Alycia Baumgardner’s path to becoming a prominent figure in women’s boxing

Most Valuable Promotions signed Alycia Baumgardner as one of its initial significant athletes in March 2025, aiming to establish her as the new leading figure in women’s boxing. Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, whose groundbreaking fight trilogy has elevated women’s boxing to new levels, have both indicated they may retire in 2026. With two of the sport’s prominent figures approaching the end of their careers, a distinct opportunity arises for Baumgardner to validate the vision of MVP CEOs Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian.

“Joining MVP was an obvious choice,” Baumgardner shared with ESPN regarding her decision to align with Paul’s promotional company instead of remaining with her former promoter, Matchroom Boxing.

“MVP had a clear understanding of what they sought and the type of athlete needed to enhance their roster of female fighters. They recognized my potential. Jake [Paul] saw it in me from the start, and I am determined to demonstrate that they made the right choice.”

Baumgardner (17-1, 7 KOs) has been prominently featured on fight cards since her signing, including co-main event positions on Taylor vs. Serrano 3 last July and Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua last December. For the third bout of her contract, Baumgardner, the WBO, IBF, and WBA junior lightweight champion, is scheduled to headline MVPW 02 on Friday (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET, with prelims on ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. ET) against Bo Mi Re Shin at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

“I believe her time is now,” Bidarian stated to ESPN. “She is headlining our inaugural linear date on ESPN, making this her moment to take ownership of the sport. Competing on linear television means the viewership statistics will be available. This is an excellent opportunity for her to showcase to the world that she is a legitimate contender for the sport’s top position.”

Baumgardner is among over 20 women signed to the promotion, which features undisputed bantamweight champion Cherneka Johnson, combat sports icon Holly Holm, undisputed super bantamweight champion Ellie Scotney, and current two-division champion Mikaela Mayer.

Ranked No. 7 on ESPN’s pound-for-pound list and a former undisputed junior lightweight champion, Baumgardner voluntarily gave up the WBC title to compete in 3-minute rounds.

Her more than 800,000 Instagram followers enjoy a blend of training clips, fashion, humor, and some banter with fellow fighters.

“Alycia is a superstar,” Paul remarked to ESPN. “She possesses a presence, confidence, and crossover appeal that extend well beyond boxing. She knows how to cultivate her brand, engage with fans, and represent the sport on a global scale. That combination of elite skill and genuine star power is uncommon.”

However, despite her accomplishments thus far, MVP believes that her affiliation with the promotional company could elevate Baumgardner’s star power to remarkable levels.

Broadcaster Crystina Poncher, who will be commentating on Baumgardner’s fight on Friday, also emphasizes the importance of having a presence outside the ring, alongside performance inside it.

“For women’s boxing, that aspect is particularly significant because it’s a visual medium, and how women promote themselves outside the ring is crucial,” Poncher told ESPN. “Yet, they must also deliver inside the ring with an engaging style.”

None of this would hold weight if Baumgardner were not among the top fighters globally — and she is, having taken a challenging path to reach this point.

“She aspires to be the face [of boxing],” Bidarian stated.

BORN IN THE small town of Fremont, Ohio, Baumgardner was not surrounded by prominent athletes or celebrities. Aside from Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson and UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman, the town, with a population of 16,000, was not recognized for producing elite athletes. Nevertheless, Baumgardner noted that her parents acknowledged her inherent athletic talents and enrolled her in wrestling at the age of 5. After three years of competing in wrestling primarily against boys in her weight class, she began boxing at Fremont Wreckers gym, following in the footsteps of family members who had participated in the sport, whether in training or competition, including her grandfather, grandmother, uncles, cousins, an aunt, and her father. She would surpass them all, but as a child, she admitted she never envisioned creating a boxing legacy. She simply sought a path to greatness, by any means necessary.

“I always believed I would achieve greatness, but in high school, I didn’t consider becoming an undisputed world champion or one of the best pound-for-pound boxers globally,” Baumgardner reflected. “However, I knew I didn’t want to lead an ordinary life, and I aimed to excel at something. I recognized that I had something within me that needed nurturing to truly develop this person.”

Boxing became her nurturing ground, providing the ideal conditions for her growth and advancement. Baumgardner made her professional boxing debut on March 4, 2017, against Britain Hart to minimal fanfare at the Hollywood Casino in Columbus, Ohio. She won by first-round TKO, replicating that outcome in the three additional bouts she had before the year’s end. In her first fight of 2018, Baumgardner secured a secondary title.

Women’s boxing had yet to experience a surge in popularity, and Baumgardner juggled three jobs to remain financially stable while hoping her dedication in the gym would yield results.

“I was living on the edge, baby,” Baumgardner recalled. “I kept just enough money for food and to put gas in my car to reach the gym. Fortunately, I had a supportive network of people who believed in me.”

Although she suffered a split decision loss in her seventh professional fight in July 2018, she did not allow it to deter her from her aspirations. Baumgardner remained committed to training, uncertain when or if another fight opportunity would arise. In 2019, she began making a 200-mile round trip to Detroit “multiple times a week” to train at Superbad Boxing Gym under the guidance of Ali Salaam and then-junior middleweight champion Tony Harrison. Friends and family assisted her by lending her a car, money, or a place to stay when necessary. Baumgardner persevered despite struggling to make ends meet. Then COVID-19 struck. Salaam passed away in April 2020 due to complications from the virus, prompting Baumgardner to move to Detroit full-time. While much of the world came to a halt during the pandemic, Baumgardner did not.

After winning her next four fights, she received a life-changing opportunity.

Baumgardner seized her chance and sent a direct message to Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn on Twitter in 2021, requesting an opportunity — and soon after, her phone rang. Hearn offered her the chance to challenge WBC junior lightweight champion Terri Harper on five weeks’ notice. The self-described “gym rat” was always in boxing shape, so there was no hesitation in accepting the fight in Sheffield, England, despite being compensated only $25,000. Baumgardner was an unknown underdog but took the fight to Harper, dominating the initial three rounds.

“All I remember thinking was ‘This is your moment. This is your time. This is your opportunity,'” Baumgardner recounted. “I could see all her punches coming, and my corner advised me to just throw the right hand because she would walk right into it. And then, boom.”

In Round 4, Baumgardner landed a short right hand on Harper that halted the Brit in her tracks. Harper did not fall, but the punch clearly affected her, leading to the fight being stopped. Baumgardner became a world champion.

“When I saw her immobilized, I realized that everything I had worked for in my life was coming to fruition,” Baumgardner said. “I could finally relax. It felt like I had been swimming underwater and finally surfaced for air. It was the best moment of my career. It was worth it.”

SINCE KNOCKING OUT Harper, Baumgardner has remained unbeaten, ultimately becoming the undisputed junior lightweight champion, though it can be argued that she has lost some of her previous speed. She narrowly outpointed Mikaela Mayer in an exhilarating fight in October 2022, which had an intense buildup, but has not achieved a stoppage in nearly five years. She continues to secure victories in solid, albeit occasionally unremarkable performances, and acknowledged that she is pursuing the kind of highlight-reel knockout that initially brought her recognition.

“For me, it’s never about trying; it’s always about doing,” Baumgardner stated regarding her aim of achieving a knockout against Shin, who has never been stopped in her professional career. “I know that during this camp, particularly mentally, I’ve been in the best place and am aware of what I intend to do. I won’t say too much because I want my actions to demonstrate why I claim to be who I am and why this fight is distinct from all others.”

Baumgardner also faced challenges with a positive drug test for two banned substances prior to her July 2023 decision victory over Christina Linardatou. Although she was later cleared of intentionally consuming the banned substances for enhancement purposes by the WBC, the damage was done, and her critics labeled her a drug cheat.

“That was a devastating moment for me,” Baumgardner expressed. “But I know who I am. I spent over $150,000 to prove my innocence through tests that they weren’t going to conduct for me. I had to arrange these tests, hire a lawyer, and undertake all these steps. I was ultimately found not guilty. I value integrity and a clean sport. People can say what they want about me, but it has built up my resilience. I didn’t emerge from that situation the same way I entered it, and it has made me a more formidable competitor.”

She returned in a no-contest against Delfine Persoon due to an accidental head clash before signing with MVP. Her two performances under the promotional company in 2025 were dominant unanimous decisions, but neither Jennifer Miranda nor Leila Beaudoin posed significant challenges.

Dimitry Salita, who promotes multiple division undisputed champion Claressa Shields, ESPN’s top pound-for-pound women’s fighter and self-proclaimed “Greatest Woman of All Time” (GWOAT) now competing at 175 pounds, conveyed to ESPN that Baumgardner’s recent performances have not been impressive.

“Since the Terri Harper fight, which she passed with flying colors, many of her performances have been below par for someone aspiring to be the face of boxing,” Salita remarked.

Salita has known Baumgardner since her early training days in Detroit and while he is pleased to see her progress, he admits to feeling somewhat disappointed by her change in demeanor over the years and what he perceives as a failure to back up her bold statements with substantial performances.

“She’s doing an excellent job promoting herself on social media and taking all the necessary steps to gain popularity,” he added. “We’ve seen her talk the talk, but she hasn’t truly walked the walk when it comes to proving she’s the best. She’s been all talk, no action, especially with opponents like [WBC lightweight champion] Caroline Dubois and [WBC junior lightweight champion] Caroline Verye available for her to fight right now. She needs to support her claims with her performances and ability to face the best rather than merely associating herself with names like Claressa Shields.”

Poncher concurs that Baumgardner’s in-ring performances have not matched her energy outside of it.

“I believe she requires better opponents,” Poncher stated. “No disrespect to the women she has faced recently, but I think she needs someone who can match her energy both inside and outside the ring.”

Shin is recognized as a pressure fighter and is anticipated to bring the fight to Baumgardner, who excels in such scenarios. Baumgardner is a considerable betting favorite to defeat Shin but will need to deliver an impressive performance if she wishes to maintain her position as a leading figure in women’s boxing, particularly now that MVP has added her rivals Mayer and Caroline Dubois to the roster. Additionally, there is Shields, one of the most accomplished fighters globally, along with other top competitors such as undisputed flyweight champion Gabriela Fundora and junior middleweight champion Chantelle Cameron, who can also stake a claim as top stars.

Baumgardner believes that being the face of women’s boxing entails carrying the sport with intention — both inside and outside the ring — and setting a standard for the next generation regarding what it truly means to be a champion, a businesswoman, and a pioneer.

“This isn’t unfamiliar territory for me. It’s what I’ve dedicated my entire life to,” Baumgardner stated. “I embrace it with pride, discipline, and faith.

“The crown is heavy — but I am equipped for it. Blessed by God, refined by hard work. The reign has only just begun. And this Friday night, at the Mecca, live on ESPN — the most significant stage in the sport — I will demonstrate precisely why the crown belongs to me.”