Not so long ago, WBO, IBF and WBA junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner had two fights in mind that would have defined the next chapter of her career. Unfortunately, neither is going to happen.

Earlier this year, Baumgardner targeted the biggest names in women's boxing: junior welterweight champion Katie Taylor and featherweight champ Amanda Serrano. In a matter of one month, however, each proved to be unattainable. Taylor retired in September after a farewell fight against Flora Pili in Dublin, while Serrano announced on Oct. 28 her own retirement bout would take place in January against Skye Fallon.

Baumgardner (18-1, 7 KOs), who is promoted by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, acknowledges she is disappointed, but also believes she's built her career around her own name, rather than the names of her opponents. And in light of Taylor and Serrano's retirements, she now has a clear opportunity to establish herself as one of the marquee names in women's boxing -- along with ESPN's No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, Claressa Shields -- when she moves up to 135 pounds to challenge undefeated IBF lightweight champion Elif Nur Turhan on Sunday in Arlington, Texas (ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET).

"I didn't need to be passed the torch, I took it," Baumgardner told ESPN in late October. "Obviously, those fights didn't happen, so I have to take it into my own hands. I'm taking the torch. I snatched it. Now, we're just building the stage for Alycia Baumgardner."

Baumgardner's move to 135 pounds brings immediate opportunities for bigger and better fights. A potential rivalry with WBC champion Caroline Dubois is already taking shape. The two exchanged words ringside in August, after Dubois defeated Amelia Moore in Birmingham, England. WBA champion Stephanie Han is another option, after raising her profile with back-to-back wins against Holly Holm in 2026.

And, of course, there's the woman Baumgardner fights on Saturday: Nur Turhan (14-0, 8 KOs), the hardest hitter in the division.

"I'm fighting against somebody that nobody wanted to fight in this division," Baumgardner said. "It just goes to show that I'm here to take a challenge, to fight 'the most dangerous fighter there is.' When somebody is close to being an undisputed champion, they don't want to take any chances. I take chances. That's how I became undisputed [at junior lightweight], by taking chances and being an underdog."

Baumgardner praised the talent of the three lightweight champions, while maintaining she's a bad stylistic matchup for all three and explaining how she would beat them.

It's an interesting table for Baumgardner to run, and an interesting place to start in Nur Turhan, who won the IBF title by fifth-round TKO against Beatriz Ferreira in December 2025 and has made two successful defenses since. If and when all goes well, Baumgardner has further aspirations and goals -- well beyond names like Taylor and Serrano.

"Fighting in Vegas, I think that's huge," said Baumgardner. "Not only that, but continue building fight purses and being one of the top-paid women athletes. We do that by setting the stage and the visibility. It's not only MVP that promotes me, I promote myself, I promote my brand, and that matters in the space that we're in right now."