Baumgardner gets past Miranda, hopes for quick return

Alycia Baumgardner had more trouble with Jennifer Miranda than the judges would lead you to believe.

Alycia Baumgardner retained her undisputed super featherweight championship tonight, beating Jennifer Miranda over 10 rounds that were a lot tougher for the champ than the judges’ scores would make you think.

Judges saw the fight 97-93, 98-92, and 98-92 for Baumgardner, the latter two seeming especially wide, as Miranda (12-1, 1 KO) definitely gave a fine accounting of her skills, and Baumgardner (16-1, 7 KO) looked a bit like a shell of her former self, which could owe to a long layoff.

Baumgardner had fought just four rounds — a no-contest with Delfine Persoon last year — in the last two years, and said she was happy to be back in action.

“I definitely give myself a B-plus, it wasn’t my best performance,” she siad. “But I’m just happy to be in the ring with such a long layoff and just be able to get those rounds in.”

Baumgardner said that Miranda was “a smarter fighter” than she expected her to be, and gave her credit for a good game plan, before adding that she wants to “be right back,” and not take much time off before her next fight.

The 130 lb ranks are a little thin at the moment, though there are potential challengers out there, and fighters who could come up from 126 or down from 135. Baumgardner could also look to move up to 135 herself, if there is money there for a bigger fight.