Jake Paul’s MVP Launches First Women’s Boxing League with Star Roster

Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) has launched MVPW, a novel women’s boxing promotion featuring 43 signed fighters including several world title holders and top contenders. The first event, MVPW1, takes place on April 5 in London with a lightweight championship bout headlined by British fighters Caroline Dubois and Terri Harper. The promotion signifies a significant investment in female boxing and features a broadcast partnership with ESPN in the America and Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. The statement follows as MVP advances its development in female boxing, with super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner preparing to defend her WBO, WBA, and IBF championships versus Bo Mi Re Shin on April 17 in New York as part of the inaugural series.

A Fresh Age for Women’s Professional The Sport of Boxing

The establishment of MVPW marks a significant milestone for women’s boxing, signaling unparalleled support from major organizations to female athletes at the top tiers of the sport. Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of MVP, highlighted their five-year track record of financial backing in women’s boxers, providing what they call historic and record-breaking events. This fresh competitive framework provides a single stage for women boxers to take part in major stages, confronting long-standing disparities in promotional resources and media visibility that have traditionally favored male boxers. The collaboration with ESPN and Sky Sports secures these athletes will obtain significant broadcast visibility, a essential element in creating supporter communities and creating financial prospects.

While MVPW represents a major step forward, questions remain about how the organization will function and grow. Bidarian clarified that the organization prioritizes competitor well-being and quality competition over creating a restrictive framework that would confine fighters to sole participation within MVP. He showed enthusiasm for working alongside established sanctioning bodies like the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF rather than introducing a competing belt system. This approach indicates MVP aims to work within boxing’s existing regulatory framework while pushing for improvements that allow more flexible matchmaking and standardized marketing efforts to strengthen the sport and expand viewership.

• MVPW1 features Caroline Dubois versus Terri Harper in London
• Alycia Baumgardner protects three titles April 17 across New York
• Amanda Serrano stands as MVP’s marquee seven-division champion
• League includes 43 signed fighters throughout multiple weight divisions

First Events and Championship Matchups

MVPW’s debut schedule highlights the league’s commitment to presenting top-tier championship bouts across multiple weight divisions. The opening weekends of April and May will establish MVPW as a serious contender in professional boxing, with title defenses and competitive unification matches capturing international attention. These carefully curated matchups reflect MVP’s strategy of matching elite fighters against worthy challengers, creating compelling narratives that appeal to both devoted boxing enthusiasts and recreational sports fans looking for quality competition.

The first events extend across three continents, highlighting MVPW’s international aspirations and the universal appeal of women’s professional boxing. From London to New York to Texas, the league is establishing itself as an international powerhouse able to offer high-quality programming across diverse markets. Each card features fighters at the prime of their careers, many claiming major titles or pursuing championship opportunities, confirming that every bout carries significant implications for rankings and future matchmaking opportunities.

April’s Opening Days

MVPW1 debuts on April 5 in London with a lightweight title unification bout between British rivals Caroline Dubois and Terri Harper. This domestic clash headlines the league’s first event, capitalizing on robust local appeal and establishing MVPW’s credentials in a boxing-mad nation. The winner will consolidate lightweight dominance and become a marquee attraction for the fledgling league, establishing the standard for future events.

Just a dozen days after, April 17 features MVPW’s second significant event to New York, where super-featherweight titleholder Alycia Baumgardner defends her WBO, WBA, and IBF titles versus Bo Mi Re Shin. This triple-title defense showcases the level of competition MVPW is delivering from its first month, positioning the league as a venue for championship boxing competition and drawing significant media coverage and viewership.

May’s featured Texas Showdown

MVPW3 concludes the first month of events on May 30 in El Paso, Texas, showcasing a highly anticipated rematch between WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han and Holly Holm. After their January technical decision, this rematch provides clarity and resolution in a tough division. The Texas venue broadens MVPW’s geographic reach while delivering another title-level matchup that strengthens the league’s commitment to elite female boxing talent.

Understanding Regulatory Organizations and League Structure

While MVPW represents a significant milestone for women’s boxing, questions remain about how the league will function within boxing’s traditional sanctioning framework. MVP co-established leader Nakisa Bidarian emphasized that the organization prioritizes fighter welfare and matchmaking logic over rigid sanctioning body protocols. He stated the league is “not really about sanctioning bodies” but rather about the fighters involved, indicating a willingness to work alongside recognized bodies like the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF rather than in opposition to them. This partnership strategy distinguishes MVPW from competing promotions that have clashed with boxing’s governing bodies.

The league’s framework remains deliberately flexible, with Bidarian suggesting MVP’s willingness to introducing its own belt in the coming years while maintaining collaborations with current sanctioning bodies. Unlike traditional UFC closed systems where athletes compete exclusively within one entity, MVPW appears designed to enable champions to protect their championships across various organizations. This blended approach may transform the women’s boxing landscape by merging the promotional muscle and global platform of a unified league with the legitimacy and prestige of traditional world championships, potentially providing female fighters unmatched chances for prominent fights and career advancement.

• MVP respects sanctioning bodies but emphasizes strategic fighter pairings and brand growth
• MVPW may introduce its own championship belt while collaborating with existing organizations
• League structure allows fighters to compete across multiple platforms and sanctioning bodies

Celebrity Appeal and Financial Investment

MVP’s commitment to women’s boxing goes well past promotional rhetoric, with the organization featuring a roster of 43 signed fighters that includes several world title holders and top contenders. The league’s marquee attraction is seven-division champion Amanda Serrano, whose presence alongside other elite athletes at the debut press conference underscored MVP’s commitment to showcasing the sport’s leading women boxers. This concentration of talent signals MVP is willing to deploy significant financial resources to establish MVPW as a credible and attractive alternative to traditional boxing promotion models, placing women’s boxing at the forefront of their strategic expansion.

The monetary investment is further evidenced by the media deals secured with ESPN in the United States and Sky Sports in the United Kingdom, offering MVPW with premium distribution channels that guarantee visibility for participating athletes. Co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian indicated they have “invested heavily in female athletes” over the past five years and produced “historic and record-breaking events,” showcasing a track record of backing women’s boxing at the elite level. These collaborations and funding represent a pivotal turning point for female boxers, offering unprecedented opportunities for global exposure and financial compensation that conventional promotion models have historically denied them.

The Road Ahead for MVPW

MVPW’s first lineup demonstrates ambition spanning multiple continents, with MVPW1 launching on April 5 in London featuring a lightweight unification clash between British rivals Caroline Dubois and Terri Harper. Just 12 days later, super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner will defend her WBO, WBA, and IBF titles against Bo Mi Re Shin in New York, solidifying MVPW’s presence in the United States market. The third event on May 30 in El Paso, Texas will showcase WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han against Holly Holm in a eagerly awaited rematch, indicating MVP’s intention to create engaging storylines and repeat fights that maintain fan engagement throughout the inaugural season.

However, significant structural questions persist without clear answers about how MVPW will function over time. While MVP’s original announcement characterized the venture as a “global platform,” later online references to a “league” format created ambiguity about the organization’s long-term direction. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian has suggested MVP acknowledges current sanctioning bodies like the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF, suggesting MVPW will operate as a promotional vehicle rather than a closed UFC-style system restricting fighter movement. This approach prioritizes matchmaking flexibility and maximizing world champions within the MVPW brand, though it leaves unresolved whether the organization will eventually pursue its own championship belts.