Alycia Baumgardner will move up to the lightweight division to challenge unbeaten IBF champion Elif Nur Turhan on November 8, a fight that brings a potential unification showdown with Caroline Dubois a step closer.
Baumgardner, the reigning unified WBO, WBA and IBF super featherweight world champion, will jump up five pounds to the 135lbs division to headline MVPW-07 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
Baumgardner targets a second world title
"When I set my mind to something, I see it through, and 135 will be no different," Baumgardner said. "This is a super fight, the kind of fight boxing deserves, and the beginning of my next chapter.
"I know what it takes to become undisputed. I've done it before, and I'll do it again."
Turhan, who is undefeated, said: "Alycia is a boxer who steps into the ring determined to win, never even entertaining the possibility of defeat. I know I am facing an opponent who steps into the ring solely for victory.
"I do not want to lose either. As two boxers sharing a 'win at all costs' mentality, we guarantee a fierce, relentless battle where everything is left on the line. Two warriors, one fight and only one winner."
What a win means for a Dubois fight
Victory for Baumgardner would make her a two-weight world champion in the same division as Dubois, who holds the WBC and WBO lightweight titles. Dubois is the younger sister of British heavyweight world champion Daniel Dubois.
Baumgardner is set to be ringside for Dubois' fight against Amelia Moore on Saturday.
Since December, Dubois has repeatedly called out Baumgardner, with those calls intensifying since she beat Terri Harper in April to unify the lightweight division.
Baumgardner has maintained that, despite her own status as a unified world champion, Dubois has yet to reach the level required for her to entertain a fight between them. After beating Bo Mi Re Shin, she dismissed the prospect of facing Dubois and instead called out Katie Taylor, the former undisputed lightweight champion, and Amanda Serrano, a multiple-weight world champion.
But should Baumgardner hand Turhan the first defeat of her career, a blockbuster unification bout with Dubois would loom, with the winner moving to within one victory of becoming undisputed lightweight champion. The IBF, WBC, WBO and WBA are boxing's four major sanctioning bodies, each recognising its own world champion in every weight class, and a fighter who holds all four belts is considered undisputed.
Scotney also in action on the card
The co-main event on November 8 will see England's Ellie Scotney fight the undefeated Tiara Brown over 10 rounds for the WBC featherweight world title.
Scotney, the former undisputed super bantamweight champion, is stepping up to 126lbs as she bids to become a two-weight world champion herself.
Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions, which is staging the card, said: "MVPW-07 is one of the biggest championship events in boxing history, with four back-to-back world title fights, bringing together eight elite fighters from around the world with belts at stake in every match-up."
Most Valuable Promotions, the company Paul co-founded, has built a reputation for staging high-profile women's boxing events. College Park Center, the venue for the card, is an arena on the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington.
Dubois is due in action against Moore on Saturday on a card that also features Mikaela Mayer against Chantelle Cameron.
