Alycia Baumgardner has made it clear that Caroline Dubois still has work to do before the American champion will consider stepping into the ring with the unified lightweight world titleholder. Baumgardner is set to defend her three‑belt WBA, WBO and IBF super‑featherweight championships against Bo Mi Re Shin on Sky Sports, with the fight scheduled to start at 3 a.m. on Saturday.
Dubois, fresh off a high‑profile victory over Terri Harper that earned her the WBC and WBO lightweight crowns earlier this month, immediately turned her attention to Baumgardner, publicly challenging the American for a marquee clash. While Baumgardner has not dismissed the possibility of a future encounter, she told Sky Sports News that Dubois needs to continue building her résumé before she can claim a spot on the card. "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 lb, while I'm still defending my titles at 130 lb. When we talk about creating a fight that excites fans, those fights need to be earned through work in the gym and in the ring." She added, "She needs to put more skin in the game, as I mentioned.
I have already shown that I can deliver great shows and become undisputed. I have put in the effort, and now she needs to do the same and then call me out. I heard she might be looking to move up to 147 lb, which feels like she’s dodging me at this point. We'll just have to see what happens." Dubois, however, has other options on the table.
Nakisa Bidarian, co‑founder of Most Valuable Promoters, told Sky Sports that Dubois would benefit from cleaning up the lightweight division before taking on Baumgardner. "If she can become close to undisputed, the event will be much bigger," Bidarian explained. She also suggested a potential matchup for Dubois against Stephanie Han, who is slated to fight Holly Holm on May 30 in a WBA lightweight title rematch. On the super‑featherweight side, Baumgardner could once again become the undisputed champion if she faces the current WBC titleholder, Caroline Veyre.
Promoter Dmitriy Salita expressed enthusiasm about the prospect, saying, "We’re absolutely open to it and would like to move quickly to make the fight happen. I have a lot of confidence in Caroline’s ability, mindset, and the team around her. She’s a true champion.
Alycia has been vocal about top names, but the most natural fight in the division is against the WBC champion, Caroline Veyre. If Alycia succeeds this weekend, we’re ready to engage and work toward that fight as soon as possible." Most Valuable Promotions, the company 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 make women’s boxing a central part of the combat‑sports ecosystem, inspired by the rise of Ronda Rousey in the UFC.
"From day one, the vision was to make women’s boxing meaningful, to give it the same platform as men’s sports," she told Sky Sports. "We now have over 45 fighters, 16 world champions, and we’re positioning ourselves as the reference brand for women’s boxing." Bidarian also shared a personal motivation for supporting female athletes: "I was raised by a single mother who struggled to provide for us.
I’ve always wanted to give back to single mothers and support women who fight for themselves. Seeing the impact of women’s MMA and Ronda Rousey’s popularity reinforced that we needed a similar push for women’s boxing." Jake Paul’s involvement may seem surprising, but Bidarian highlighted his enthusiasm: "Jake was supportive from day one and sees women’s boxing as even more exciting than the men’s game because of the intensity and heart the athletes bring. He brings a massive advantage in reaching younger audiences, which aligns with our three‑pillar strategy: the fighter first, the young fan base second, and women’s boxing as the third, filling a clear market gap." The upcoming Madison Square Garden card will feature not only Baumgardner vs.
Shin but also a WBO and IBF super‑middleweight title unification between Shadasia Green and Lani Daniels. A victory for Green could set up a showdown with the undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields, a fight that promoters are already eyeing.
Bidarian said, "We’re definitely interested in seeing how Shadasia performs on April 17 against Lani Daniels, and we’d love to make a Shields vs. Green bout happen." In summary, while Dubois has signaled her desire for a clash with Baumgardner, the American fighter insists that Dubois must first solidify her standing, perhaps by defending her titles at lightweight or by moving up weight classes in a more deliberate manner. Baumgardner’s own upcoming defense against Shin will be a litmus test for her claim to undisputed status at super‑featherweight, and the broader landscape of women’s boxing continues to evolve rapidly, driven by ambitious promoters, high‑profile athletes, and a growing fan base eager for compelling matchups.