Caroline Dubois announced that she has ended her partnership with long‑time trainer 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 fruitful collaboration that began in 2021, during which McGuigan helped the 25‑year‑old British boxer rise to the top of the women’s lightweight division. Under McGuigan’s tutelage, Dubois secured impressive victories over Maira Moneo, Bo Mi Re Shin, and most notably captured the unification win against Terri Harper in April.
Those wins cemented her status as a unified world champion and brought her considerable attention on the global stage of women’s boxing. In a recent interview, Dubois explained that her decision to join forces with Manny Robles – the acclaimed trainer behind champions such as Andy Ruiz Jr., Oscar Valdez and Brandon Figueroa – is motivated purely by her desire to dominate the sport.
She emphasized that there is no ill will toward McGuigan, expressing deep gratitude for the role he played in her ascent. "Most of the time fighters change coaches after a loss, looking for a scapegoat. That’s a weak‑handed move," Dubois said. "I’m incredibly proud of the journey we shared.
With Shane’s guidance I became a unified world champion, I announced myself on the biggest stage in women’s boxing, and he was a massive part of that success." She continued, "A huge thank you to Shane McGuigan, who has been a phenomenal coach. I feel honoured, proud and privileged to have been part of his team. That work doesn’t disappear – it becomes part of the legacy we’re building together." Dubois framed the transition as a strategic step in her quest for greatness.
Moving to the United States and training with a new coaching staff, she believes, will provide fresh perspectives and new techniques that can push her to even higher levels. "I want to grow, develop and become the best fighter anyone has ever seen.
A fighter should never stop learning or limit themselves," she added. The upcoming fight with Amelia Moore will be contested at 135 lb over ten two‑minute rounds at the bp pulse LIVE Arena. The event will also feature headline bouts between Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron, creating an all‑female card that pits top talent from the UK against fighters from the United States.
Despite the excitement surrounding the Moore showdown, Dubois expressed frustration that she is being asked to defend her titles rather than pursue further unification. She had previously tried to arrange a bout with Turkish contender Elif Nur Turhan, but the negotiations fell apart over what Dubois described as an "astronomical, ridiculous" purse demand. "The amount she asked for was absurd – it wasn’t even a joke. It was so outlandish you’d think I was lying," Dubois said.
"She’s basically a joker, and jokers are best left alone. That kind of money is retirement‑level, not fight money." Dubois remains optimistic that a fight with Turhan could materialise in the future, but she is also looking at other high‑profile match‑ups.
She has her sights set on a potential clash with WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han, and earlier this year she publicly challenged Alycia Baumgardner, insisting that their long‑awaited encounter "has to happen sooner rather than later." McGuigan, who has long championed Dubois’s talent, previously predicted that she would capture every belt in the lightweight division and even hinted at the possibility of her becoming an undisputed champion across multiple weight classes. "Even though the lightweight division is probably the most highly contested in female boxing, she’s blitzing everybody," he told Sky Sports.
"I genuinely believe she can succeed at lightweight, super‑lightweight and welterweight. She’s still developing and getting better all the time." Former undisputed world champion Ellie Scotney also weighed in, calling Dubois a "generational talent" who is only beginning to tap her potential. "Nothing was going wrong for her to make that move, but sometimes you just have to change things, and I think she’s at that point," Scotney said. The August 29 event, headlined by Mayer versus Cameron and featuring Dubois’s title defense, promises to be a landmark night for women’s boxing in the UK.
Fans can watch the action live on Sky Sports or stream the fights without a contract through the network’s boxing platform. As Dubois steps into a new training environment, all eyes will be on her performance against Moore, a test that could set the tone for the next chapter of her already impressive career.