Alycia Baumgardner became a world champion in a second weight class Sunday night, November 8, defeating Elif Nur Turhan by unanimous decision to capture the IBF lightweight title at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. The former undisputed junior lightweight champion stepped up to 135 pounds and won every round on all three judges’ scorecards, 100-90, 100-90 and 100-90. Baumgardner improved to 19-1 with seven knockouts, while Turhan suffered her first professional loss and dropped to 14-1 with eight knockouts.
Baumgardner’s accuracy and timing took away the dangerous Turkish champion’s biggest weapon: her heavy punching. She worked behind straight shots, avoided much of Turhan’s wider offense and repeatedly made her pay for missed punches. Turhan was badly shaken in the third round, when confusion over the 10-second warning clapper briefly interrupted the action. The challenger also hurt her in later exchanges but ultimately settled for a commanding decision rather than a stoppage.
The achievement gives Baumgardner a new championship at lightweight while she continues to hold major titles at junior lightweight. It also reshapes the picture at 135 pounds, where other champions include Caroline Dubois and Stephanie Han, who have a unification fight scheduled for February 2027. Dubois attended Sunday’s event, adding immediate intrigue, but no fight with Baumgardner has been agreed. The meaningful news is not merely that Baumgardner won again: she neutralized an unbeaten power puncher, captured a belt in a heavier division and left open several potential championship routes.