Promoter Defends Women's Boxing Against 'Old, Staunch' Critics
As London prepares for a landmark boxing event this Sunday, promoter Nakisa Bidarian has issued a robust defence of women's boxing against its detractors, describing some critics as "old, staunch guys" who refuse to engage with the sport's evolution.
Historic Quadruple World-Title Card
The event at Olympia will feature four world-championship bouts headlined by Caroline Dubois defending her WBC lightweight title against WBO champion Terri Harper. This marks one of the most significant women's boxing cards in recent UK history, with multiple undisputed championships on the line.
In the chief-support fight, Ellie Scotney defends her unified super-bantamweight belts against Mayelli Flores, with the winner securing undisputed status in the division. The card also includes Emma Dolan challenging for her first world title against Irma Garcia, plus Chantelle Cameron facing Michaela Kotaskova for the vacant WBO super-welterweight belt.
Strategic Focus on Women's Boxing
Bidarian, who co-runs Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) with Jake Paul, explained the company's strategic approach during an exclusive interview. "We're focused on two groups of fans," he stated. "One is boxing fans who are now accustomed to seeing women's boxing as well, and there's some old, staunch guys who are like, 'I'll never watch it!' But there's lots of open-minded folks who say, 'This is a lot more exciting, this is non-stop action.' And two, we're focused on female sports fans, women who consume women's sports."
The promoter emphasized that targeting only traditional boxing audiences would be limiting. "If we're just targeting the same pool as all the other promoters in men's boxing, we're kind of dead on arrival," he noted, highlighting the importance of expanding the sport's appeal.
Growth and Development of Women's Boxing
Addressing dismissive social media comments about women's boxing, Bidarian pointed to the sport's relative youth and ongoing development. "First and foremost, it's a young sport," he explained. "It only became an Olympic sport in 2012, the talent is improving every single year, and the US has never had women's boxing at an Olympics they've hosted... but at LA 2028 we will have that, so that will further bring attention to the sport in a way we haven't seen before."
He described Sunday's event as particularly meaningful despite its smaller venue compared to previous MVP productions. "This event is smaller than some of the biggest ones we've done, in terms of venue, but it's bigger than everything other than 11 July in New York last year, because it's a quadruple world-championship card with UK fighters that have a stake in each of those championships," Bidarian elaborated.
New Broadcast Partnerships
The event comes as MVP announces significant broadcast developments. The company recently signed a multi-year deal with Sky Sports in the UK, complementing their earlier agreement with ESPN in the United States. "Our strategy and delivery to Sky is really focused on the women's vertical, which is MVPW," Bidarian revealed.
He welcomed Sky's broader investment in boxing, including their partnership with Zuffa Boxing. "I think Zuffa coming further solidifies Sky's investment in boxing. If it was just us, doing two or three shows a year here focused on women, that doesn't give me the same excitement as Zuffa coming here as well and doing five, six, seven shows, because that just means there's more investment internally at Sky."
Competitive Landscape and Future Prospects
Regarding Zuffa's controversial entry into boxing, Bidarian offered measured commentary. "It's not that we love or have a problem with Zuffa," he said. "I think a lot of people are questioning their desire to introduce a Zuffa belt. For me, what's important is having the best talent. You can't just create a belt and say, 'This is the best belt in the world and you should watch this, because you're seeing the best talent in the world.' No, the best talent in the world actually doesn't currently sit in Zuffa on a mass scale."
The promoter emphasized MVP's distinctive approach in a crowded market. "We've obviously taken a very specific strategy to focus on blockbuster live events and then really go deep on women's boxing. We've done this because we believe you can actually have a referenced brand that's female-oriented; it's hard to do that on the men's side, because you have promoters like Matchroom and Queensberry and PBC and Golden Boy and Top Rank... and now Zuffa."
Sunday's card will air live on Sky Sports and represents a pivotal moment for women's boxing in the UK, featuring established champions and rising prospects across multiple weight divisions.
