners.
He will be desperate to show that he can live up to the hype and show his skills, but he will find this is very different, it is about giving pleasure to the fans in the pro game, but I am sure he will do that too.
Jermaine Franklin (21-2 14 KOs) faces Issac Munoz over ten rounds at Heavyweight: I feel like I have paid my dues, learned some new stuff and I’ve been back to the drawing board and ready to go again.
One thing I learned was part of the mental game; every fight is not the same. Fighters have a lot of built-up aggression, and any little thing can set us off. Those fights with Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, I remember getting into it a bit with the referees, taking my focus off what I should be dialed into. So that’s been my focus now, staying concentrated on what is important, and letting nothing get in the way, just tunnel vision.
We are coming for all the big fights and soon I am going to be a top five Heavyweight, not top 15. I am still learning and still building, but I feel that the sky is the limit.
Issac Munoz (17-0-1 14 KOs) faces Jermaine Franklin over ten rounds at Heavyweight: It’s an honor for me to step in the ring with Jermaine. I have a lot of experience with 203 amateur fights, so I think I belong in this place, and I am happy to be here.
It is very difficult to find a Heavyweight in Mexico, but I am very happy to be in Detroit and I think it’s going to be a great fight.
Ja’Rico O’Quinn (15-1-1 8 KOs) facing Carlos Mujica over ten rounds at Featherweight: I’m ready to go out there and have fun. It’s nothing personal with Carlos, it’s personal with myself/ I know what I can do, and on this platform it’s my time. I’ve been working hard and waiting for this opportunity, it has come out of nowhere, but I am prepared and ready.
I wanted something like this, someone to make me train hard, he’s coming off a good win and he has momentum, so he’ll come out blazing, but I am ready for that. You’re going to get firework from me, high-level boxing, and bombs – it could end early, at any moment.
Carlos Mujica (8-2 2 KOs) facing JaRico O’Quinn over ten rounds at Featherweight: We often get these opportunities at late notice but that’s fine, we’re always in the gym and have great sparring right there. I’m 100 per cent prepared, there will be no excuses, I’m here to win and show what I am made of.
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