Alycia Baumgardner moves up to challenge unbeaten IBF lightweight champion Elif Nur Turhan on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, headlining MVPW-07 live on ESPN and the ESPN App.
Baumgardner wants a second division’s crown. The unified super featherweight champion takes on Turhan over 10 three-minute rounds at 135lbs (61.2kg), with the Turkish titleholder making her third defence.
Turhan vs Baumgardner Start Time and How to Watch
ESPN and the ESPN App will carry MVPW-07 live. The event is expected to begin at 8pm ET / 7pm CT / 5pm PT / 1am GMT.
College Park Center hosts the Arlington card, which also features Tiara Brown defending against Ellie Scotney and Skye Nicolson meeting Miyo Yoshida.
Tickets are available through AXS.com. The event’s main card consists entirely of women’s bouts.
Elif Nur Turhan vs Alycia Baumgardner
Elif Nur Turhan (14-0, 8 KOs) vs Alycia Baumgardner (18-1, 7 KOs)
IBF lightweight championship, 10 three-minute rounds.
Weight limit: 135lbs (61.2kg).
Turhan captured the IBF belt by stopping previously unbeaten Olympic gold medallist Beatriz Ferreira. Now signed to MVP, she faces a challenger who has already held undisputed honours at super featherweight.
Neither fighter intends to give ground.
“I do not want to lose, either,” Turhan said. “Two warriors, one fight, and only one winner.”
Baumgardner brings championship experience into her move up in weight, with the Dallas-based fighter competing close to home.
“When I set my mind to something, I see it through, and 135 will be no different,” Baumgardner said.
“I know what it takes to become undisputed. I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again.”
Tiara Brown vs Ellie Scotney Co-Main Event
Tiara Brown (21-0, 11 KOs) vs Ellie Scotney (12-0)
WBC featherweight championship, 10 rounds.
Weight limit: 126lbs (57.2kg).
Two unbeaten records collide in the chief support bout. Brown defends her featherweight belt against former undisputed champion Scotney, who moves up seeking a championship in a second division.
Brown has no intention of yielding to the challenger’s reputation.
“She may have been the youngest undisputed champion in UK history, but I’m not stepping into the ring to admire her history. I’m stepping in to make my own,” Brown said.
“I’m a seasoned veteran who has been overlooked, but never outworked. Come fight night, we’ll see who’s truly built for greatness.”
Scotney sees the move to featherweight as the next step in her career.
“I can’t wait for the next chapter to begin at 126lbs, where I truly believe the world will see the best of me,” Scotney said.
“It’s time to make more history on Sunday, November the 8th and become a two-weight world champion.”
Skye Nicolson vs Miyo Yoshida
Skye Nicolson (16-1, 3 KOs) vs Miyo Yoshida (19-5, 1 KO)
WBC super bantamweight championship, 10 rounds.
Weight limit: 122lbs (55.3kg).
Nicolson makes her MVP debut defending against Japan’s three-time, two-division champion Yoshida. The Australian returns after an injury forced her to withdraw from the earlier date.
“The focus now is completely on moving forward and taking on Miyo Yoshida in what I know will be a great fight,” Nicolson said.
“This delay has only made me hungrier. I’ll be ready to make a big statement for Australia on fight night and finish the year exactly where I want to be.”
Night of women’s boxing has eyes on Arlington, and this 135-pound collision will crack the ceiling of the sport. Turhan is fast and elusive; Baumgardner must relentlessly pressure, cut off the ring, and attack the body to erase Turhan’s timing. The smarter fighter is the one who imposes the pace, and Baumgardner will keep turning the screw. Turhan will counter with bursts, but the weight and relentless assault will tell in the late rounds. If Turhan can land a meaningful stretch, she might steal a few rounds, but the champ’s willingness to stay engaged and finish strong will decide. Prediction: Baumgardner by decision or late stoppage; the crowd will be buzzing and boxing will feel a new order in the division.
Brown vs Scotney is the co-main, but the real arithmetic plays out at 135. Turhan’s measured output meets Baumgardner’s pressure, testing her to improvise or become predictable. The plan for Turhan is to land the straight shot and pivot out, but Baumgardner thrives in the phone booth, using uppercuts and body work to grind her down. If Turhan cannot keep Baumgardner off, the challenger will reverse with repeated combinations and steal rounds on activity. My call? Baumgardner uses her experience, fends Turhan off with clever footwork, and wins by a clear decision, or perhaps a late stoppage as Turhan fades. The ring will glow with power; fans will argue about who belongs on the throne, and the sport will feel the electricity.
Turhan looks slick and undefeated for a reason, but this is Baumgardner’s test of grit and range at a new limit. The Turkish champion will look to land crisp straight rights and angle off, but Baumgardner’s plan must be to crowd, cut off the ring, and force a phone-booth exchange where her power can tell. A smart feint can derail Turhan’s rhythm, opening up the body and sapping legs. Prediction: if Turhan can survive the early heat, she may win via cleaner shots, but Baumgardner’s heavier hands and higher pace tilt the bout toward a late stoppage or a decision for the challenger. Either way, the fans will be debating the numbers long after the bell.
Baumgardner stepping up to 135 is a marquee test that will be felt in the arena. She brings relentless pace, sharp feints, and undisputed war-seasoning that Turhan must respect. Early rounds become a chess match: crisp jabs, precise slips, and body work that constricts Turhan’s movement. If Baumgardner keeps the pressure, she grinds from rounds five onward, posting a cumulative advantage. Prediction: Baumgardner by unanimous decision after 10 rounds; Turhan will answer back, but the weight and pace tell the story, and Arlington gets a new champion. Popcorn time, because the rhythm will be brutal, and the crowd will witness a calculated night of power and poise.