Caroline Dubois calls out Alycia Baumgardner after lightweight title win

Caroline Dubois has called out Alycia Baumgardner after the American’s move to lightweight. Dubois wants an undisputed fight once she clears Stephanie Han in February. She was ringside in Texas as Baumgardner took the IBF title.

Baumgardner beat Elif Nur Turhan on Sunday to become a two-weight world champion. All three judges scored every round for the former undisputed super-featherweight. Dubois answered with a clear challenge on Sky Sports.

Caroline Dubois: ‘The biggest test’

“Of course, I knew it was going to happen. I said it. I said that there was nothing left for her at 130,” Dubois told Sky Sports. “She’s been a position now where she’s run out of opponents.”

“You have to challenge yourself, you have to test yourself and that test, the biggest test for her career is going to be against me. I knew she was going to have to step up.”

Dubois already holds the WBC and WBO lightweight titles. She wants Baumgardner’s IBF belt in a unification. “What’s the point of moving up in weight and having one belt? There’s no point going halfway, you go all the way,” she said.

Baumgardner’s lightweight step-up

The Independent reports that Baumgardner dominated Turhan for the IBF lightweight crown. Turhan lost her title and her unbeaten record. Baumgardner had been undisputed at super-featherweight before the move up.

Our preview of the Texas card covered the UK angle in Turhan vs Baumgardner: UK time and TV. Dubois watched from ringside and spoke after the final bell.

Next up: Stephanie Han

Dubois faces Stephanie Han in El Paso on 20 February, live on Sky Sports. Han’s WBA title will be on the line with Dubois’s WBC and WBO belts. Both fighters are unbeaten as professionals.

Dave.Sport previously detailed the date in Caroline Dubois vs Stephanie Han confirmed. Dubois must win that bout to keep the Baumgardner plan on track.

Boxer	Titles / status	Next step
Caroline Dubois	WBC and WBO lightweight champion	Stephanie Han, 20 February
Alycia Baumgardner	IBF lightweight champion	Called out for unification
Stephanie Han	WBA lightweight champion; unbeaten	Faces Dubois in El Paso

Why the rivalry matters

Dubois and Baumgardner have traded words for months. In August, Baumgardner confronted Dubois after the Amelia Moore win. On Sunday the roles reversed. Dubois says she would be “very frustrated” if one belt blocked an undisputed night.

“If she’s as great as she says she is then hopefully that’s the character she will have and she would relish the opportunity,” Dubois added. She wants the fight on the biggest stage when both are ready.

Sunday’s Arlington card

The same Texas bill saw Ramla Ali win the vacant WBO and IBF super-bantamweight titles. We reported that result in our Ramla Ali world-title piece. More British boxing coverage is on our British boxing hub and world title fights hub.

British interest in the lightweight division is high after Dubois’s title run. A future Dubois-Baumgardner night would be one of the biggest women’s fights available to UK audiences on Sky Sports.

Dubois’s February date with Han is the next checkpoint. Only after that does the Baumgardner unification become the live target she outlined on Monday.