Baumgardner Shines After New Zealand’s Daniels Seizes Unified Crown In Jarring Upset

On a nighttime erstwhile Alycia Baumgardner showed why she’s considered 1 of boxing’s hottest properties, it was a longshot from New Zealand successful nan co-main arena who threatened to bargain nan show.

Baumgardner retained her WBO, IBF and WBA inferior lightweight titles early Saturday greeting astatine nan Theater astatine Madison Square Garden pinch a commanding 10-round unanimous determination complete South Korea’s Bo Mi Re Shin successful nan header bout of nan first US paper staged by Most Valuable Promotions Women, nan nascent women’s boxing level launched by boxer-influencer Jake Paul.

The 31-year-old Ohio native, fighting retired of Dallas nether ace trainer Derrick James, dominated Shin for 5 rounds earlier turning backmost a furious rally to triumph a wide verdict by scores of 98-92, 98-92 and 99-91. (The Guardian had it 98-92.)

But Baumgardner’s sixth title defense successful nan 130lb division, wherever she’s held astatine slightest 1 loop since 2021, was astir upstaged by nan conflict earlier it. That’s erstwhile Lani Daniels upset nan 4-1 likelihood against her pinch a shocking ninth-round method knockout of unified super-middleweight champion Shadasia Green – a infinitesimal that quickly gave measurement to harrowing scenes erstwhile Green was hurried retired of nan ringing connected a stretcher apparently unconscious and taken to hospital.

“I dream she’s alright,” Daniels said successful her post-fight interview. “I’m happy but besides concerned for her. I’m happy for this and I’m happy to go a world champion erstwhile again.”

Mike Leanardi, Most Valuable Promotions’ caput of boxing, said Green was ”awake and talking” astatine nan infirmary during a news convention aft nan main event, which followed a erstwhile study that she was “conscious, speaking and moving”.

Daniels, nicknamed nan Smiling Assassin, antecedently held nan IBF’s type of nan light-heavyweight and heavyweight championships, but entered Friday’s conflict coming disconnected back-to-back losses to Claressa Shields and Sarah Scheurich. Now nan 37-year-old from Whangārei on New Zealand’s bluish seashore has added a world title successful a 3rd different weight class.

Lani Daniels (right) lands a correct manus connected Shadasia Green during their unified super-middleweight title fight. Photograph: Ed Mulholland/Getty Images

Shortly aft Green was stretchered from nan ringing by a squad of EMTs, Baumgardner made her measurement to nan ringing astatine half past midnight accompanied by New York rapper Lil’ Kim, a flashy entranceway that elicited chaotic cheers from nan respective thousands spectators successful attendance.

In a title held nether men’s title rules pinch 10 rounds of 3 minutes each, Baumgardner controlled nan action from nan opening bell, taking nan halfway of nan ringing and instantly establishing her method superiority. Crisp, consecutive shots punctured Shin’s defender early, while a crisp right-left operation group nan reside for a first information that showcased nan champion’s impeccable timing and accuracy. Shin circled and stayed active, but overmuch of her discourtesy fell short arsenic Baumgardner consistently hit her to nan punch.

The shape held done nan 2nd and third. Baumgardner boxed pinch poise down a disciplined jab, stepping into scope to onshore cleanable powerfulness shots earlier slipping retired of danger. Shin attempted to disrupt nan rhythm, moreover wrestling Baumgardner to nan canvas successful nan third, but it did small to displacement momentum. By nan fourth, Baumgardner had nan crowd connected its feet, snapping Shin’s caput backmost pinch a concussive correct uppercut that concisely threatened to extremity matters earlier nan challenger steadied herself.

Through 5 rounds, it was a masterclass successful controlled aggression. Baumgardner varied her onslaught effectively, moving some guardant and disconnected nan backmost ft arsenic Shin began to thin into a pressure-based approach. That crowding started to salary dividends successful nan sixth. Shin’s persistence and willingness to sorb reward allowed her to separator inside, wherever she recovered occurrence successful scrappy exchanges and yet swung a information successful her favor.

The seventh brought nan conflict to life. Shin barreled guardant pinch urgency, throwing successful measurement and forcing Baumgardner into uncomfortable exchanges. For nan first time, nan champion looked concisely unsettled arsenic nan challenger’s strength turned nan bout into a genuine contest.

But Baumgardner steeled herself and showed nan finishing footwear of a champion, reasserting power pinch deft footwork and a ramrod jab. She created angles, made Shin miss and reset nan gait to her liking. By nan ninth, nan tide had afloat turned back. Shin continued to property but absorbed dense punishment, stepping into cleanable counters arsenic Baumgardner’s accuracy re-emerged.

The last information provided a fitting close. Baumgardner, comfortably up connected nan scorecards, chose not to coast. Instead, she met Shin head-on successful a furious closing exchange, some fighters trading successful nan halfway of nan ringing arsenic nan crowd roared. At nan bell, they embraced, nan champion having delivered a capacity that blended method bid pinch resilience against a relentless challenger.

Alycia Baumgardner was accompanied by New York rapper Lil’ Kim during her ringwalk early Saturday greeting astatine nan Theater astatine Madison Square Garden. Photograph: Amanda Westcott

“All I knew was I had to enactment accordant pinch my jab and support mounting things up,” Baumgardner said. “Bo was going to travel regardless, truthful it was up to maine to group nan gait and onshore my shots.”

Moments later, Baumgardner offered a candid mentation for her capacity that drew a large guidance wrong nan theater. “Three-minute rounds, 10 rounds, connected my period,” she said. “Baby, extremity playing pinch me.”

The remark underscored some nan beingness demands of nan bout and nan broader push wrong women’s boxing toward longer rounds, pinch Baumgardner among nan starring voices advocating for nan change. “It’s an accommodation each time,” she added. “Three minutes is simply a agelong time, but I deliberation it suits my style. I’m still growing, still learning.”

Baumgardner said that she’d for illustration a conflict pinch Katie Taylor next, but besides mentioned Amanda Serrano if a matchup pinch nan Irish prima can’t beryllium made. “[Serrano] makes sense, particularly present successful New York,” she said. “We tin do it astatine nan Garden. When you inquire who’s tougher, it doesn’t matter. Put maine successful location and I’ll show you.”

She added: “I’m fresh to measurement up again. If fighters aren’t consenting to spell 3 minutes, we can’t moreover person a conversation. I’m doing a different level of work. I merit nan biggest fights and nan biggest paydays.”