Baumgardner Scheduled to Fight Turhan in Arlington Sunday

Alycia Baumgardner is scheduled to fight Elif Nur Turhan on Sunday in Arlington, Texas, at 8:30 p.m. ET. Baumgardner holds the WBO, IBF, and WBA junior lightweight titles and has a record of 18-1 with 7 KOs.

In late October, Baumgardner stated that she did not need to be passed the torch but took it herself. “I didn’t need to be passed the torch — I took it,” Baumgardner said.

Elif Nur Turhan is the undefeated IBF lightweight champion with a record of 14-0 and 8 KOs. Turhan won the IBF title by fifth-round TKO against Beatriz Ferreira in December 2025 and has made two successful defenses since.

Baumgardner described her approach to the fight. “She’s a wild fighter. She’s a one-way fighter. It’s all about making her miss, making her pay. Every time she throws something wild, I’m countering something. I’m rolling under. It’s gonna be about composure, about timing, about footwork. We know that Nur Turhan gets hit. Can she take my punch?” Baumgardner said.

Baumgardner is promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. She has expressed aspirations to fight in Vegas and become one of the top-paid women athletes.

Katie Taylor retired in September after a farewell fight against Flora Pili in Dublin. Amanda Serrano announced on Oct. 28 that her retirement bout would take place in January against Skye Fallon.

A potential rivalry between Baumgardner and WBC champion Caroline Dubois is taking shape after the two exchanged words ringside in August.

“Obviously, those fights didn’t happen, so I have to take it into my own hands. I’m taking the torch. I snatched it. Now, we’re just building the stage for Alycia Baumgardner,” Baumgardner said. WBA champion Stephanie Han is identified as another option for Baumgardner after raising her profile with back-to-back wins against Holly Holm in 2026.

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Sources: ESPN