Baumgardner retained the undisputed super featherweight title with a convincing unanimous decision victory in Detroit; Linardatou had been the only fighter to beat the American in her pro career but she avenged the defeat in 2018 to pick a ninth consecutive victory and 15th of her career
Sunday 16 July 2023 08:21, UK
Alycia Baumgardner beat challenger Christina Linardatou by unanimous decision to retain her undisputed super featherweight crown in Detroit.
Baumgardner dispatched the only fighter to defeat her professionally in dominant fashion, taking the fight 99-91, 98-92, and 98-92 on the judges' scorecards.
Linardatou, a 35-year-old Dominican based in Greece, seemed confident she could replicate the result of their July 2018 meeting, an eight-round split decision victory which predated her two WBO junior welterweight title reigns.
But 'The Bomb' Baumgardner insisted she was a different fighter in the build-up to this a fight, a rematch she had craved for a long time and she showed it from the first bell, using her jab to set up some nice shots, including an uppercut and tidy left hook.
The initial barrage slowed down after a blazing opening round, and in the early stages Baumgardner remained patient, operating on the counter at times and jumping in with powerful combinations when given the opportunity.
Throughout the fight Baumgardner controlled distance well and was always pressing her opponent without leaving herself exposed and Linardatou could not find a way to get rid of her opponent's effective jab, and the subsequent punishment that came with it.
A flashpoint came in round four as Baumgardner landed a right to the head and a low left hook, drawing a flurry of punches including one after the bell, which drew a warning from referee Frank Garza officiating his final fight of a four-decade long career.
Linardatou caught Baumgardner in round five, leading the champion switch to southpaw. It worked as she caught Linardatou with a strong blow to the head and then followed it up in round six a dazzling series of uppercuts complemented by excellent footwork.
Baumgardner dominated the fight from there, coming closest to claiming the eighth knockout of her career in round eight as she thundered shots on her opponent's face and body, which she made a point of targeting throughout the fight, but Linardatou steadfastly refused to fold and remained on her feet despite taking hosts of heavy blows.
The challenger unloaded in the 10th but Baumgardner was never in trouble and delighted the crowd by taking the victory in convincing fashion, her ninth in a row since losing to Linardatou.
Redemption for Baumgardner, whose record is now 15-1 (7 KOs), and she remains the undisputed queen of the super featherweight division.
