Caroline Dubois makes her professional debut in Cardiff in a fortnight. It’s a special night for her. The anticipation is huge but she can handle it.
As an amateur, where she was unbeaten as a juvenile, she had to cope with being the sister of Daniel. Now she is ready to step out of big brother’s shadow and make a name for herself.
At the Tokyo Olympics she dropped a split decision to the eventual gold medallist in the round before the medals. There was little between them.
She is a very talented girl. Unusually, though right-handed, she fights as a southpaw. Back in the day the reverse was true. Left handers were taught to fight orthodox.
A good example of that was Henry Cooper. Our ‘Enery was a natural southpaw but the amateur coaches didn’t like it for some reason. It worked for Cooper because he had that pulverising left hook, the one that dropped Muhammad Ali.
Because Dubois has reversed her natural position her right hand is like ‘Enry’s ‘ammer, a tremendous shot. Her backhand up the middle is a wicked punch too.
Dubois is a dab hand at middle and long distance. She has really good feet, moves well and is an excellent combination puncher with fast hands, a very good finisher.
Working on the inside is where she needs to be more comfortable. This is always the case when making the transition from amateur to pro.
To master the pro game you have to learn to fight up close, to drift in an out of punching range is what it’s all about.
Good feet and good head movement is key. She is making the transition well.
She is different to Daniel. He is a powerhouse, a seek-and-destroy merchant. She relies more on skill.
She is a quiet kid, doesn’t say much but is a very popular figure in the gym.
I have no doubt that she will be a world champion, perhaps a two-division champion as she outgrows lightweight and moves up.
There is a strong female presence in our gym and that’s how we like it. Everyday women are sparring. It changes the working atmosphere.
As well as Caroline, Ellie Scotney is getting ready for her next fight in early February. They are two of the best female talents in the world.
They bounce off each other, motivate each other. For the coach it’s perfect. They work hard, two sessions a day. That is what it takes. There are no short cuts to success in this business.
- Follow Barry on Twitter at @ClonesCyclone @McGuigans_Gym @CyclonePromo
