Caroline Dubois has set her sights on a showdown that could crown her the undisputed champion of the lightweight division, with American contender Alycia Baumgardner positioned as a key piece of that puzzle for the coming year. The British fighter, who currently holds the WBC and WBO titles at 135 pounds, is not content to sit on the sidelines while the rest of the division sorts itself out; instead, she is actively pursuing another belt to complete the unification picture. The immediate focus for Baumgardner is a bout against Turkey’s Elif Nur Turhan, who defends the IBF lightweight world title on Sky Sports in the early hours of Monday, 9 November.
That fight, broadcast live from the UK, will determine who steps forward as the IBF champion and, consequently, who will be the next opponent for Dubois in her quest for total dominance. Dubois has made it clear that she intends to face the winner of that contest, but she also has a parallel plan to secure the remaining WBA crown by targeting its current holder, Stephanie Han.
"I want to become undisputed and I want to be involved in relevant fights. To unify the division is my dream right now. The only other champion [available] is Han and we'll just have to see if I can get it in before the end of the year. If not we'll have to go early next year," Dubois told Sky Sports.
Her words underline a sense of urgency: she wants to add the WBA belt to her collection as soon as possible, ideally before the calendar flips to a new year. "Hopefully we'll be unified world champion by the end of this year or early next. One belt away from becoming undisputed," she added, emphasizing that she sees herself only a single title away from holding every major sanctioning body’s belt in the lightweight class. The British champion’s confidence is not unfounded.
Last month she successfully defended her WBC and WBO crowns against Amelia Moore in Birmingham, a fight that showcased her technical skill, speed, and power. In the aftermath of that victory, Dubois launched into a sharp verbal exchange with Baumgardner, accusing her rival of feeling threatened and jealous of her rapid rise.
"She's most definitely intimidated by me. She's frightened of what I bring to the table. When she looks at me I know that she sees a younger, better, stronger, more talented, more everything better than her.
Everything I do is just better than her. I feel like she's threatened by that," Dubois said. The British fighter believes that Baumgardner’s recent success has been earned more slowly, whereas Dubois has amassed her titles in a comparatively short span, fueling what she describes as a mixture of envy and insecurity on the part of her American opponent. Dubois continued, "Everything that she has had to work so hard to get I've had it and I've achieved it in such quick succession.
She's threatened, she's jealous. She's feeling a lot of emotions and all I can say is I hope she can focus herself, get that win [over Turhan] and we can find out who's the best." She also hinted at the personal stakes she attaches to Baumgardner’s upcoming fight. "I hope she wins the fight.
I'm going to be real upset if she doesn't win because I need to show her something," Dubois explained, indicating that a victory for Baumgardner would give her a clear target to pursue, while a loss would alter the strategic landscape for Dubois. The upcoming Turhan‑Baumgardner clash is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for the lightweight division.
"Elif Turhan, the champion, versus Alycia Baumgardner, the contender, is going to be an awesome fight. I want the winner. I've made it very clear.
I feel like I have been very vocal about the fact that I want to become undisputed," Dubois affirmed. She sees the outcome as a direct pathway to her ultimate goal, stating, "The path has revealed itself to me. The path has become clear now...
So close, but so far." Beyond the immediate matchmaking, Dubois’s ambition reflects a broader trend in women’s boxing, where unification fights are increasingly viewed as the benchmark for true supremacy. Holding multiple belts from different sanctioning bodies not only cements a fighter’s legacy but also brings greater visibility and financial reward to the sport. For Dubois, achieving undisputed status would place her alongside a select group of historic champions who have managed to collect every major title in a single weight class.
If Dubois succeeds in adding the WBA belt from Stephanie Han later this year, she would hold the WBC, WBO, IBF (assuming Baumgardner wins her bout with Turhan), and WBA titles simultaneously—a rare feat that would likely prompt calls for a final showdown with any remaining challenger willing to step up. Conversely, if Baumgardner secures the IBF crown, Dubois’s next logical opponent would be the new IBF champion, turning the upcoming months into a high‑stakes chess game of title exchanges. In any case, the lightweight division is poised for an exciting series of fights that could reshape the hierarchy and deliver compelling narratives for fans. Dubois’s blend of confidence, strategic planning, and willingness to call out her rivals publicly adds a dramatic edge to the proceedings, while Baumgardner’s own determination to claim the IBF belt will test her resilience and skill against a seasoned champion.
As the November 9 bout approaches, viewers can tune in via Sky Sports to watch Turhan and Baumgardner battle for the IBF title. The result will not only determine who stands in Dubois’s crosshairs next but also provide a clear indicator of how close the lightweight division is to achieving a truly undisputed champion. The stage is set, the fighters are ready, and the boxing world waits with bated breath for the outcome that could define the next era of women’s lightweight boxing.