Alycia Baumgardner will close out 2025 in the co-main event of what could become the most-watched boxing broadcast of all time. Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua streams Friday on Netflix — a platform with more than 300 million subscribers — and plenty of viewers will tune in expecting Joshua to finally shut down the polarizing Paul in their heavyweight matchup. What they don’t yet realize is they’ll also be introduced to “the face of women’s boxing,” at least according to Paul himself.
“The new face of women’s boxing right here, next year’s going to be big,” Paul said at Wednesday’s press conference when asked what 2026 looks like for Baumgardner.
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Never one to shy away from the spotlight, Baumgardner embraced the endorsement and made it clear she’s open to any big fights or business opportunities coming her way.
“I came to this game as a competitor, as a challenger, as a champion. I don’t duck no smoke from nobody,” she said. “In 2026, you’re going to see … I’m not going to say that. You’re just going to see.”
Alycia Baumgardner (left) and Leila Beaudoin face off during a press conference at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Wednesday. (Photo by D.A. Varela/PA Images via Getty Images)
(D.A. Varela – PA Images via Getty Images)
For a moment, the unified super featherweight champion paused — a brief flicker of humility. She stopped just short of proclaiming herself the face of the sport, likely out of respect for stablemate Amanda Serrano, who is set for a major fight in early 2026, or for global star Katie Taylor, who continues plotting her next moves.
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And of course, Claressa Shields — a three-division champion, three-time undisputed champion, and two-time Olympic gold medalist — remains one of the most accomplished fighters of her generation. Still, Baumgardner’s crossover appeal is growing quickly. If her trajectory continues, she may one day rival all three in mainstream recognition. After all, that’s part of the reason a fighter of Baumgardner’s caliber signs with Most Valuable Promotions in the first place.
MVP, co-founded by Paul and CEO Nakisa Bidarian, previously took Amanda Serrano, an already decorated but relatively underexposed competitor in the broader sports landscape, and helped turn her into one of the biggest stars in women’s boxing history. Serrano and Taylor headlined two all-women’s cards, including their sold-out 2022 showdown at Madison Square Garden, still considered one of the most significant fights in the sport’s modern era.
Baumgardner arrives to MVP with even more natural mainstream potential. She’s fashionable, charismatic, effortlessly marketable — designer fits, jewelry, immaculate hair and makeup — looking as comfortable on a red carpet as she does inside the ropes. But beneath all that is a fighter with real bite.
Her back-to-back wins over Terri Harper and Mikaela Mayer, the latter a split-decision victory that unified the 130-pound division, established her as one of the most explosive talents in the sport. The only derailment on her rise came in mid-2023, when she tested positive for two banned substances in a voluntary anti-doping test ahead of her bout with Christina Linardatou. Baumgardner maintained she was a clean athlete, and in January 2024 she was cleared of intentionally taking a banned substance.
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From there, it was straight back to business. She defended her undisputed titles against Delfine Persoon that September, then signed with Most Valuable Promotions in March 2025. The move landed her as the co-main event of Taylor–Serrano 3 at Madison Square Garden, where she defeated Jennifer Miranda by unanimous decision and showcased her star power on one of the biggest stages possible.
Now Paul has tapped Baumgardner to help anchor what could be the biggest boxing show in streaming history. Her co-main slot on the Joshua–Paul card puts her in front of more casual viewers than she’s ever reached at once — an opportunity that could accelerate her path to superstardom.
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As much as Baumgardner appreciates the exposure, she sounds more than ready for the next step.
“Everything is a transition. I’ve been in a transition period. I’m happy to take my time, I’m happy to be patient in this game,” she said Wednesday. “I have a great team around me, and 2026 is the beginning of Alycia Baumgardner. I’m all for seeing how MVP puts that together. They’re great — they listen, they’re vocal, they hear my needs, and you’ll definitely see me main-event soon.”
First things first: Baumgardner must handle business against Leila Beaudoin on Friday. A dominant performance would serve as the final springboard into a massive 2026 and perhaps the final confirmation that boxing’s next crossover superstar is already stepping into view.
