Caroline Dubois and Terri Harper traded barbs at the launch press conference ahead of their world title unification on Sunday April 5 at Kensington’s Olympia, live on Sky Sports.
Both Britons hold lightweight world championships — Dubois is the WBC champion while Harper holds the WBO 135lb belt — and will meet to unify the division. Tensions have risen as the rivalry grows increasingly personal, with Dubois publicly downplaying Harper’s credentials.
Harper, a three-division champion, said Dubois’s remarks amount to “disrespect” and insisted the bout is about more than belts. “This fight isn’t about the belts. For me I just want to fight Caroline. That will be the sweetest victory of my career,” she said. “She’s massively overlooking me and thinks it’s going to be an easy night.”
Dubois responded bluntly: “It is going to be an easy night. I think she doesn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth.” During the press conference Dubois interrupted Harper and later stepped into her space at the face-off, prompting a staredown. “I know I’m going to get past this fight. I believe I’m going to smash her up,” Dubois said. “I can’t wait. This is the start of my future, of my legacy, of my greatness and I’m going all the way. I called her irrelevant because I believe she is. My legacy starts with becoming undisputed in the lightweight division. Unfortunately for Terri she’s the one holding the belt.”
Harper said the verbal jabs have only fired her up. “For me it’s the disrespect from Caroline,” she said. “She’s doing a great job at selling the fight, she’s doing my job for me. I’m just being my authentic self. All this means nothing — it’s what happens on the night.” Harper emphasized her work-rate and experience as advantages: “My engine and my work-rate, she’s not going to be able to match it. I had to learn the hard way and I believe she’s doing that too.”
On the same bill, Catford’s three-belt world super-bantamweight champion Ellie Scotney will face Mexico’s Mayelli Flores. Scotney said a win would make her the youngest British undisputed world champion in the four-belt era. “I remember when I was waiting for my shot and how long it took,” she said. “Here in front of me is the final piece of the puzzle. Whenever I pictured fighting for undisputed it was always at home. To be back home boxing in Britain, with Sky Sports, I’m just grateful. It’s a bit different when you come from south London, you’ve got to work a little bit harder and you appreciate it a little bit more.”
Watch the Dubois vs Harper and Scotney vs Flores bill live on Sky Sports on Sunday April 5.