Shane McGuigan, the trainer for Caroline Dubois, shared that Dubois is keenly eyeing a potential bout with the newly crowned IBF lightweight champion, Beatriz Ferreira, after Ferreira's recent victory to secure the vacant title. McGuigan, a long-time advocate of Dubois's potential, envisions a future clash between the two. However, Ferreira's immediate focus will shift to the Paris Olympics, where she is a strong contender for a gold medal.
McGuigan confirmed that Ferreira is definitely on Dubois's radar, stating, "Of course she is. Anyone with a belt." He noted that Ferreira had moments of brilliance in her recent fights, although there were inconsistencies. He also mentioned that promoter Eddie Hearn is making efforts to increase Ferreira's prominence in the boxing world by arranging fights for her abroad, which enhances her relevance further.
During the NextGen event, which Peter McGrail headlined against Marc Leach, Ferreira took some time to gauge her Argentine opponent before launching an aggressive assault that led to a stoppage. McGuigan highlighted the significance of Ferreira holding a world title, as it sets the stage for a high-stakes unification bout, potentially even for the undisputed championship should Katie Taylor not return to the lightweight division. Taylor, who is gearing up for a fight with Amanda Serrano in Texas this July, is not expected to move back to lightweight as she approaches the end of her distinguished career. Nonetheless, McGuigan expressed confidence in Dubois's readiness to take on such challenges, emphasizing:
"Caroline beats them all. She beats them all. I know she does, but that [fight with Ferreira] would be one of her hardest fights."
Dubois is likely to return to the ring at the Selhurst Park event, where her stablemate, WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith, faces Richard Riakporhe—the only man to defeat him professionally—in the main event. The promoters, Boxxer, initially planned to feature a bout between Adam Azim and Harlem Eubank at this venue but are now considering positioning it as a co-headline for a later event, as per discussions with Sky Sports.
Image Credit: Sky Sports