Alycia Baumgardner is making a bold divisional leap, moving up five pounds to challenge Elif Nur Turhan for the IBF lightweight world title on November 8. The bout marks a significant step towards the long-anticipated clash with Caroline Dubois and will headline MVPW-07 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
Baumgardner currently holds the unified WBO, WBA and IBF super featherweight world titles. Her decision to jump to 135lbs represents a major career shift as she pursues a second world championship across different weight classes.
When I set my mind to something, I see it through, and 135 will be no different,Baumgardner said.
This is a super fight, the kind of fight boxing deserves, and the beginning of my next chapter. I know what it takes to become undisputed. I've done it before, and I'll do it again.
Turhan, who enters the contest with an undefeated record and was previously the WBA interim 130-pound champion, has responded with confidence to the challenge.
Alycia is a boxer who steps into the ring determined to win, never even entertaining the possibility of defeat. I know I am facing an opponent who steps into the ring solely for victory.
I do not want to lose either. As two boxers sharing a 'win at all costs' mentality, we guarantee a fierce, relentless battle where everything is left on the line. Two warriors, one fight and only one winner.
Path to Dubois unification
A victory for Baumgardner would establish her as a two-weight world champion in the same division as Dubois, who currently holds the WBC and WBO lightweight titles. The 32-year-old is scheduled to watch ringside as Dubois faces Amelia Moore on Saturday, broadcast live on Sky Sports.
The rivalry between Baumgardner and Dubois has intensified significantly over recent months. Since December, when the two fighters exchanged words in person for the first time at the Jake Paul–Anthony Joshua undercard, Dubois has been relentless in her pursuit of the matchup. She has continued to escalate her calls for the fight, particularly after unifying the division in April by defeating Terri Harper.
Baumgardner has previously resisted the notion of facing Dubois, maintaining that despite her own status as a unified world champion, Dubois has not yet demonstrated the credentials necessary to warrant such a contest. However, Dubois was still publicly targeting Baumgardner in late June, saying the fight was unavoidable, unmissable, and undeniable, with Sky Sports reporting she wanted it sooner rather than later.
Should Baumgardner defeat Turhan, the path to a blockbuster unification bout with Dubois would become clear. The winner of that clash would move to within a single victory of becoming the undisputed lightweight champion, creating one of the most significant matchups in women's boxing.
Scotney's featherweight bid
The co-main event on November 8 will feature England's Ellie Scotney in a bid to become a two-weight world champion. The former undisputed super bantamweight champion will step up to 126lbs to challenge the undefeated Tiara Brown for the WBC featherweight world title over 10 rounds.
Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions, described the event's significance.
MVPW-07 is one of the biggest championship events in boxing history, with four back-to-back world title fights, bringing together eight elite fighters from around the world with belts at stake in every match-up,they said.
What comes next
The November 8 card represents a crucial juncture for women's lightweight boxing. Baumgardner's victory would set up the long-awaited confrontation with Dubois that has been building since their December encounter. The BBC previously suggested the matchup had been viewed as a longer-term prospect for 2027, but this November bout could accelerate that timeline significantly.
Dubois has made clear her willingness to prioritize the Baumgardner fight above other potential unifications, framing it as the biggest contest in women's boxing. With Baumgardner now committed to the lightweight division and facing a credible challenger in Turhan, the stage is being set for one of the sport's most compelling future showdowns.
