In the co-main event at Madison Square Garden, Alycia Baumgardner held onto her undisputed super featherweight crown with a unanimous decision win over Jennifer Miranda—but the fight was much closer than the scorecards suggested.
The judges turned in tallies of 97-93, 98-92, and 98-92, all in favor of Baumgardner. While the champ got the job done, the bout wasn’t as one-sided as those numbers might imply. Miranda (12-1, 1 KO), who came in as the underdog, impressed with her poise and strategy, giving Baumgardner a tough night and plenty to think about.
Baumgardner (16-1, 7 KOs), fighting for the first time in over a year, admitted she wasn’t at her sharpest.
“I give myself a B-plus—it wasn’t my best showing,” she said post-fight. “But after such a long layoff, I’m just grateful to be back in the ring and shake off the rust.”
She credited Miranda for being “a smarter fighter” than expected and acknowledged the Spaniard’s solid game plan. Still, Baumgardner made it clear she’s eager to stay active and not lose momentum again.
The 130-pound division doesn’t offer a deep pool of contenders at the moment, but options remain. Baumgardner could entertain fights with rising names from 126 or 135 pounds—or she might consider moving up to lightweight herself if the right matchup, and paycheck, presents itself. Regardless of where she lands next, she’s still very much a force in women’s boxing.
