Amid the fallout of Alycia Baumgardner testing positive for a banned substance, Jessica McCaskill appeared on a boxing show and floated the idea that Matchroom may have some sort of involvement with the positive test result. Here’s some of what McCaskill said.
“Alycia signed a multiple fight contract with Matchroom in beginning of January of 2022,” McCaskill said. “Multiple fights, she had four fights. She has a mandatory now who is Choi, right. When you have a mandatory you don’t necessarily have to have a promoter. Like mine went to a bid.
“And what happened to my fight? I was supposed to fight like June 24th or something like that. I signed my contract, my opponent signed my contract, and they asked me to sign a Matchroom re-up with them for three more fights. I was like ‘let’s finish this mandatory and figure out what’s gonna happen.’
“What happened? Because, I did not sign the contract with Matchroom, they took my opponent and gave her to Terri Harper. So at that point I had no fight, so at that point I had to sign back up with Matchroom for a couple more fights.
“With (Baumgardner), she gotta fight Choi and they’re not saying ‘hey, Alycia’s signed another multiple fight contract.’ They’re saying Alycia popped hot. So maybe she’s not signing the contract, maybe she’s like putting Matchroom in a corner somewhere and they don’t like that, so all the sudden ‘she popped hot’? Fuck outta here.”
Eddie Hearn, who caught wind of the comments made by McCaskill, offered a response indicating legal action may be on its way.
“Absolutely the most wild thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Hearn said of McCaskill’s interview. “I mean, they’ll be hearing from us today. But what essentially McCaskill said…Alycia had one fight left on her contract so maybe this was Matchroom trying to disrupt her. I mean, are you absolutely — I mean, firstly that is the most offensive thing I’ve ever heard in my life. And secondly, the most defamatory thing I’ve ever heard in my life.
“You think global business of our size, that has aspirations to float in an IPO — what sort of process happens when you go to an agency that represents the NBA, NFL, NCAA, Nascar, the LPGA, and make up a test result?!
“I know we live in a world of conspiracy theories but that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard in my life. And I’ll be speaking to Jessica because it’s bang out of order. And if that’s your line of defense, that’s worrying. You have to defend yourself here, not just say ‘I think Matchroom made it up.’ I mean, what? Baffled. Absolutely baffled.
“She said ‘I was in a purse bid situation and they gave my opponent to Terri Harper.’ No. What actually happened was we lost the purse bid and someone else won the purse bid and didn’t put the fight on. So the fight become null and void and in the meantime we offered her, Habazin, against Harper on short notice because there was no fight with McCaskill.
“So, again, I have to deal with them appropriately because I’m not having people talk about my family business like that and it’s wild. Absolutely wild. One of the most comical things I’ve ever heard in my life.”