After ten three-minute rounds, there was very little room for debate.

Baumgardner delivered a dominant performance against previously unbeaten Elif Nur Turhan at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, capturing the IBF lightweight championship and becoming a two-division world champion.

The official scores were 100-90 on all three cards.

It was the type of performance that makes a statement to the rest of the division.

Turhan entered the contest with an undefeated record, a world championship and a reputation as one of the hardest punchers at lightweight. Although widely viewed as the underdog, the Turkish fighter had stopped Olympic gold medalist Beatriz Ferreira to capture the IBF title and was expected to provide Baumgardner with a difficult test.

Baumgardner made the fight look relatively easy. She was faster, sharper and technically superior throughout the contest. She controlled the distance, consistently landed the cleaner punches and used her movement to prevent Turhan from establishing any sustained offense.

There were moments when Baumgardner’s big punches did some real damage, particularly in the third and seventh rounds, but Turhan showed enough toughness to survive until the final bell.

For Baumgardner, the victory was about more than adding another championship belt to her collection. She had already established herself as one of the best fighters in women's boxing during her reign at 130 pounds, where she became an undisputed champion.

Now, at 32 years old, she has an opportunity to accomplish the same feat in a second weight division, and she has already made her intentions clear.

That ambition sets the stage for a potential high-stakes showdown with Caroline Dubois, who currently holds the Ring, WBC and WBO championships.

The two fighters have exchanged words for months, and their rivalry intensified following Sunday's contest when Dubois confronted Baumgardner during her post-fight interview.

There is certainly no shortage of bad blood between them. There's also a strong business argument for making the fight.

Dubois, who was ringside to watch Baumgardner’s latest win, is younger, undefeated and has established herself as one of the most talented fighters in women's boxing. Baumgardner brings championship experience, punching power and a proven ability to perform against elite opposition.

It is the type of fight that could generate attention on both sides of the Atlantic due to the U.S. vs. UK rivalry. Before that fight can be seriously explored, Dubois has some business of her own to handle. She is scheduled to face undefeated WBA champion Stephanie Han in a lightweight unification on February 20 in Texas.

Should Dubois emerge victorious, a showdown with Baumgardner would bring all five of the major lightweight championships into play. But Han, who also sat ringside on Sunday, cannot be overlooked. The unbeaten champion has her own ambitions and an opportunity to disrupt the plans surrounding a potential Baumgardner-Dubois showdown.

If Han defeats Dubois, she would become the obvious target for Baumgardner instead. Either outcome leaves Baumgardner in an attractive position. She can afford to wait for the result before determining her next move. The question is whether waiting would be the best decision.

Baumgardner has already spent considerable time on the sidelines during her career, and another extended period of inactivity would do little to help her momentum.

She could pursue another defense of her IBF title, continue building her profile at lightweight and remain prepared for a unification later in 2027.

There are also other potential opportunities – but several of them are now complicated to make.

A rematch with Mikaela Mayer would generate interest given the controversy surrounding their first encounter in 2022, when Baumgardner secured a split decision in a closely contested battle.

However, Mayer's current position as a welterweight would make the logistics of a rematch more complicated.

Other possibilities that existed a year ago are now in the wind. Katie Taylor retired earlier this year, and Amanda Serrano is scheduled to retire before the year is over.

For now, the most logical path remains at lightweight.

Baumgardner against Dubois is arguably the biggest fight that can be made at lightweight, especially with the undisputed championship potentially at stake. That is an opportunity worth pursuing, but Baumgardner should be careful about allowing one particular opponent to dictate the direction of her career.

Sunday's performance demonstrated that she belongs among the elite at lightweight. She conquered one division and now has a very real opportunity to conquer another.