Alycia Baumgardner will move up a division to fight Elif Nur Turhan for her IBF lightweight world title on November 8 in a seismic move that brings a blockbuster showdown with Caroline Dubois a step closer.
Baumgardner, the reigning unified WBO, WBA and IBF super featherweight world champion, will jump up five pounds to the 135lbs division to face the undefeated Turhan in the headline bout of MVPW-07 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
“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 added: “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.”
Victory for Baumgardner would see her become a two-weight world champion in the same division as Dubois, who holds the WBC and WBO titles.
The 32-year-old is set to be ringside for Dubois’ clash with Amelia Moore on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
Since December, Dubois has been vociferous in calling out Baumgardner, and those calls have only intensified since she beat Terri Harper to unify the division in April.
Baumgardner has maintained that, despite her status as a unified world champion, Dubois has yet to reach the level required for her to entertain a fight between them.
But should Baumgardner inflict a first career defeat on Turhan, all roads will surely lead to a blockbuster unification bout with Dubois, where the winner would move to within one victory of becoming undisputed champion.
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Dubois is determined to fight Baumgardner sooner rather than later
The co-main event on November 8 will see England’s Ellie Scotney fight the undefeated Tiara Brown over 10 rounds for the WBC featherweight world title.
Former undisputed super bantamweight champion Scotney will step up to 126lbs as she bids to become a two-weight world champion.
“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,” said Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions.
Watch Mikaela Mayer vs Chantelle Cameron this Saturday with Caroline Dubois also in action, live on Sky Sports. Get Sky Sports or stream boxing with no contract.