Baumgardner Fights First 135-Pound Bout Since 2021 Against Turhan
The WBO junior lightweight champion steps up in weight to challenge undefeated IBF lightweight titleholder in a 10-round event in Arlington, Texas.
By Jason Kovalenko ·
Alycia Baumgardner will attempt to capture the IBF lightweight title on Sunday when she faces undefeated champion Elif Nur Turhan at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. The bout is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, with the undercard beginning at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Baumgardner enters the ring holding the WBO, IBF, and WBA junior lightweight belts. Her record stands at 18 wins, one loss, and seven knockouts. She has not fought at the 135-pound mark since August 2021. Her professional career has seen a 12-0 record with one no-contest decision since her loss to Christina Linardatou in July 2018.
Turhan, who has been a professional boxer for just over four years, carries a 14-0 record with eight stoppages. She secured the IBF title in December 2025 with a fifth-round technical knockout victory over Beatriz Ferreira. In 2026, she added decision wins against Taylah Gentzen and Gabriela Tellez. Sunday will mark her first bout with three-minute rounds, while it will be the third for Baumgardner.
Former champions and current analysts weighed in on the stylistic clash before the fight. Chantelle Cameron, the current WBO, WBA, and WBC junior middleweight champion, identified the round duration as a critical variable. Cameron noted that the extra minute in each round could favor Turhan by providing more opportunities to land power shots. She predicted Baumgardner would need to stay close to neutralize Turhan's looping right hand. Cameron picked Baumgardner to win by decision.
Soledad Matthysse, a former WBA and WBC featherweight champion who has fought both contenders, cited the weight increase as a potential hurdle for Baumgardner. Matthysse observed that the extra pounds could slow Baumgardner's footwork, a key component of her defensive style. She described Turhan as aggressive and willing to force exchanges, a tactic that previously unsettled Matthysse during their own bout. Matthysse could not settle on a winner, citing Turhan's strength against Baumgardner's technical precision.
Avril Mathie, a former bantamweight and junior featherweight title contender and current boxing commentator, focused on conditioning. Mathie questioned whether Turhan's power would hold up over the extended three-minute rounds that Baumgardner is accustomed to. Mathie suggested that if Baumgardner can utilize her speed and accuracy to disrupt Turhan's rhythm, she may secure a points victory. Conversely, Mathie warned that Turhan has the capability to flip the fight with a few powerful blows regardless of the scorecards.
The fighters are set to meet in the main event of a card that features three-minute rounds for the first time for the champion. Baumgardner will look to use her reach and timing to keep Turhan at the end of her punches. Turhan will aim to cut off the ring and apply pressure to land her high-impact combinations. The outcome will hinge on whether Baumgardner's experience at the weight can counter Turhan's undefeated record and raw power.
Tickets for the event are being sold through the College Park Center box office and online partners. The broadcast will feature pre-fight analysis and post-fight interviews following the final bell. The result will determine the new face of the IBF lightweight division and the next step in Baumgardner's weight class progression.
