The women's boxing schedule is filling up with several intriguing title fights, including Alycia Baumgardner against Bo Mi Re Shin and a rematch between Stephanie Han and Holly Holm. Both bouts fall under the Most Valuable Promotions banner, which on Friday announced a multi-year broadcast deal with ESPN
Baumgardner looks like one of the future faces of women's boxing and will have plenty of options at 130 and 135 pounds if she wins. One possibility is a rematch with Terri Harper, whom Baumgardner stopped with one of the most impressive knockouts of 2021. Harper, however, has a major challenge ahead when she faces Caroline Dubois in a lightweight unification bout in London on April 5, with the winner likely emerging as the fighter to beat at 135 pounds.
Meanwhile, Chantelle Cameron -- the only fighter to defeat Katie Taylor as a professional -- is seeking a trilogy bout with the Irish star. But first, she moves up two divisions to face Michaela Kotaskova for a vacant junior middleweight title on the Dubois-Harper undercard. Can Cameron win and then return to her natural weight for a winner-takes-all clash with Taylor?
There are other matchups with significant stakes as well.
The first meeting between Han and Holm ended in a disappointing technical decision victory for Han after she suffered a cut over her right eye caused by an accidental headbutt. Holm, a Hall of Famer, could be staring at the end of her career if she loses the rematch.
Unified super middleweight champion Shadasia Green appears on course for a potential megafight with ESPN's top pound-for-pound fighter, Claressa Shields, but she must get past Lani Daniels first.
Andreas Hale and Nick Parkinson break down these matchups and share their thoughts on what's at stake.
Can Alycia Baumgardner be the face of MVP's women's boxing?
Yes.Baumgardner has the charisma, youth and ability to carry MVP's women's boxing on her back. She's already demonstrated excellent knockout power with her finish of Terri Harper in 2021, an ever-evolving skill set that resulted in an impressive win over Mikaela Mayer in 2022 to unify three junior lightweight world titles, and a personality that will make you either love her or hate her. And while she already has undisputed status at 130 pounds, it's now a matter of putting it all together when the spotlight is the brightest.
Baumgardner was given prime real estate in her first two fights under the MVP banner with co-main event slots on the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano 3 and Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua fight cards. Even though she won by a wide margin in those two fights -- against Jennifer Miranda and Leila Beaudoin -- neither fight was perceived as a breakout performance. Baumgardner, ESPN's No. 7-ranked pound-for-pound women's boxer, will have the opportunity to impress as the headliner on April 17 against Bo Mi Re Shin in defense of her WBO, IBF and WBA junior lightweight titles at The Theater inside Madison Square Garden in New York.
Her opponent wasn't chosen by accident, as Shin gave WBC lightweight champion and Baumgardner rival Caroline Dubois all she could handle in March 2025 in a majority decision loss. MVP is going to give Baumgardner every opportunity to excel and become a superstar; she'll just have to seize the moment. -- Hale
Should the Caroline Dubois vs. Terri Harper winner unify the division or wait for Alycia Baumgardner to move up?
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