Boxing
Exclusive: Terri Harper Eyes Showdown with Caroline Dubois After Historic WBO Title Win
Terri Harper, fresh off her historic WBO title win, looks toward a potential showdown with fellow Briton Caroline Dubois. Matchroom's Frank Smith shares insights on the blockbuster fight possibilities and the boxing politics involved
Image Credits: George Wood/Getty Images
Terri Harper, the first British female boxer to win world titles at three different weights, could be set for a mega fight against fellow Briton Caroline Dubois.
Harper Makes History in Sheffield
From Doncaster, Harper wrote her name into the history books of the sport when she dethroned WBO lightweight champion Rhiannon Dixon at Sheffield’s Canon Medical Arena last weekend.
Now, her promoter’s Matchroom want to pair the 27-year-old against Dubois, who appears destined to be crowned WBC queen shortly.
Matchroom Eyes Mega Fight with Dubois
Describing the meeting with Dixon as a “must win” for Harper, Matchroom’s chief executive officer Frank Smith told SportsBoom.com: “It set up some great opportunities for the winner and one of those is the Caroline Dubois fight.”
“Caroline is a tremendous fighter and she’s building a profile. She’s maturing as a person and becoming quite an outspoken character if you like, which I’d have never thought I’d have seen from first meeting her a few years ago.”
Unlike Dixon, who also competes under the Matchroom banner, Dubois’ career is guided by Ben Shalom of Boxxer.
Boxing Politics
Representatives of the two companies, including the former’s chairman Eddie Hearn, have recently been involved in a bitter war of words after he accused Shalom of deliberately avoiding a bout between Dubois’ stablemate Adam Azim and Dalton Smith.
“These are the fights (between Harper and Dubois) which need to be made,” Smith continued.
“These are the fights, cross-promotional, which have to happen.”
“Hopefully, if the fight does get made then she (Dubois) doesn’t get pulled out.”
Dubois, the sister of IBF heavyweight king and Anthony Joshua conqueror Daniel, was recently named as interim champion by the Mexico based sanctioning body following her victory over Maira Moneo in August.
That makes her the mandatory challenger to Katie Taylor, but Dubois will be upgraded to full champion if the Irishwoman is either stripped of or vacates the belt.
Harper, who has also won world honours at super-welterweight and super featherweight, entered her clash with the previously unbeaten Dixon on the back of a chastening defeat to Sandy Ryan.
The Derby based welterweight, who surrendered her WBO crown in controversial circumstances to Mikaela Meyer on Friday night, proved too strong for Harper during their bout six months ago - something which prompted the latter to step back down to her natural division.
It’s always difficult when you promote both.
Terri Harper
A Fight for the Fans
“But it’s our job to deliver the biggest fights for the public and our fighters. We want to make sure they get the best opportunities possible.
“It’s all about relationships. We don’t get into the ring. The reality is we don’t make another difference whatsoever, because in the ring the best person on the night comes through.”
“We knew it was all set up for the winner,” he added.
With Terri beating Rhiannon - and fair play to her for taking the fight, because that’s what she wants, the best fights possible - it puts her right back in the mix.
She was never really out of it, but she’s got the chance now to make a lot of money.
Terri Harper
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.