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 champion. Baumgardner, who currently defends her three‑belt WBA, WBO and IBF super‑featherweight titles, will face Bo Mi Re Shin on Sky Sports live from 3 a.m. Saturday, and she used the pre‑fight interview to outline why she believes Dubois needs to earn the right to challenge her.
Dubois, fresh from a high‑profile victory over Terri Harper that secured the WBC and WBO lightweight crowns, immediately turned her attention toward Baumgardner, publicly calling for a blockbuster showdown. The British fighter’s comments sparked a flurry of speculation, but Baumgardner did not jump at the chance. In a candid conversation with Sky Sports News she said, "Every fight is a potential fight, but Caroline on her end needs to continue to build who she is as a champion." She continued, "She’s talked a lot about becoming undisputed at 135 lb while I’m still at 130 lb defending my world titles. When we talk about building a fight, when we talk about what it is to entertain, those fights need to be worked on." Baumgardner emphasized that she has already put in the effort, delivering exciting performances and achieving undisputed status at super‑featherweight, and now she expects Dubois to match that commitment before issuing a formal challenge.
"She needs to put some more skin in the game," Baumgardner added. "I have done my part, I’ve shown plenty of times that I 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 think I just heard she wants to move to 147 lb so I think she’s really ducking me at this point. So we’ll just have to see." Her remarks hinted at a possible weight‑class jump by Dubois, which Baumgardner interpreted as avoidance rather than a genuine desire to test herself against a champion from a lower division. Dubois, however, is not without options.
Nakisa Bidarian, co‑founder of the newly formed Most Valuable Promoters, told Sky Sports that she would prefer Dubois to clean up the lightweight division first before taking on Baumgardner. "If she becomes close to undisputed, that will create a bigger event," Bidarian said, noting that a fight against Stephanie Han—who is set to defend the WBA lightweight title against Holly Holm on May 30—could serve as an ideal stepping stone for Dubois.
Meanwhile, at the 130‑lb super‑featherweight level, another potential opponent for Baumgardner is WBC champion Caroline Veyre. Dmitriy Salita, Veyre’s promoter, expressed enthusiasm about a possible matchup, stating, "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." Salita added that if Baumgardner succeeds in her upcoming bout, his camp is ready to negotiate a fight with Veyre as soon as possible, believing that the clash would be the most meaningful and natural contest in the division.
The broader context of these negotiations is the rapid growth of women’s boxing under the banner of Most Valuable Promotions, a company launched by Bidarian and social‑media star Jake Paul. Their stated mission from day one has been to elevate women’s boxing to the same level of prominence enjoyed by men’s combat sports, inspired by the rise of Ronda Rousey in the UFC.
Bidarian explained, "We’re now up to 45+ fighters and 16 world champions. The goal has been to become the reference brand for women’s boxing, bringing the best athletes in the world under one umbrella." She also shared a personal motivation, noting that growing up with a single mother taught her the value of supporting women who overcome adversity.
Jake Paul’s involvement, while surprising to some, has been described as enthusiastic and strategic. Bidarian said Paul “views women’s boxing as even more exciting than men’s because these athletes go in there and give it everything they have.” The partnership focuses on three pillars: prioritising the fighters, attracting a younger audience, and filling the market gap for high‑profile women’s bouts. The upcoming Sky Sports card at Madison Square Garden includes not only Baumgardner vs. Shin but also a WBO and IBF super‑middleweight unification bout between Shadasia Green and Lani Daniels.
A victory for Green could set up a future clash with the current undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields, a fight that Bidarian described as a key objective for the promotion. In summary, Baumgardner’s stance is that Dubois must demonstrate sustained dominance and a willingness to compete at the appropriate weight before a legitimate challenge can be made. Dubois, on the other hand, is weighing her next steps, with potential fights against Stephanie Han or a clean‑up of the lightweight division on the horizon.
Meanwhile, the landscape of women’s boxing continues to expand rapidly, driven by ambitious promoters, high‑profile investors, and a growing fan base eager for marquee matchups. The next few months promise to shape the hierarchy of the sport, with several title unifications and dream fights likely to materialise as the athletes and promoters align their ambitions.