MVPW Arrives: ESPN Deal Brings All-Women’s Boxing League to Global Audience
MVP and ESPN Announce Long-Term Partnership to Launch MVPW Women’s Boxing League
Women’s boxing is set for a major boost following the announcement of a long-term partnership between Most Valuable Promotions and ESPN that will bring the sport’s biggest names and rising stars to a global audience.
The deal will support the launch of MVPW, the first dedicated women’s boxing league created to spotlight elite female fighters and capitalize on the rapidly growing interest in women’s sports. The league is scheduled to officially launch in April 2026, with ESPN serving as the broadcast home.
According to the announcement, MVPW already boasts an impressive roster of 43 signed fighters, including 38 world champions and top contenders, making it one of the most talent-rich collections of female boxers ever assembled under a single promotional banner.
The early schedule is already taking shape with championship bouts headlining the first events of the MVPW x ESPN era.
The April 17 launch event will take place at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will air live on ESPN. In the main event, unified super featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner will defend her titles against South Korea’s Bo Mi Re Shin. The bout will be contested under men’s championship rules of 10 three-minute rounds, a format many fighters have advocated for as women’s boxing continues to evolve.
The card will also feature another title clash as Shadasia Green faces Lani Daniels for the unified super middleweight world championship.
The momentum continues in May when Stephanie Han and Holly Holm meet in a rematch for the WBA lightweight championship on May 30 in El Paso. Han won the first bout via TKO due to a cut, setting the stage for a highly anticipated second meeting between the two.
With a deep roster, championship matchups, and the global reach of ESPN, the MVPW league is aiming to usher in a new era for women’s boxing—one designed to elevate the sport, expand opportunities for fighters, and bring the best female athletes in boxing to a larger audience than ever before.
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