By Sohaib Shams
Most Valuable Promotions chief Nakisa Bidarian has declared Alycia Baumgardner the new "face of women's boxing" following the retirements of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, as the American prepares to challenge unbeaten Elif Nur Turhan for the IBF lightweight title on Sunday.
Bidarian praises Baumgardner's ambition
Bidarian, who runs MVP with Jake Paul, told The Independent that Baumgardner's skillset, desire for greatness, and willingness to fight three-minute rounds set her apart. He noted she could have taken tune-up fights at lightweight but instead demanded top opponents like Caroline Dubois, Turhan, or Stephanie Han.
Turhan also seeks biggest fights
Turhan, who signed with MVP, reportedly asked for the Baumgardner fight immediately. Bidarian said the bout provides a clear path to undisputed status at lightweight, with all belts held within MVP.
Dubois clash seen as inevitable
Baumgardner and Dubois exchanged words in August after Dubois beat Amelia Moore. Bidarian believes a fight between them will happen within 12 to 18 months, though he acknowledged Dubois has only fought two-minute rounds. He added that if Baumgardner loses to Turhan, Dubois would likely target Turhan's belt.
Baumgardner's record and past issues
Baumgardner, 32, is a former undisputed super-featherweight champion with one professional loss, a split decision to Christina Linardatou in 2018, and a no-contest in 2024 due to a head clash with Delfine Persoon. She also faced a provisional suspension in 2024 after a positive drug test, but the WBC cleared her of intentional ingestion and lifted the ban.
