LONDON — Caroline Dubois settled her rivalry with Terri Harper with a unanimous victory Sunday to pick up the WBO lightweight title and become unified lightweight champion.
Dubois, who held the WBC title heading into the bout, won with scores of 98-91, 98-91 and 97-92.
“First of all, can I say a massive thank you to everyone? Like this atmosphere, this energy,” Dubois said. “Women’s boxing has always been on the back burner of boxing. Everyone who fought in the card. I wouldn’t be able to do this without you. And I know that Terri Harper had to be upset. But listen, Terri had a good show and she showed why she is a very, very, very good boxer.”
The fight started as a chess match with both fighters taking their time to warm up and establish themselves, with Harper moving well while Dubois struggled to find her range.
The bout came to life when Dubois landed a clean left hand at the end of Round 6, dropping Harper to the canvas. The bell went before the action could resume and Harper recovered well in Round 7 but Dubois’ confidence grew as she moved in looking for more opportunities.
“I felt like I could have gone through the gears,” Dubois said. “I don’t want to make excuses, but yeah, it doesn’t matter. Yeah, I felt like I started really well. Terri was very [tentative] and we knew she was going to be and it was a bit tricky to get her. And the sixth round arrived and that’s what happened.”
Round 8 brought the action fans had been hoping for with both fighters landing good shots. Dubois kept firing her left and flicking the jab and a cut opened above Harper’s left eye.
Perhaps knowing she was behind on the cards, Harper found a second wind in Rounds 9 and 10, walking toward Dubois as the fight turned into a scrap.
Harper had success with a couple of strong right hands and landed a flush left hook right at the bell of Round 9. Harper then let her hands go 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 new unified lightweight champion on her shoulders in the ring after the fight as they celebrated together.
The win sets Dubois up for big fights and she has indicated she wants to become undisputed at 135 pounds. Stephanie Han, who is also promoted by MVP, holds the WBA belt but is set to rematch Holly Holm in May. Elif Nur Turhan is the IBF champion and is signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.
Dubois has also said she would be willing to challenge unified junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner, although the American has insisted the fight would be too soon for Dubois.