Caroline Dubois has announced that she will no longer be training under Shane McGuigan as she prepares to defend her WBC and WBO lightweight crowns against Amelia Moore at the BP Pulse LIVE Arena in Birmingham on August 29. The bout will be broadcast live on Sky Sports and will feature ten two‑minute rounds at the 135‑pound limit.
McGuigan, widely regarded as one of the premier boxing coaches in the world, first linked up with Dubois in 2021. Their partnership quickly bore fruit, delivering a string of high‑profile victories that elevated the 25‑year‑old Briton to unified champion status. Under McGuigan’s guidance, Dubois stopped Maira Moneo, out‑pointed Bo Mi Re Shin and, most notably, secured a unification win over Terri Harper in April, a fight that cemented her position at the top of the women’s lightweight division. Despite the success, Dubois has decided to join forces with Manny Robles, the celebrated trainer behind Andy Ruiz Jr., Oscar Valdez and Brandon Figueroa.
She explained that the move is motivated purely by her ambition to dominate the sport, not by any personal grievance. "Most fighters leave a coach after a loss, looking for a scapegoat.
That’s a weak excuse," Dubois said. "I’m incredibly grateful to Shane for everything he’s done, but I’m on a quest for greatness and I believe a new environment in the United States will help me reach the next level." Dubois praised McGuigan, describing him as a "phenomenal coach" and emphasizing how proud she is of the journey they shared. "Together we turned me into a unified world champion and gave women’s boxing a bigger stage," she added.
"That work doesn’t disappear; it becomes part of my foundation. I’m honored and privileged to have been part of his team." The upcoming fight against Amelia Moore is part of a card that will also showcase Mikaela Mayer versus Chantelle Cameron as the main event.
All of the contests on the night will feature female fighters from the United Kingdom and the United States, underscoring the growing international appeal of women’s boxing. Dubois also voiced frustration that she is being asked to defend her belts rather than pursue further unification bouts. She had previously tried to arrange a showdown with Turkish contender Elif Nur Turhan, but the negotiations fell apart over what Dubois described as an "astronomical" purse demand.
"The amount she asked for was absurd – it sounded like a joke," Dubois said. "If I told you the figure, you’d think I was exaggerating.
It was the kind of money that would set someone up for life, not a realistic fight purse." While the Turhan fight may still materialize in the future, Dubois is also eyeing a clash with WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han. Earlier this year she publicly called out Alycia Baumgardner, insisting that their highly anticipated encounter "has to happen sooner rather than later." These statements highlight Dubois’s desire to keep testing herself against the very best in the division. McGuigan, reflecting on his former protégé, remains confident in her potential. In 2023 he predicted that Dubois would eventually capture every major lightweight belt, calling her "the best lightweight in the world." He also suggested she could become an undisputed champion across multiple weight classes, including super‑lightweight and welterweight, as she continues to develop and refine her skill set.
Former undisputed champion Ellie Scotney echoed those sentiments, describing Dubois as a "generational talent" who is only beginning to tap her full potential. "Nothing was going wrong for her to make this move; sometimes a change is necessary for growth," Scotney told Sky Sports. "She’s at a point in her career where a new challenge will push her to the next level." Dubois’s decision to relocate to the United States and train under Robles is part of a broader strategy to expand her boxing education.
She believes a fighter should never stop learning, and that exposure to different coaching philosophies can unlock new dimensions of performance. "I want to be the best fighter anyone has ever seen," she declared. "A fighter should never limit themselves; they should always be evolving." The August 29 event promises to be a landmark night for women’s boxing, featuring top‑tier talent from both sides of the Atlantic. Fans can watch Dubois and Moore battle for the lightweight titles, while the headline bout between Mayer and Cameron adds further star power.
The fight will be available live on Sky Sports, and viewers also have the option to stream the event without a contract through the NOW platform. As the sport continues to grow, Dubois’s bold move signals a new chapter in her career—a chapter defined by ambition, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
Whether she ultimately faces Turhan, Han, Baumgardner, or another elite opponent, the British champion’s focus remains clear: to dominate the lightweight division and cement her legacy as one of the greatest female boxers of her generation.