There was a pause from Mikaela Mayer, so too an emerging, ironic smile upon realisation as to who had asked the question. Not a reporter named Alycia, but instead a familiar foe in former undisputed world champion Alycia Baumgardner, who had claimed a front row seat at Thursday's press conference in Birmingham ahead of Mayer's blockbuster world title fight against Chantelle Cameron. Baumgardner herself had been speaking just minutes earlier following the announcement of her November 8 clash with Elif Nur Turhan.
Mayer's mindset, growth, and why Saturday night's fight is different. Different, presumably, to their own fight. "I've got better and better and better, I've learned not to make the mistakes I made with you," said Mayer.
"When I get in there I'll start quick, start fast, not letting anything get away from me, not leaving it to the judges, because you can't always trust the judges." Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Mayer, who navigated an unwelcome reunion impressively, suffered a split decision defeat to Baumgardner in the pair's world title unification bout at The O2 in October 2022, a fight she previously said she believes she won. But this was not about a rivalry between Mayer and Baumgardner, the latter of whom is instead seemingly on a path towards a potential showdown with Caroline Dubois, should both win their upcoming fights. On Saturday it is Mayer and Cameron who take centre stage in a collision of two premier technicians amid their respective pursuit of greatness.
"I'm in the stage in my career, these are the only type of fights I really want," said Mayer. "We've had similar careers, a lot of ups and a few downs, but we both always wanted to fight our best. "We are at the top of our game and navigated our way back to the top." There are currently few, if any, better fights to be made in women's boxing, with predictions enduring a fence-sitting theme and the winner tipped or a seat among the best to ever lace up the gloves.
"Let's go get fight of the year," said Cameron. Cameron is famously the only fighter to hold a win over Katie Taylor in the great Irishwoman's professional boxing career, as much feeding into a narrative seeking to nudge Saturday's victory towards iconicity. She arrives as owner of the WBO super welterweight title, while Mayer occupies the WBA and WBC belts.
Both have hurdled setbacks to return to the top of the sport, Cameron having been denied in her rematch against Taylor and Mayer on the wrong side of what she deemed to be unjust decisions against both Baumgardner and Natasha Jonas. "I've had a few ups and downs but I'm in a good place. I think I'm in the form of my life," said Cameron.
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