Alycia Baumgardner has made it clear that Caroline Dubois still has work to do before the American champion will consider a bout with the unified lightweight world champion. Baumgardner is set to defend her three‑belt WBA, WBO and IBF super‑featherweight titles against Bo Mi Re Shin in a fight that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports at 3 a.m.
on Saturday. Dubois, fresh from a high‑profile victory over Terri Harper in a clash for the WBC and WBO lightweight crowns earlier this month, immediately turned her attention toward Baumgardner, publicly challenging the American to a marquee showdown. While Baumgardner has not ruled out the possibility of a future encounter, she told Sky Sports News that Dubois needs to continue building her résumé as a champion before the matchup can become a reality. "Every fight is a potential fight," Baumgardner said.
"I think Caroline, on her end, needs to keep developing her identity as a champion. She’s talked a lot about becoming undisputed at 135 pounds while I’m still defending my titles at 130. When we discuss building a fight, when we talk about entertainment, those fights need to be earned." She added that Dubois must demonstrate a greater commitment to the sport. "She needs to put some more skin in the game, as I mentioned.
I have done my part – I’ve shown repeatedly that I can put on great shows and I became undisputed. I put the work in and now she needs to do the same and then call me out. I heard she’s thinking about moving up to 147 pounds, which feels like she’s dodging me. We’ll see what happens." Dubois does have alternatives.
Nakisa Bidarian, co‑founder of Most Valuable Promoters, told Sky Sports that Dubois should clean up the lightweight division first before targeting Baumgardner, arguing that a fight with a more settled champion would generate a bigger event. Bidarian pointed to an upcoming WBA lightweight title rematch between Stephanie Han and Holly Holm on May 30 as a potential stepping stone for Dubois. On the other side of the weight‑class spectrum, Baumgardner could once again become the undisputed champion at super‑featherweight if she faces the current WBC belt‑holder, Caroline Veyre. Promoter Dmitriy Salita confirmed his openness to the fight, praising Veyre’s skill set, mindset and team.
He said, "If Alycia is successful this weekend, we’re ready to engage and work toward making that fight as soon as possible. Without a doubt, Caroline has the skills, determination, and physical strength to come out victorious." Most Valuable Promotions, the outfit founded by Bidarian and social‑media star Jake Paul, is aggressively building the deepest roster in women’s boxing. Their mission, according to Bidarian, has always been to give women’s boxing a central place in the combat‑sports ecosystem, inspired by the rise of Ronda Rousey in the UFC.
Today the company boasts more than 45 fighters, including 16 world champions, and aims to become the reference brand for the sport. Bidarian explained his personal motivation, noting that he was raised by a single mother and wants to support single‑parent families.
He also cited his experience at the UFC, where he witnessed the transformative impact of women’s MMA and the popularity surge driven by Rousey. "When we set up the strategy we were fully aligned that we wanted to be fighter‑first," he said.
Jake Paul’s involvement might seem unconventional, but Bidarian emphasized that Paul has been supportive from day one. Paul sees women’s boxing as even more exciting than the men’s game because of the raw intensity the athletes bring.
"Everything we do is about the fighter," Bidarian explained. "Second, we focus on the young audience and young fighters – an area where Jake has a massive advantage – and third, we address the clear gap in the market for women’s boxing." The same Sky Sports card that features Baumgardner vs. Shin also includes a WBO and IBF super‑middleweight title unification bout between Shadasia Green and Lani Daniels at Madison Square Garden. A victory for Green could set up a clash with the sport’s current undisputed heavyweight champion, Claressa Shields.
Bidarian expressed interest in that potential showdown, stating, "We’re definitely interested in seeing how Shadasia Green does on April 17 against Lani Daniels, who Claressa Shields also fought, and trying to make Claressa Shields versus Shadasia Green happen." In summary, while Dubois has thrown down the gauntlet, Baumgardner remains cautious, insisting that the French‑born challenger must first solidify her claim to the lightweight throne and demonstrate a willingness to step up in weight. The upcoming fight in London will be a litmus test for Baumgardner’s own quest to retain her three belts, and the broader narrative of women’s boxing continues to evolve as promoters like Most Valuable Promotions push for bigger, more integrated events that bring together top talent across multiple weight classes. Viewers can catch the Baumgardner‑Shin showdown live on Sky Sports Action and Main Event starting at 3 a.m.
Saturday morning.