LONDON – Caroline Dubois settled her rivalry with Terri Harper on Sunday with a unanimous decision victory, winning the WBO lightweight title and becoming the unified lightweight champion.
Dubois, who held the WBC title before the fight, won with scores of 98-91, 98-91 and 97-92.
“First of all, can I thank everyone very much? I like this atmosphere, this energy,” Dubois said. “Women’s boxing has always been at the forefront of boxing. Everyone who fought on this card. I couldn’t have done it without you. I know Terri Harper must have been nervous. But listen, Terri put on a good performance and showed why she’s a very, very, very good boxer.”
The fight began as a chess match, with both fighters taking time to hot up and stabilize, with Harper moving well and Dubois struggling to find her range.
The fight came to life when Dubois landed a spotless left hand slow in round 6, dropping Harper to the canvas. The bell rang before action could resume and Harper recovered well in Round 7, but Dubois’ confidence grew as she looked for further opportunities.
“I felt like I could take it to the next level,” Dubois said. “I don’t want to explain myself, but yes, it doesn’t matter. Yes, I felt like I started really well. Terri was very [tentative] and we knew it would be like that, and it was kind of difficult to get it. The sixth round came and it happened.”
Round 8 brought the action fans were hoping for, with both fighters hitting good shots. Dubois fired at her left and stabbed her, and a wound opened above Harper’s left eye.
Perhaps knowing she was behind on the cards, Harper found her second wind in rounds 9 and 10, coming at Dubois as the fight turned into a scrap.
Harper found success with several sturdy right hands and landed a left hook right at the bell in round 9. Harper then dropped her hands in round 10, but it wasn’t enough to move the judges.
Heavyweight champion Claressa Shields, who was with Dubois before the fight, put the fresh unified lightweight champion in the ring after the fight as they celebrated together.
The victory prepares Dubois for gigantic fights, and she has made it clear that she wants to become undisputed at 135 pounds. Stephanie Han, who is also promoted by MVP, holds the WBA belt, but she is scheduled to fight a rematch with Holly Holm in May. Elif Nur Turhan is the IBF champion and has signed a contract with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.
Dubois also said she would be willing to challenge unified junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner, although the American insisted the fight would be too early for Dubois.