British boxer Caroline Dubois, of Nigerian descent, successfully defended her WBC lightweight world title in Miami, USA, defeating Italian boxer Camilla Panatta by points.
This was the 24-year-old’s first professional fight outside of Britain, and she displayed confidence and composure at the Kaseya Center, showcasing her exceptional speed, timing, and fighting intelligence throughout the ten rounds.
Using her preferred left-handed stance, Dubois dominated from the start, consistently leading Panatta and controlling the pace of the fight. In the sixth round, when Panatta launched an attack, Dubois seized the opportunity, landing a precise counter-attack that knocked her opponent to the ground, further solidifying her advantage. Although Panatta returned to her feet and fought to the end of the round, she struggled to turn the tide. Dubois, with her well-rounded technique and precise strikes, maintained absolute dominance for the remainder of the fight.
The defending champion effectively varied her punches, attacking her opponent’s head and body, while Panata struggled to find a counter-strategy throughout the rounds.
The final bell rang, and the result was a foregone conclusion: all three judges unanimously awarded Dubois a 99-90 victory.
After the fight, Dubois said, “I could have done better. I’d give myself a 2.”
With this victory, Dubois’s professional record improved to 12 wins and 1 draw, while Panata suffered her third loss in 12 fights.
This fight also marked Dubois’s debut under her new promotional company, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), appearing in the undercard of the highly anticipated heavyweight championship bout between Anthony Joshua and Jack Paul.
Dubois’s move to MVP should open up more opportunities for her in the lightweight division, including a potential unification bout. Other title holders, such as Terry Harper and Stephanie Han, are also being discussed. IBF champion Elif Noor Turhan is also under discussion. With her outstanding performance in Miami, Dubois further solidified her position as one of the leading figures in women’s boxing and demonstrated that she is ready to take on even greater challenges on the global stage.
