Before talk of belts and violence took over, Alycia Baumgardner and Bo Mi Re Shin began Wednesday’s press conference with a gesture of respect.
Baumgardner, who will defend her WBO, IBF and WBA junior lightweight titles Friday at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, presented Shin with a bag containing a Korean flag. Shin is from Seoul, South Korea, while Baumgardner, who was born in Ohio, is of Korean descent through her mother. “It’s important to my culture, and we needed one for photos, so now we both have one,” said Baumgardner, 17-1 (7 KOs).
Any goodwill, however, is expected to end there.
Headlining Most Valuable Promotions’ first U.S. card under its ESPN deal, the two leading 130-pound fighters each expressed confidence that they would leave The Garden as champions.
“One thing about Bo, she's coming to fight. She is a warrior, just as I know she is, but I'm hungrier, I'm meaner, and I'm just sharper,” said the 31-year-old Baumgardner. “This last camp has been so good for me, mentally, being locked in in a different space now. Being the main event and shooting off on ESPN, this is a perfect moment to showcase who Alycia Baumgardner is.”
Shin, 19-3-3 (10 KOs), will be fighting in the United States for just the second time as she attempts to win a world title in her second attempt. The 32-year-old Shin challenged Caroline Dubois for the WBC lightweight title in March of 2025, losing a majority decision. She bounced back in November in South Korea, defeating Australian Tywarna Campbell by majority decision. Of her four bouts abroad, Shin has lost three of them.
“I have great respect about Baumgardner because she has a great style of boxing. She's a strong fighter, but I believe I have more perseverance, and I will show you on Friday,” said Shin. Baumgardner later repeated Shin’s line about perseverance, a sign that the remark had not gone unnoticed
"Alycia was my goal," Shin continued. "She has always been, but now it’s time to take her belts for me."
Shin’s perseverance will likely be pushed to the limit on Friday. Friday’s bout will be Shin’s first scheduled for 10 three-minute rounds, the same format used in men’s championship fights and one minute longer per round than the standard for most women’s bouts. Shin says she had always wondered why there was a difference in round length among men and women, and welcomed the challenge. The fight will be Baumgardner’s second straight with three-minute rounds, having dominated Canadian challenger Leila Beaudoin in December in a fight scheduled for twelve, three-minute rounds.
“What I learned last fight with fighting 12 rounds was that I was able to take my time. I was able to show the high level of boxing. When we talk about skillful fighters, I am one of those fighters. I necessarily don't ‘fight like a girl,’” said Baumgardner.
“When we talk about skills, you were able to see that every round. And so for this fight, I know that I can fight 12 rounds. I know that I can do three minutes. So now I want to bring in the other parts of me that I know that I can bring out. That's just the meaner side, the more aggressive side, the hungrier side, the ‘go get it’ side. And that's what I'm aiming for Friday night.”
While a few of the questions directed towards Baumgardner related to the fight at hand, reporters who asked questions at the press conference seemed just as interested in inquiring about potential showdowns with WBC/WBO lightweight champion Dubois, or Caroline Veyre, holder of the WBC 130lbs belt. Baumgardner chastised one of the reporters for placing Dubois and Katie Taylor in the same light, saying it was like comparing a goldfish and a piranha.
Baumgardner insisted she is not looking past Shin, even as questions drifted toward bigger names. In fact, she said, Shin was the kind of opponent she wanted.
“You guys have to recognize that Bo has been in world championship fights before. I respect that when we talk about who is next for Alycia. They had gave me other options to fight. I wanted someone who's going to challenge me. I can't go anything lower than the bar that I set for myself. I want a challenge. I want someone who's coming to fight. Bo brings that energy,” said Baumgardner. “I'm not overlooking her, but I will be victorious as always, because Bo got to go.”
