Caroline Dubois Beats Terri Harper On Points And Adds Wbo To Wbc Lightweight Title

Caroline Dubois added nan WBO world lightweight title to her WBC crown pinch a unanimous points triumph complete her chap Briton Terri Harper. The London-born younger sister of heavyweight Daniel Dubois scored a 98-91, 97-92, 98-91 triumph to spot disconnected Harper astatine London Olympia connected Sunday night.

Dubois struggled to get to her force initially, but floored her successful nan sixth information and ne'er looked backmost arsenic she moved a measurement person to unifying nan division.

Asked afterwards if that was now her aim, she told Sky Sports: “100% – that’s nan plan. I only want large fights from now on. I’ve sewage 2 much fights this twelvemonth and I want to make them 2 of nan biggest.”

The fighters had traded verbal exchanges during nan buildup to nan title pinch Harper shoving Dubois successful a tense face-off connected Wednesday, but she insisted location was thing successful nan animosity connected her part.

She said: “It was ne'er individual for me. It was ever individual for Terri. I’m a combatant and I’m an entertainer, I put myself retired location to show up for you guys, I talk nan talk to beryllium entertaining for you guys, and this is why this conflict was nan astir talked about, nan astir exciting.”

In a cagey opening round, neither combatant landed a meaningful rustle of statement pinch Harper easy sidestepping an expansive near hook from Dubois, though nan 29-year-old did get a consecutive correct manus done Dubois successful nan second.

Dubois enjoyed nan amended of nan close-quarter action successful nan 3rd information and arsenic nan tempo accrued successful nan fourth, it was she who started to score, delivering a bid of assemblage blows and a coagulated correct hook.

Harper mostly managed to support herself retired of range, but was caught pinch a dense near which sent her to nan canvas pinch 11 seconds of nan sixth information remaining, to Dubois’s clear delight.

Caroline Dubois shows disconnected her 2 world heavyweight belts. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Action Images/Reuters

Sensing an opportunity, nan 25-year-old stepped up a cogwheel and pinch Harper bleeding heavy aft a conflict of heads successful nan eighth, she went toe-to-toe pinch her force knowing she needed thing typical successful nan closing rounds.

Both remained connected their feet aft an attritional last 2 minutes, but a assured Dubois yet sewage nan verdict she wanted.

Earlier, Ellie Scotney had unified nan super-bantamweight section by beating Mayelli Flores connected points to return her WBA loop to spell pinch nan WBO, WBC and IBF world titles she already held.