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 be part of a stacked card that also features Mikaela Mayer versus Chantelle Cameron. McGuigan, widely regarded as one of the premier boxing coaches in the world, first began working with Dubois in 2021. Over the course of their partnership the English fighter captured a string of high‑profile victories, including wins over Maira Moneo, Bo Mi Re Shin, and a decisive unification triumph against Terri Harper in April.
Those successes helped Dubois become a unified world champion and raised her profile dramatically within women’s boxing. Despite the achievements, Dubois has decided to join forces with Manny Robles – the celebrated trainer behind Andy Ruiz Jr., Oscar Valdez and Brandon Figueroa – because she believes a change in environment will push her closer to boxing greatness. She emphasized that the decision was driven purely by ambition, not by any animosity toward McGuigan.
"Most fighters leave a coach after a loss looking for someone to blame; that’s a weak move," Dubois said. "I’m incredibly grateful to Shane for everything he’s done for me. He’s been a phenomenal coach and a massive part of my team." Dubois reflected on her journey with McGuigan, noting that together they turned her into a unified champion and placed her on the biggest stages of the sport.
"I’m proud of what we achieved together. I’ve announced myself to women’s boxing and to the world, and Shane was there every step of the way," she added. "I want to thank him for his dedication and for helping me grow." The move to a new coaching setup in the United States is part of Dubois’s broader quest for excellence.
She explained that she wants to keep learning, evolving, and testing herself against the best. "A fighter should never stop learning or limit themselves," she said. "Relocating to America and working with a different team is simply another step on that path." Dubois’s upcoming fight with Amelia Moore will be contested at 135 pounds over ten two‑minute rounds. The event is notable for featuring an all‑female lineup of UK and US talent, a clear sign of the growing prominence of women’s boxing.
However, Dubois expressed frustration that she is being asked to defend her titles rather than pursue further unification bouts. She revealed that a potential showdown with Turkish contender Elif Nur Turhan fell through because Turhan allegedly demanded an "astronomical" purse that Dubois described as "absurd" and "jokingly unrealistic." "She asked for a sum that sounded like a retirement payday, not a fight purse," Dubois explained. "It was so outlandish I thought she was kidding.
If I told you, you’d think I was making it up." While the Turhan fight may still materialize in the future, Dubois has also set her sights on a possible clash with WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han. Earlier this year she publicly challenged Alycia Baumgardner, insisting that their long‑awaited matchup "has to happen sooner rather than later." McGuigan, who backed Dubois in 2023 by proclaiming she could "capture all of the belts" and calling her "the best lightweight in the world," remains supportive of her aspirations. He told Sky Sports that even though the women’s lightweight division is fiercely contested, Dubois is "blitzing everybody" and could eventually become an undisputed champion across multiple weight classes, including super‑lightweight and welterweight. Former undisputed champion Ellie Scotney also weighed in, describing Dubois as a "generational talent" who is only beginning to tap her potential.
"Nothing was going wrong for her to make this move, but sometimes a change is necessary," Scotney said. "She’s at a point in her career where she needs a new challenge, and this feels like the right step." The August 29 card will be streamed on Sky Sports, with options to watch via a contract‑free boxing subscription. Fans are encouraged to use a Chrome browser for the best video experience. The event promises high‑octane action, showcasing not only Dubois’s title defense but also the headline bout between Mayer and Cameron, underscoring the rapid growth and increasing visibility of women’s boxing on the global stage.
As Dubois embarks on this new chapter, she remains focused on her ultimate goal: to become the most dominant fighter the sport has ever seen, regardless of weight class or geography. Her determination, combined with a fresh coaching perspective, suggests that the next phase of her career could bring even more historic moments for the lightweight division and for women’s boxing as a whole.