MVP on ESPN women’s boxing: Is Baumgardner poised to rise as a prominent figure?
The women’s boxing calendar is becoming increasingly packed with several compelling title matches, including Alycia Baumgardner facing Bo Mi Re Shin and a rematch between Stephanie Han and Holly Holm. Both contests are organized under the Most Valuable Promotions banner, which announced a multi-year broadcasting agreement with ESPN on Friday.
Baumgardner is emerging as a prominent figure in women’s boxing and will have numerous opportunities at 130 and 135 pounds if she secures a victory. One potential matchup is a rematch with Terri Harper, whom Baumgardner defeated with one of the most remarkable knockouts of 2021. However, Harper faces a significant challenge ahead as she takes on Caroline Dubois in a lightweight unification bout in London on April 5, with the winner likely to be seen as the top contender at 135 pounds.
In the meantime, Chantelle Cameron — the only fighter to have defeated Katie Taylor in her professional career — is aiming for a trilogy fight with the Irish champion. Before that, she will move up two weight classes to challenge Michaela Kotaskova for a vacant junior middleweight title on the undercard of the Dubois-Harper fight. Can Cameron secure a win and then return to her natural weight for a decisive encounter with Taylor?
There are additional matchups with considerable implications as well.
The initial encounter between Han and Holm concluded with a disappointing technical decision win for Han after she sustained a cut over her right eye due to an accidental headbutt. Holm, a Hall of Famer, may be facing the end of her career if she loses the rematch.
Unified super middleweight champion Shadasia Green is on track for a potential major fight with ESPN’s top pound-for-pound fighter, Claressa Shields, but she must first overcome Lani Daniels.
Andreas Hale and Nick Parkinson analyze these matchups and discuss the stakes involved.
Can Alycia Baumgardner be the face of MVP’s women’s boxing?
Yes. Baumgardner possesses the charisma, youth, and talent to represent MVP’s women’s boxing effectively. She has already showcased impressive knockout power with her victory over Terri Harper in 2021, an evolving skill set that led to a notable win against Mikaela Mayer in 2022 to unify three junior lightweight world titles, and a personality that elicits strong reactions. While she currently holds undisputed status at 130 pounds, the challenge now lies in performing at her best when the pressure is highest.
Baumgardner was given prominent positions in her first two fights under the MVP banner, featuring as a co-main event on the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano 3 and Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua fight cards. Although she won decisively in both bouts — against Jennifer Miranda and Leila Beaudoin — neither was viewed as a breakout performance. Baumgardner, ranked No. 7 among pound-for-pound women’s boxers by ESPN, will have the chance to shine as the headliner on April 17 against Bo Mi Re Shin, defending her WBO, IBF, and WBA junior lightweight titles at The Theater inside Madison Square Garden in New York.
Her opponent was selected strategically, as Shin pushed WBC lightweight champion and Baumgardner rival Caroline Dubois to the limit in March 2025, losing by a majority decision. MVP is committed to providing Baumgardner with every opportunity to succeed and rise to stardom; she must capitalize on this chance. — Hale
Should the Caroline Dubois vs. Terri Harper winner unify the division or wait for Alycia Baumgardner to move up?
While achieving undisputed status carries prestige and is a significant accomplishment, a matchup against Baumgardner, who holds the junior lightweight title, is likely to be more financially rewarding for the victor of Dubois vs. Harper in London on April 5.
Dubois, the WBC lightweight champion, is set to face English rival Harper, the WBO titleholder, in the most significant fight of her career to date. A bout against Baumgardner would be more substantial than facing any other champions at lightweight, including IBF titleholder Elif Nur Turhan, a formidable puncher, and the taller Stephanie Han, the WBA champion. Harper has more experience than Dubois and has previously competed in high-stakes matches against Baumgardner, Cecilia Braekhus, Natasha Jonas, and Sandy Ryan. However, Harper may also prioritize a rematch with Baumgardner — who defeated her in four rounds in November 2021 — over unifying the titles. Harper lost the WBC junior lightweight belt after being stopped by Baumgardner in one of the year’s most notable knockouts and might seek revenge while pursuing another title.
Baumgardner would need to move up a division from junior lightweight, where she holds three titles, to face either Dubois or Harper. — Parkinson
Is Shadasia Green vs. Claressa Shields the biggest match to make in women’s boxing right now?
Yes, but due to a unique set of circumstances. There are numerous significant fights to be made in women’s boxing. Katie Taylor’s farewell bout will attract considerable attention, as would a match between Shields and welterweight champion and fellow pound-for-pound fighter Mikaela Mayer. However, what distinguishes the fight between Shields and Green is the promotional backing. MVP and the platforms it provides, with both ESPN and Netflix involved, would elevate a Shields-Green fight significantly in terms of visibility. Despite Shields’ impressive accomplishments, she has yet to compete on a stage as expansive as what MVP can offer, and collaborating with Jake Paul would broaden her audience.
Green also represents a contrast to Shields, possessing raw power that compensates for any deficiencies in her natural boxing skills. Although she lost a decision to Franchon Crews Dezurn, whom Shields has defeated twice, Green’s remarkable comeback victory against Savannah Marshall in July 2025 demonstrated her ongoing development as a fighter and that she has not yet reached her full potential. Additionally, the anticipated trash talk between these two athletes would be tremendous, making this a highly appealing matchup in women’s boxing today.
Green will first need to defeat former light heavyweight champion Lani Daniels on April 17. If successful, she is expected to challenge Shields for a fight. It will be up to Shields and her promoter, Salita Promotions, to determine the next steps for the undisputed women’s heavyweight champion. — Hale
Where does a win put Ellie Scotney on the ESPN women’s P4P list?
Scotney, 27, has the chance to become the youngest undisputed champion in UK history — male or female — if she defeats WBA junior featherweight champion Mayelli Flores to unify all four major belts in her hometown of London on April 5. Scotney, the WBC, IBF, and WBO champion, secured two solid victories in 2025 — against Yamileth Mercado and Mea Motu — which led me to rank her at No. 10 in my pound-for-pound listings — and a win against Flores should bolster her case for entering the top 10. — Parkinson
How much does Holly Holm have left, and what would a Stephanie Han victory mean?
Holm returned to boxing after a 12-year break to sign with MVP in May 2025. The 2022 inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, who is a former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, shook off the rust with a unanimous decision win against Yolanda Vega. However, in her subsequent fight, Holm was trailing on the scorecards 65-69, 65-68, and 64-69 against Han before an accidental head clash caused a cut, ending the fight in the seventh round, with Han claiming a technical decision victory. They will face each other again on May 30 in Han’s hometown of El Paso, Texas.
Holm, 44, will face a considerable challenge in the rematch, as Han is nine years younger, faster, and the undefeated WBA women’s lightweight champion. Competing against Han in just her second boxing match following her MMA career was a significant challenge for the multiple-time boxing world champion, but it was evident that Holm aimed to avoid any delays with tune-up fights. Holm is nearing the end of her combat sports career, and this could be viewed as a “now or never” moment for her championship ambitions. Would she retire after suffering a second consecutive defeat?
For Han, another victory over Holm — who remains a notable figure in combat sports — would represent a significant advancement for her marketability. Han should defeat Holm in the rematch, but as the headliner on ESPN, she will have a broader audience, including many who have not previously seen her compete. A decisive win would elevate her profile, and in a division that includes fellow champions Terri Harper, Caroline Dubois, and the powerful Elif Nur Turhan, Han would have intriguing opportunities to unify the titles. — Hale
Will a win get Chantelle Cameron a trilogy fight against Katie Taylor?
Cameron is among the contenders to face Taylor this summer, but she cannot be certain of securing a trilogy bout with her rival, despite their shared history.
While Taylor may be at the top of Cameron’s list, she faces competition for what could be Taylor’s final fight. Taylor recently expressed her desire for a concluding match, ideally at Dublin’s Croke Park stadium this summer.
Cameron, who will compete against Michaela Kotaskova for the vacant WBO junior middleweight title in London on April 5, is the only fighter to have defeated Taylor in the professional arena. Cameron narrowly defeated Taylor by majority decision in May 2023, but Taylor avenged that loss with a decision victory six months later.
A trilogy fight is likely the most significant matchup available for Taylor, but WBC, IBF, and WBA welterweight champion Lauren Price, who will defend her titles against Stephanie Piñeiro at the Cardiff International Arena on April 4, informed ESPN this week that she has been offered a fight with Taylor later this year.
Taylor, who holds three versions of the junior welterweight world title and has not competed since her trilogy victory over Amanda Serrano in July 2025, may be tempted by a showdown against Price, particularly if Cameron is unwilling to drop down to welterweight or junior welterweight. — Parkinson
