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 in Birmingham on August 29, a bout that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The split comes after a productive partnership that began in 2021, during which McGuigan, now regarded as one of the premier boxing coaches worldwide, helped steer Dubois to a series of high‑profile victories. Under McGuigan’s guidance, Dubois captured wins over Maira Moneo and Bo Mi Re Shin, and most notably secured a unification triumph over Terri Harper in April. Those achievements elevated her to unified world champion status and placed her firmly on the global stage of women’s boxing.
Despite the success, Dubois has decided to join forces with Manny Robles – a trainer best known for his work with Andy Ruiz Jr., Oscar Valdez and Brandon Figueroa – citing a desire to continue her quest for dominance in the sport. "Most of the time fighters change coaches after a loss, looking for someone to blame. That’s a weak excuse," Dubois explained.
"I’m incredibly grateful for everything Shane has done for me. Together we’ve become unified champions, we’ve announced ourselves on the biggest platform in women’s boxing, and Shane was a massive part of that journey. I want to thank him for being a phenomenal coach and a key member of my team.
I’m honoured, proud and privileged to have worked with him." Dubois emphasized that the decision was not driven by any dissatisfaction but by a personal ambition to keep evolving. "The work we did together will never be forgotten; it adds to my foundation. I’m on a quest for greatness and I’ll do whatever it takes to get there. Moving to the United States and trying a different coaching set‑up is part of that quest.
I want to grow, develop and become the best fighter anyone has ever seen. A fighter should never stop learning or limit themselves." The upcoming fight with Moore will take place at 135 pounds over ten two‑minute rounds at the bp pulse LIVE Arena.
The event will be headlined by Mikaela Mayer versus Chantelle Cameron, and the entire card will feature match‑ups between British and American female boxers. While Dubois is eager to defend her titles, she expressed frustration at the limited opportunities to unify the belts.
She had previously pursued a bout with Turkish contender Elif Nur Turhan, but negotiations fell apart. "From what I hear, Turhan’s team asked for an astronomical sum – it was absurd, it was crazy," Dubois said. "The amount they demanded was laughable.
If I told you, you’d think I was making it up. She’s basically a joker, and jokers you leave alone. That money is more like retirement money, not a fight purse." Despite the setback, Dubois believes a fight with Turhan could still materialise in the future.
She also has her sights set on a clash with WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han. Earlier this year she publicly called out Alycia Baumgardner, insisting that their highly anticipated showdown "has to happen sooner rather than later." McGuigan, reflecting on his former protégé, said in 2023 that he expected Dubois to "capture all of the belts" and described her as "the best lightweight in the world." He added that even though the women’s lightweight division is arguably the most competitive, Dubois was "blitzing everybody." He also predicted that the 25‑year‑old could become an undisputed champion across multiple weight classes, noting, "I genuinely believe she can succeed at lightweight, super‑lightweight and welterweight.
She’s still developing and getting better all the time." Former undisputed champion Ellie Scotney echoed the sentiment, telling Sky Sports, "Caroline is a generational talent and I think she’s only scratching the surface. Nothing was going wrong for her to make that move, but sometimes a change is necessary, and I think she’s at that point." The fight night, billed as MVPW‑06, will be streamed on Sky Sports and also available via contract‑free boxing streams. Fans are encouraged to use Chrome for the best video experience.
As Dubois embarks on this new chapter with Robles in the United States, all eyes will be on her performance against Amelia Moore, a test that could set the tone for the next phase of her rapidly rising career.