The Boxing Truth®: Caroline Dubois

Monday, May 26, 2025

Should Harper Remain At Lightweight?

The fight between thred-division world champion Teri Harper and undefeated former Women's IBF Jr. Welterweight world champion Natalie Zimmermann on May 23rd in Doncaster,England at Keepmoat Stadium, it signaled what could be a beginning. Not only was Harper having a homecoming in front of an enthusiastic hometown crowd, but she was also making the first defense of the WBO Lightweight crown she had won in September of last year.

What would follow would arguably be one of the champion’s best performances in her career thus far. For ten rounds, Harper used her Boxing prowess, timing, hand speed, and ability to approach Zimmermann at varying angles as well as mixing levels of her attack to the head and body to put on a Boxing lesson for a very “Game," but on this occasion overmatched opponent in Zimmermann.

Despite it becoming evident from early in the bout that Zimmermann was a few steps behind Harper, and did not have an answer to combat the hand speed or timing of the champion, Zimmermann bravely fought on, surviving instances periodically throughout the fight where she appeared to be on the verge of being stopped by Harper inside the distance. Zimmermann’s bravery deserves even more praise when one considers that she suffered a severe gash in the tenth and final round on her forehead due to an accidental clash of heads, which was a gushing wound causing blood to flow over her face.

Although this observer having seen more than his fair share of wounds throughout the three decades I have covered Boxing and by extension combat sports expected the fight to be stopped given the severity of the gash and the obvious issue of blood flowing into Zimmermann’s eyes, incredibly and likely because of her courage throughout the fight, despite suffering significant punishment, the challenger was able to make it to the final bell. Despite losing a wide unanimous decision to Harper, who successfully defended her WBO Lightweight crown, Natalie Zimmermann, proved her mettle in suffering the first defeat of her career and can hold her head high with the courage she showed in the fight.

While there is little more to say about this fight beyond calling it a dominant performance by Teri Harper, the obvious question is, what will happen next? In previewing this bout between Harper and Natalie Zimmermann, this observer touched briefly on a commonality in Women's Boxing that sees many fighters move up or down in weight seemingly by fight and what opportunities may be available to them as the sport is still very much growing. For Teri Harper, who has won world titles from Jr. Lightweight to Jr. Middleweight, it may be debated as to where she will ultimately land.

After this performance, a viable option could be to remain in the 135lb. Lightweight division for the foreseeable future where fighters like current WBA world champion Stephanie Han, WBC world champion Caroline Dubois, and others could prove to be lucrative options for Harper, especially if the possibility to become an undisputed world champion ends up on the table for her, which seems to happen more frequently for female fighters as far as getting that opportunity compared to their male counterparts. What is indisputable is Women's Boxing continues to take advantage of long overdue opportunities by way of consistent exposure through television and streaming and as a result, interest not only continues to increase for the entire sport, but there are now far more lucrative opportunities for women in the sport than has ever been the case. If the Lightweight division is the next to benefit from that, the sport as a whole will ultimately reap the reward.

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Saturday, January 11, 2025

Simpson Retains British and Commonwealth Middleweight Championships By Stopping Woodall In 2

Undefeated British and Commonwealth Middleweight champion Callum Simpson scored a second round stoppage of Steed Woodall to retain his championships on Saturday night at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield, England. After an uneventful first round, Simpson dropped Woodall with a double left hook, right uppercut combination to the head in the second round. Woodall got up on unsteady legs and was put on the ropes after getting up at the count of nine only for Referee Mark Bates to seemingly step in at a questionable moment and stop the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 1:56 of round two. Callum Simpson advances to 16-0, with 11 Knockouts. Steed Woodall falls to 19-3-1, with 12

Also on this card:

WBC Women’s World Lightweight champion Caroline Dubois retained her world title via a three-round technical draw with two-time world title challenger Jessica Carmara. Dubois was in control from the opening bell and dropped Carmara with a one, two combination to the head in the opening round, Carmara’s right eye became severely swollen due to trying to block the onslaught of offense from the champion, but an accidental clash of heads opened a bad cut over Carmara’s left eye and the bout was not allowed to continue after the second round, but will go into the record books as a three round technical draw due to the referee calling time at the beginning of the round to have Carmara examined by the ringside physician, who would not allow Carmara to continue. Caroline Dubois advances to 10-0-1, with 5 Knockouts. Jessica Carmara advances to 14-4-1, with 3 Knockouts.

Undefeated Cruiserweight Scott Forrest scored an impressive second round knockout of Deevorn Miller. Forrest scored a knockdown in the first round with a perfectly timed counter right hand to the head as Miller was pressing the action. In round two, Forrest countered Miller again with a left uppercut, right hook, left hook combination to the head that sent Miller down for a second time and the bout was stopped. Official time of the stoppage was 1:49 of round two. Scott Forrest advances to 7-0, with 4 Knockouts. Deevorn Miller falls to 8-3, with 6 Knockouts.

Middleweight Sam Hickey scored the second win of his young career by scoring a first round knockout of Lewis Howles. Three knockdowns were scored, all as a result of left hooks to the body with the corner of Howles mercifully throwing the towel in following the third knockdown in the closing seconds of round one. Official time of the stoppage was 2:59 of round one. Sam Hickey advances to 2-0, with 1 Knockout. Lewis Howles falls to 3-2, with 1 Knockout.

Off-Air Preliminary bouts on this card: (Times and official scores not available as of this writing.)

Lightweight Elis Price (2-0, 1 Knockout) scored a first round stoppage of Liam Fitzmaurice* (0-1, 0 Knockouts) *Pro Debut for Fitzmaurice.*

Light-Heavyweight Billy Deniz (13-0, 5 Knockouts scored an eight round decision over Mickey Ellison (15-8, 5 Knockouts)

Middleweight Mauro Silva (7-0, 3 Knockouts scored a six round decision over Emmanuel Zion (6-3, 3 Knockouts)

Boxing is very much coming out of the holidays and this card promoted by Ben Shalom’s Boxxer and broadcast here in the United States on digital subscription entertainment network Peacock was ultimately short and sweet with four televised bouts producing a total of six rounds of action. While not the best for those looking for competitive action, sometimes styles and how fighters execute with those styles produce short nights at the office for lack of a better term.

Nevertheless, Callum Simpson is establishing himself as a fighter to watch in the 160lb. Middleweight division as he looks to continue progressing towards the world rankings in what was an impressive performance, in spite of what at worst was a questionable stoppage in when the decision was made to stop the fight and not so much on if the fight would have been stopped.

Caroline Dubois, like her brother, current IBF Heavyweight world champion Daniel Dubois was in his defense against Anthony Joshua in September of last year, was successful in her first defense as WBC Women’s World Lightweight champion. While she did not get a victory in a fight that was stopped due to an accidental clash of heads, she was impressive and appeared to be on the verge of getting that win via stoppage before the accident occurred.

Meanwhile, the two rising prospects that competed on this card Sam Hickey and Scott Forrest turned in impressive performances of their own in separate bouts and frankly showed skillsets in scoring knockout wins that seem to be advanced for the level that they are currently competing at. Whether that means both will be moved up to potentially more difficult competition as 2025 moves along, remains to be seen, but for now, they have emerged as fighters to keep an eye on moving forward.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”