British boxer of Nigerian descent, Caroline Dubois, successfully defended her WBC lightweight world title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Italy’s Camilla Panatta in Miami, United States.
Fighting outside the United Kingdom for the first time as a professional, the 24-year-old produced a composed and authoritative performance at the Kaseya Center, showcasing her superior speed, timing and ring intelligence over 10 rounds.
Read Also: Barau FC Stun Table-Toppers Rivers United with Emphatic 4–1 Victory in Kano | Sports247 Nigeria
Dubois, boxing from her preferred southpaw stance, controlled proceedings from the opening bell, repeatedly beating Panatta to the punch and dictating the tempo of the contest.
Her dominance was underlined in the sixth round when she floored the challenger with a perfectly timed counter right as Panatta dipped in to attack the body.
Although Panatta beat the count and saw out the round, she struggled to cope with Dubois’ variety and accuracy for the remainder of the fight.
The champion mixed her shots effectively, targeting both head and body, while Panatta had few answers as the rounds progressed.
At the final bell, there was no doubt about the outcome, with all three judges scoring the contest 99–90 in favour of Dubois.
“I felt like I could have done a little bit more. I give myself a B,” Dubois said in her post-fight assessment.
The victory extends Dubois’ professional record to 12 wins and one draw, while handing Panatta a third defeat in 12 bouts.
The fight also marked Dubois’ debut under new promoters, Most Valuable Promotions, on the undercard of the highly publicised heavyweight bout between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul.
Dubois’ move to MVP is expected to open up major opportunities in the lightweight division, with potential unification clashes against fellow champions such as Terri Harper, Stephanie Han and IBF title holder Elif Nur Turhan being discussed.
With her commanding display in Miami, Dubois has further strengthened her status as one of the leading figures in women’s boxing and signalled her readiness for bigger challenges on the global stage.
