Turhan, Baumgardner Trade Final Words Ahead of Sunday's IBF Lightweight Title Fight

ARLINGTON, Texas — Alycia Baumgardner did not come to Texas Live! to whisper.

"I'm ready to punch her in the face," the unified super featherweight champion said Friday at Most Valuable Promotions' final press conference for MVPW-07, pointing across the stage at undefeated IBF lightweight champion Elif Nur Turhan. Baumgardner (18-1, 7 KOs) is moving up to 135 pounds Sunday night at College Park Center, chasing a second-division title over 10 three-minute rounds on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and the ESPN App — men's rules, and no soft landing.

Turhan (14-0, 8 KOs), the "Golden Turkish Warrior," took the shot in stride through a translator. "That's our job. It's normal for her to do that," she said. She thanked Baumgardner for pushing three-minute rounds and said the camp for this one has been harder than the last: "Hopefully this performance will be much better."

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Baumgardner: Experience, Separation, and a Shot at Dubois

Baumgardner framed the step-up as the point. "I have one of the best challenges in front of me when we talk about stepping up," she said. "Experience is everything in boxing, and I have that under my belt." She promised "high-level boxing," not just two fighters trading, and said Sunday is about more than another belt: "It is about separating myself."

She also turned the microphone on Caroline Dubois, who shares an MVP card with Stephanie Han on Feb. 20 in El Paso. "Caroline did not want this fight," Baumgardner said of a Turhan matchup. "When we talk about stepping up, I'm talking about being a big dog. She's still a puppy." Dubois, seated for the same media session ahead of that unification, fired back: "Alycia's been running and ducking and diving for as long as she can. … I have to get through Han. She has to get through Turhan. We're going to make it happen."

Han kept her eyes on El Paso. "I'm the underdog, but I'm a champion for a reason," she said. "I'm going to stay champion, and I'm the future undisputed lightweight champion." For the signed date and belts, see Dubois vs. Han at MVPW-09.

Co-Main: Ali vs. Kreps for Two Belts at 122

The co-main is another title night. Somali-British Ramla Ali (11-2, 3 KOs) meets undefeated New Yorker Mikiah Kreps (11-0, 3 KOs) for the vacant WBO and IBF super bantamweight titles over 10 rounds.

"It would mean the absolute world," Ali said of unifying. "Don't sleep on me." Kreps, a former sparring partner, answered with respect and a hard edge: "Winning Sunday night is everything. I'm here to win."

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WBC super bantamweight champion Skye Nicolson (16-1, 3 KOs) makes her MVP debut and said she'll keep "one eye" on Ali-Kreps for a possible unification. Japan's Miyo Yoshida (19-5, 1 KO) shares that undercard stretch with Mexico's IBF super flyweight champion Irma Garcia (26-5-1, 6 KOs) and Panama's WBA super flyweight champion Nataly Delgado (21-7-2, 5 KOs).

When and Where

Public weigh-in is Saturday, Nov. 7, at 6 p.m. CT at Texas Live!, streaming on MVP's YouTube and the ESPN App. Sunday's prelims open on the ESPN App at 5:15 p.m. ET / 4:15 p.m. CT; the main card starts at 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (1:30 a.m. GMT on Sky Sports in the U.K.). Tickets are at AXS.com. Full press conference replay: MVP YouTube.

The Kimster's Take

Baumgardner is selling Sunday as a statement fight — new weight, men's rounds, and a public dare aimed past Turhan toward Dubois. Turhan is selling composure and homework. One of those pitches usually dies in the first three minutes of a 10x3. If you want a round call on Turhan-Baumgardner or Ali-Kreps before the scale drama Saturday, lock it on Fight Picker and check the fighters' Boxbid pages while you wait.

Sources: Most Valuable Promotions final press conference release, Nov. 6, 2026. Photos: Most Valuable Promotions.