BoxingTalk Story |
Source: Boxxer
17/07/2024
Caroline Dubois has committed her future in the sport to Boxxer by signing a long-term promotional pact with the promoter. Confirmation of the new deal comes with an announcement of world title action, a bout against Maira Moneo for the IBO and WBC interim titles in the lightweight division on Saturday, August 3rd at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA. Dubois will be defending her IBO title, while Moneo puts her WBC interim belt on the line with the winner hoping to be in the express lane to face Irish boxing legend and current WBC lightweight champion Katie Taylor. Twenty-three-year-old ‘Sweet Caroline’ Dubois (9-0, 5 KOs) has got off to the perfect start to her professional career after having been crowned Youth Olympic, World Youth and four-time European Youth champion as an amateur.
Dubois’ unbeaten run in the paid ranks includes a convincing win over Magali Rodriguez to claim the IBO title in September 2023 and a successful defense against Miranda Reyes in February 2024. The Shane McGuiga- trained fighter will now join a big night of boxing in Barnsley topped by the British and Commonwealth super middleweight title fight between defending champion Zak Chelli and local star Callum Simpson.
To realize a dream fight with Taylor, Dubois must first overcome Moneo (14-1, 3 KO), the former WBA interim title holder and current WBC interim lightweight champion. Known as ‘La Panterita’, the thirty-one-year-old Uruguayan, Moneo, has mixed with top level opposition. She holds a victory over former two-weight world ruler Erica Anabella Farias and the only blemish on her record is the result of a disqualification in a 2020 bout with Yanina del Carmen Lescano due to a clash of heads.
Caroline Dubois said: “I’m very happy to have signed a new deal with Boxxer, Ben Shalom and Sky Sports. For me, it’s the biggest platform and I’ve been impressed with the amount they’ve invested in me and in female boxing. I’m ready to announce myself on the big stage. I want to be world champion. I want to be fighting for world titles against the likes of Rhiannon Dixon, Beatriz Ferreira and Katie Taylor. I want to unify the division. I want to be undisputed and then I want to move up in weight. I want to go all the way and to do something that has never been done before. I want to transform the sport of female boxing and to change the way it’s viewed to make sure it gets the respect it deserves.
“Moneo is a fight that can propel me to the next level. She’s game, she’s tough and she believes she’s going to win. She is going to bring that South American mentality, tenacity and energy. She has a lot of experience. She’s had a lot of fights so I don’t think she’s going to be overawed. She’s going to be aggressive and non-stop punching and I’m ready and I’m excited for that.
“Every time I step in the ring, I want to do damage. I want to excite people. I want people to say: ‘Wow, that Caroline Dubois, she’s something special!’ I want my name to be in their minds and on their lips. Whether it’s a knockout or a ten round beatdown, I want to be the standout performance of the night, and on August 3rd, I’m coming to steal the show.
“After this fight, I will be on a collision course with Katie Taylor. I will be the interim champion, her mandatory and unless she vacates, we’re fighting next!”
Moneo said: “I am looking forward to coming to the UK to fight Caroline Dubois. She is a very good fighter, and deserves my respect, but she has never faced anyone like ‘La Panterita’. I will show her why I’m the interim 135 lbs champion. I promise, I will be bringing the belts back home to Uruguay and Argentina with me.”
Boxxer CEO Ben Shalom said: “Caroline Dubois is one of the future faces of world boxing. She is a special talent. We’ve worked with her from her pro debut and we’re delighted that she continues to put her faith in us to guide her career to the highest level.
“At just 23-years of age, she has already achieved so much. On August 3rd, as part of a huge night of boxing in Barnsley, she steps up to challenge Maira Moneo for the WBC Interim World Title, which can pave the way for some massive fights including a potential shot at female boxing icon Katie Taylor. It doesn’t get any bigger than that. This is an opportunity for Caroline to realise her dream and set up a fight with one of the biggest names in the sport in what can be a real ‘passing of the torch’ moment.”