Baumgardner Wins All 10 Rounds to Take Turhan's IBF Belt

Alycia Baumgardner is now a two-division world champion. She beat Elif Nur Turhan on Sunday night, and all three judges gave her every round.

A belt at 135 after the run at 130

The IBF lightweight title came in Baumgardner's lightweight debut. Before it she had an undisputed run at 130 pounds. Her record now stands at 19-1 with 7 knockouts.

The win puts a possible unification with Caroline Dubois in play. The report does not say whether that fight is set.

Where it was held and who else fought

The bout headlined Most Valuable Promotions at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. Ten three-minute rounds were on the schedule, with the weight capped at 135 pounds.

Earlier that night, Ramla Ali took the vacant IBF and WBO super bantamweight titles with a split decision over Mikiah Kreps. Skye Nicolson held on to her WBC belt at the same weight, beating Miyo Yoshida by unanimous decision.

Three shutout cards

Each judge scored it 100-90. Not one found a round for Turhan, even though her sharpest work came late.

She connected with clean uppercuts in the ninth. In the tenth she pushed forward, hunting a big shot after a night spent behind. Baumgardner, 32, stayed calm and kept making her miss.

How the jab decided the range

Turhan, 31, came in at 14-1 with 8 knockouts. Early on she tried to close the distance for her looping right hand. The jab meant she had to begin those attacks from too far out. Whenever she threw the overhand anyway, Baumgardner moved clear and fired back before Turhan could reset.

Turhan did not let up. Through the middle rounds she stayed active, and her hooks and uppercuts found targets once she shortened her punches. Baumgardner absorbed them, returned to the jab and forced Turhan to start her approach again from outside.

Turhan's best work came only when she was close enough not to reach. Getting there too often meant risking a wide punch.

Source: Boxing News 24