Caroline Dubois is ready to challenge the world’s best lightweights ‘straight away’ as she strives to become a dominant champion who ‘nobody can beat’.
The talented 20-year-old has confirmed her arrival in the professional ranks after signing for promotional team BOXXER, with details of her debut to be announced.
Dubois plans to challenge for titles at lightweight, a fiercely contested division, but is not concerned about competing with some of the sport’s top fighters.
“My weight there is that depth,” Dubois told Sky Sports.
“You’ve got Mikaela Mayer, Terri Harper, Natasha Jonas. A lot of people who look good, a lot of people who are world championship level and it’s a busy division.
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Dubois is a new rival for American star Mikaela Mayer
“I’m excited to be a part of it.
“I definitely feel like we’re still waiting for that No 1.”
Asked how quickly she can be moved, Dubois said: “I feel like the level that is in my weight, I can match it with the best of them straight away now.”
A split decision loss to Thailand’s Sudaporn Seesondee meant that Dubois was frustratingly denied the chance to advance beyond the quarter-finals at the Tokyo Olympics.
But Dubois says this rare setback has only motivated her more to produce a lengthy unbeaten record as a pro fighter.
“I’ve got a lot of hunger from the disappointment of the Olympics,” said the former Team GB boxer.
“I feel like I still need to prove myself. I want to learn, I really do. I want to get better.
“I want to be that fighter that nobody can touch, nobody can beat, and I know I will.
“I remember a coach at Sheffield and he said: ‘If you realise how good you are, you’ll be unbeatable,’ and I feel like I’m still finding out how good I am.”
Dubois has been joined in BOXXER’s promotional stable by Claressa Shields, America’s multi-weight world champion, and she wants to achieve similar success in the sport.
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Women’s boxing superstar Claressa Shields will fight on Sky Sports and that grudge match with Savannah Marshall looks on the cards
“I want to be someone that people remember. The way you remember Sugar Ray Leonard, or even Marvin Hagler, Muhammad Ali and people like that,” said Dubois.
“You don’t think about what weight they are, or anything like that, you just say, ‘He was a good boxer.’ I want the same to be said about me.
“I think I have the ability to move up, or even come down. We’ll see. I’m still young, I’m still growing, and I have a lot of potential.
“Watching her do what she [Shields] did in the Olympics two times. Watching her as an amateur and a pro show how good she is, it’s very inspiring.
“She’s a talented fighter. If you look at her story outside the ring and what she’s had to deal with, it’s amazing.”
Sky Sports Boxing schedule
September 11
Oscar Valdez vs Robson Conceicao – WBC super-featherweight title
September 25 – Sky Sports Box Office
Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk – IBF, WBA, WBO heavyweight titles
Lawrence Okolie vs Dilan Prasovic – WBO cruiserweight title
October 2
Chris Eubank Jr vs Sven Elbir
David Avanesyan vs Liam Taylor – European welterweight title
Richard Riakpohre vs Krzysztof Twardowski
Mikael Lawal vs Steven Ward
October 16
Savannah Marshall vs Lolita Muzeya – WBO middleweight title
Hughie Fury vs Christian Hammer
October 24
Jamel Herring vs Shakur Stevenson – WBO super-featherweight title
November 6
BOXXER tournament
December 18
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall – undisputed super-lightweight title
