The Daniel Dubois–Anthony Joshua saga understandably remains the hottest topic in the boxing world. Following Canelo Alvarez‘s title defense and Terrence Crawford‘s title win, the big upset that played out at Wembley Stadium remains a focal point in conversation across the sports landscape. Amidst all the buzz, however, some matchups may have quietly slipped under the radar. Does the Jaime Munguia–Erik Bazinyan bout sound familiar?

Another exciting lineup is down the line this week. About a year after she defended her undisputed titles from Christina Linardatou, Alycia Baumgardner returns to the ring on September 27 to defend her WBC title from Delfine Persoon. It hasn’t been an easy break for ‘The Bomb’. Following the challenges of a controversy, she also faced the profound pain of personal loss. Now back in the saddle, she seems determined to remind the world that she still has plenty of firepower at her disposal. So let’s explore how the two protagonists of the headline fight at Fayetteville, Georgia, against each other.

Alycia Baumgardner vs. Delfine Persoon: Head-to-Head Key Metrics

‘The Bomb’ was born on May 24, 1994, in Fremont, Ohio. She is almost a decade younger than Persoon, who will turn forty on January 14. At 5 feet and 9 inches or 175 centimeters, the West Flanders-born fighter enjoys a height advantage over the American champion, who measures 5 feet and 6 inches or 168 centimeters. Unfortunately, details regarding Delfine Person’s hand reach are not available. However, Baumgardner’s reach extends up to 66 inches or 168 centimeters.

The final weigh-ins of the match are yet to be over. But just in case it helps, in her last fight against Linardatou, ‘The Bomb’ tipped the scales at 129.4 pounds. Delfine Persoon weighed around 127.8 pounds when she went against Agustina Rojas.

Alycia Baumgardner commenced her professional journey in 2017. Ever since she has participated in 16 fights, where she emerged victorious in 15. Her lone defeat incidentally came at the hands of Christina Linardatou in 2018. With almost half of her wins secured through knockouts, ‘The Bomb’s knockout-to-win rate stands at 47%. At the opposite corner, Delfine Persoon is a seasoned fighter who has been around since 2009. The long duration saw her enter the ring 51 times! She won 49 of her professional fights and lost three. 19 knockout victories gives her a knockout-to-win rate of roughly 39%.

Alycia Baumgardner vs. Delfine Persoon: Fight Breakdown

According to Betonlinbe.ag’, with -350 odds favoring her, Alycia Baumgardner remains the strong favorite to win over Delfine Persoon, with +260 odds. It’s understandable, considering that she is young and strong, that many would consider ‘The Bomb’ securing yet another clean victory.

For sure, her fourteen-month lone break might have been a cause of concern for a few. There could be doubts whether her ring rust has had any impact on her performance. But then, though in her case the break didn’t last that long, even Persoon enters the fight after staying out for nearly ten months.

Hopefully, Delfine Persoon must have put the shadows of the 2022 fight against Ikram Kerwat, which ended as a no-contest, behind her. Then last year’s fight in May against Bo Mi Re Shin also ended in a split decision.

Last year, on July 15, like a true champion, Alycia Baumgardner avenged her loss to Christina Linardatou. But for some time, after the title defense, she was on shaky ground as the controversy surrounding the banned substance emerged. Then this year brought a heartbreaking tragedy for her, as she sadly said goodbye to her beloved father in May. Now as she marks a comeback, all eyes will be on ‘The Bomb’ as she aims to solidify her position as a top fighter.

So fans can witness Alycia Baumgardner relying on her typical aggressive style to pummel Delfine Persoon. A steady defense combined with her footwork made it impossible for any of her past opponents to knock ‘The Bomb’ down. Persoon, on the other hand, has been knocked down once in her career. But that’s a thing of the past; it happened in 2010! The Belgian challenger could use her height and reach to adopt a clinching style to stymie the Freemont, Ohio-born title holder’s charge.

So overall, Alycia Baumgardner may have to acknowledge Delfine Persoon’s solid experience. But under no circumstances can she afford to underestimate the European challenger. She should not lose focus, as Persoon might take full advantage of any lapse. Delfine Persoon might be at the tail end of her career. So she will undoubtedly give everything she has to leave the ring as world title holder.

Our verdict: Alycia Baumgardner to win the bout and retain her title.

Do you feel Delfine Persoon might somehow stage an upset on Friday night?