Elif Nur Turhan loses IBF lightweight title in first career defeat

Elif Nur Turhan's reign as IBF lightweight world champion is over. The Turkish boxer lost to Alycia Baumgardner on points in a ten-round fight, the first defeat of her professional career.

All the judges scored it for Baumgardner, who is the new IBF champion. The fight took place in Texas.

What happened?

This was Turhan's third defence of the belt. Instead, her 14-fight unbeaten streak came to an end.

The fight was held over three-minute rounds, which you don't often see in women's boxing. It was a first for Turhan.

She is known for her physical strength and pressure. This time, though, she couldn't take control against an opponent with more experience and a sharper strategy. Baumgardner, already an undisputed world champion at super-featherweight, moved up to lightweight for the fight and left with a second title.

How did Turhan get here?

Turhan won the IBF lightweight title in December 2025 by beating Beatriz Ferreira. After that she defended it against Taylah Gentzen and then Gabriella Tellez, which made her one of the most closely watched Turkish names in boxing.

This fight also marked a change off the ring. Turhan left Matchroom, her previous promoter, and fought for the first time under Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), the company co-founded by Jake Paul.

What's next?

Turhan will continue her career with MVP. Her stated goal is to work her way back and win the title again.

A first loss hurts, especially when it costs you a world title. But at 14 fights unbeaten before this night, she has a record to build on, and a rematch with a new champion would make for an interesting next chapter.