Dubois eyes Baumgardner in 'biggest women's fight'

Briton Caroline Dubois believes a future showdown with Alycia Baumgardner would be "the biggest fight in women's boxing."

The 24-year-old WBC lightweight world champion shared heated words with Baumgardner in December when both fighters appeared on the undercard of Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua.

Dubois - who turned professional in 2022 - has repeatedly called out the experienced American unified super-featherweight world champion.

"Let's be real - she wants to become a superstar, but you need a superstardom fight," Dubois told BBC Sport.

"You need two to tango. We both need each other. When it happens, I believe it will be the biggest fight in women's boxing."

Dubois, a highly rated southpaw long touted as the future of women's boxing, expects the match-up to take place in 2027.

"That's one more year of building and making things happen," she says. "I hope she sees the benefit of that. I wouldn't want her to run away from that fight."

Before that, however, Dubois wants a unification fight with Doncaster's WBO lightweight champion Terri Harper later this year.

In her first fight in America and under the Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) banner, Dubois outclassed Camilla Panatta in Miami last month.

The Londoner feels the exposure has already strengthened her profile across the Atlantic Ocean.

"I have noticed that a lot more Americans know who I am now," she says. "I've got a lot more messages from people from that side of the world and a lot more positivity.

"I'm becoming a name that people will recognise now, and I appreciate that."

Meanwhile, 31-year-old Baumgardner claimed a hard-earned points victory over Leila Beaudoin as chief support.

Tensions had already spilled over earlier in the week when Baumgardner called Dubois "a puppy" who should wait her turn.

"I was trying to read her energy and I'll be honest - she seemed a bit intimidated by me. I would say very intimidated," Dubois adds.

"She didn't want the confrontation. She wanted it to be a nice fight week, and I get that. But I'm the up-and-coming kid who wants to rip up the script."

Baumgardner holds notable wins over Harper in 2021 and Mikaela Mayer in 2022, and facing her would represent a significant step up for Dubois.

Dubois says unifications at lightweight are her immediate priority. She is happy to face WBA champion Stephanie Han or IBF champion Elif Nur Turhan - the dangerous Turkish fighter with eight stoppages in 12 wins.

But a more natural next step is a unification bout with Harper, who is also signed to MVP, the company co-founded by YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and businessman Nakisa Bidarian.

MVP are understood to be close to securing a broadcast partnership with a British broadcaster, and Dubois is hopeful the Harper fight will land in the UK in the first half of this year.

"We were supposed to fight on the all-female card in March and she turned it down," she says.

"Now the opportunity has come around again. I hope it works for both of us. I don't want her stepping into the ring unprepared and having that as an excuse."