Multi-weight world boxing champion Claressa Shields has declared that super featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner is terrified of fighting British lightweight champion Caroline Dubois.
Shields said Baumgardner, who holds the WBA, IBF, WBO and The Ring super featherweight titles, is unwilling to move up five pounds because she fears suffering a second defeat on her record.
Dubois defends her WBC and WBO lightweight titles against unbeaten former US Olympian Amelia Moore in the co-main event of the MVPW-06 card in Birmingham this Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
Baumgardner dismisses Dubois as premature rival
Baumgardner has consistently brushed aside talk of a matchup against Dubois, calling the fight premature and maintaining that the British fighter has not reached her level.
That rejection has not stopped Dubois, who has relentlessly pursued the American since unifying her division by defeating Terri Harper in April.
Shields, speaking from her experience as a multi-weight world champion, told Sky Sports that Baumgardner is avoiding the challenge despite Dubois repeatedly calling her out.
"Honestly, when you've got somebody five pounds bigger than you, beating down your door, barking up your tree, saying what they'll do to you, that they'll beat you up, they'll knock you out, they're calling you out constantly, you would think that Alycia would go up five pounds and just fight and prove her greatness," Shields said.
"I think that Baumgardner is 100 per cent scared of Caroline, and she doesn't want to risk her record now that she already has one loss on it. She doesn't want to risk it. I believe that Caroline will win that fight."
Lightweight move could setup blockbuster clash
Baumgardner is scheduled to move up to the lightweight division on November 8 to challenge Elif Nur Turhan for her IBF world title. The division change could bring a long awaited showdown between Baumgardner and Dubois significantly closer.
Shields, who holds an unbeaten 19-fight record with back-to-back Olympic gold medals and calls herself the Greatest Woman Of All Time (GWOAT), named Dubois as the fighter destined to inherit her throne.
"They asked me who I think is going to carry the torch once I'm gone and I was like, listen, it's going to be Caroline Dubois," Shields said.
"I believe Gabriela Fundora will be a champion to be reckoned with but, right now, Caroline Dubois is right there. She's calling out the biggest girls, the best girls, she's trying to make the best fights. She's confident. She's loud. She's mean. She's getting knockouts. She's right on time."
Shields pledges ongoing mentorship and camp support
Shields, who became a 21-time world champion last week, said she remains ready to support Dubois throughout her career and would even join her in training camp if invited.
"Caroline has her own name," Shields said. "If she wants to be called the GWOAT, and she's breaking the records and got the accolades, I'm not going to be mad about it, as long as she's doing GWOAT things, she's fighting the best fighters, and she's winning, and she's racking up the belts."
"I know that my accomplishments are going to be hard to beat. I just became a 21-time world champion last week, but Caroline has the IT factor, and she'll fight anybody."
Shields added that she and Dubois frequently joke about sparring together. She said she advised Dubois to enjoy her career, focus on herself, and never underestimate any opponent.
Unification clashes highlight Birmingham card
Saturday's card at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham features Dubois against Moore alongside the main event between Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron in a world title unification bout.
Dubois enters her title defence having recently parted ways with trainer Shane McGuigan, as she looks to maintain her momentum towards becoming undisputed lightweight champion.
