Caroline Dubois is the 'next face of women's boxing', says promoter Ben Shalom

2 years ago 25

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Caroline Dubois. Remember the name.

The 21-year-old lightweight will make her long awaited professional debut in Cardiff on Saturday night and, according to Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom, is destined to become "the next face of women's boxing".

Inspired to take up the sport by big brother Daniel - the WBA number-one ranked heavyweight in the world - she is one of the most exciting young talents in British boxing.

Signing Dubois was quite the statement for Boxxer, who last year agreed an exclusive deal - alongside Top Rank in US - to broadcast fights on Sky Sports.

"There was huge competition to sign her. There's a presence about her, there's something special," Shalom says.

"We get excited because we know what she can do for women's boxing over the next 10 years. For any fighter with that potential or pedigree, they want to be on Sky and the biggest platform possible."

From Colin to Caroline

Dubois' drive and tenacity to succeed in the sport was evident from the moment she stepped foot in a boxing gym.

At the age of nine, the Londoner pretended to be a boy named Colin in order to train at a local gym which would not allow girls.

Her dedication and thirst to learn was equally matched with raw talent. Honing her skills at the Dale Youth Amateur Boxing Club in the years to come, the accolades began to stack up.

Having won the European Youth championships four times, Dubois was also crowned World Youth champion and then won gold at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Argentina.

"She can mix it up. She's got power. She's fast. She can fight on the back foot or take her time. She just has a boxing brain," Shalom says.

Dubois transitioned into the senior amateurs with ease and was rewarded with a call-up to the Team Great Britain squad for the 2021 Olympics.

'She didn't want to waste another three years'

Caroline Dubois v Sudaporn Seesondee at the Tokyo Olympics

As seen with the likes of Amir Khan, Katie Taylor and Anthony Joshua, an Olympic medal can catapult a young boxer into the professional ranks.

Dubois went to Tokyo with high hopes.

But her goal of standing proudly on the podium was ended when she narrowly lost a quarter-final bout against Thailand's Sudaporn Seesondee.

She was then faced with a dilemma all too familiar for decorated amateur boxers; continue the Olympic dream or take the more lucrative, yet risky, leap into professional boxing .

"She didn't want to spend another three years in the amateurs and gamble it all for three rounds in the Olympics," Shalom says.

Dubois joined her brother in trainer Shane McGuigan's stable. As a right-handed southpaw, a unique boxing style where her lead hand is the strongest weapon, Shalom says her style "will suit" professional game.

"She is an extremely special talent. Shane said he's never seen a female fighter like her," Shalom adds.

The next global women's boxing star?

Ireland's undisputed lightweight champion Taylor is widely credited for propelling women's boxing into the mainstream.

The 36-year-old will face American Amanda Serrano on 30 April in the first female bout to headline New York's iconic Madison Square Garden.

Shalom expects Dubois to fill a void once Taylor calls time on her career, and predicts his fighter will become a global superstar.

"Katie has broken barriers for the women's sport and taken to it another level," he says.

"Caroline with her background, the fact she is a girl, she's black and she has the odds stacked against her, she will be the next face of the women's sport.

"She will transcend the world of boxing. Just like Katie Taylor or Anthony Joshua has done. Caroline has the same star quality. "

'You need to save Caroline from herself'

With high hopes come huge expectations, but Shalom is acutely aware of carefully managing Dubois' career as she makes the adjustment to professional boxing.

"Caroline wants to fight world champions tomorrow," he says. "She feels ready but you almost need to save her from herself."

Shalom feels Dubois can learn from her brother's own setback in 2020. Daniel Dubois steamrolled through his first 15 opponents, stopping 14 inside the distance, before his unbeaten record was ended by Briton Joe Joyce.

"Daniel was perhaps thrown into the lion's den too early and maybe Caroline looks at that and understands it more," Shalom says.

"The fans want to see her in big 50-50 fights straight away but we don't want to go too risky too early.

"The good problem we have is that she can genuinely contend with the best already. It's frightening how good she is. She could win world titles in multiple divisions.

"But it's our job to guide and her and also develop her as a human being. To make sure she grows as a fighter, a person and a woman."

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