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, who will defend her three‑belt WBA, WBO and IBF super‑featherweight championships against Bo Mi Re Shin on Sky Sports at 3 a.m.
Saturday, said Dubois needs to prove herself further before a high‑profile showdown can be arranged. Dubois recently captured the WBC and WBO lightweight crowns by defeating Terri Harper in a much‑talked‑about grudge match.
In the aftermath of that victory she publicly challenged Baumgardner, demanding a blockbuster clash between the two champions. While Baumgardner did not dismiss the idea outright, she emphasized that any fight between them must be earned through consistent performance and clear intent.
"Every fight is a potential fight," Baumgardner told Sky Sports News, adding, "I think Caroline, on her end, needs to keep building her identity as a champion. 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 creating a fight that entertains, those fights need to be worked on." She continued, "She needs to put some more skin in the game, as I mentioned. I've done my part – I've shown repeatedly that I can put on great shows and become 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 up to 147 lb, so it feels like she's ducking me at this point.
We'll just have to see." Dubois, however, has other pathways to a marquee bout. Nakisa Bidarian, co‑founder of Most Valuable Promoters, suggested to Sky Sports that Dubois should clean up the lightweight division before targeting Baumgardner.
"If she becomes close to undisputed, the event will be even bigger," Bidarian said, noting that a rematch between Stephanie Han and Holly Holm on May 30 could serve as an easy stepping‑stone for Dubois. Meanwhile, at super‑featherweight, the WBC champion Caroline Veyre has expressed interest in a fight with Baumgardner. Dmitriy Salita, Veyre’s promoter, said, "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 team. Alycia has been vocal about top names, but the most natural fight in the division is against the current WBC champion, Caroline Veyre. If Alycia succeeds this weekend, we’re ready to engage and work toward that bout as soon as possible." 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, is 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 bring the history and power of Rousey’s breakthrough to the boxing world," she explained. "Now we have over 45 fighters and 16 world champions, and we’re positioning ourselves as the reference brand for women’s boxing." Bidarian also shared a personal motivation behind the venture: growing up with a single mother who struggled to provide for the family inspired her to support other single mothers and female athletes. Her experience at the UFC, where she witnessed the impact of women’s MMA and Rousey’s unprecedented popularity, reinforced the belief that fighters should be placed first.
Jake Paul’s involvement may seem unexpected, but Bidarian highlighted his enthusiasm from the start. "Jake was supportive from day one and continues to view women’s boxing as even more exciting than the men’s side because these athletes bring a raw intensity that’s fascinating," she said.
"Everything we do is about the fighter, reaching a younger audience, and filling the clear gap in women’s boxing." The upcoming Sky Sports card at Madison Square Garden features 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 clash with the current undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields, a bout that Bidarian says the promotion is eager to facilitate.
In summary, while Dubois has earned the right to call herself a champion after beating Harper, Baumgardner insists that Dubois must continue to solidify her dominance and perhaps stay at lightweight before attempting a jump to super‑featherweight. The conversation around a potential Baumgardner‑Dubois showdown remains open, but it will likely hinge on Dubois’s ability to dominate her weight class and demonstrate a willingness to face Baumgardner on her terms. Fans can catch Baumgardner’s title defense against Bo Mi Re Shin live on Sky Sports Action and Main Event starting at 3 a.m.
Saturday, and keep an eye on the evolving landscape of women’s boxing as promoters like Most Valuable Promotions push for more high‑profile, cross‑division matchups.