Alycia Baumgardner (15-1, 7KOs), who was recently allowed to resume her career after being taken off the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC’s) list of suspended athletes, has seen the WBC ensure the current undisputed super-featherweight champion makes a swift return to the ring. 

The WBC has called for purse bids, which will see Baumgardner defend her respective titles against Defline Persoon (49-3, 19KOs), with the opening due to take place at the WBC's headquarters in Mexico City at 1pm local time on March 15. 

Baumgarder has had to sit on the sidelines following her successful title defense against Christina Linardatou on July 12 last year after anti-doping discrepancies for the substance mesterolone. 

The positive test was taken before her successful defense, but the results were only revealed the following month. 

In January 2024, the WBC – a sanctioning body rather than a governing body – claimed to have “cleared” Baumgardner of intentionally taking the substance and she was not stripped of her title.

Baumgardner said on March 8 she had been cleared by Michigan’s Unarmed Combat Commission, which had suspended Baumgardner as a consequence of the contest taking place in Detroit. 

Persoon, a former longtime holder of the WBC lightweight title between 2014 and 2019, twice fought Katie Taylor in losing efforts in 2019 and 2020. 

The 2019 contest was a Fight of the Year candidate at Madison Square Garden Arena, which Taylor edged by a narrow majority decision win. 

Persoon faced Taylor again in 2020 during the pandemic, with the rematch taking place at Matchroom Boxing’s headquarters in Brentwood, Essex in the United Kingdom.

Another thrilling encounter saw Taylor claim a narrow victory, earning a unanimous decision with three identical scorecards of 96-94. 

The Belgian, following her 2020 fight with Taylor, has gone unbeaten in six contests with five wins and a No Contest.