Caroline Dubois sailed through a gritty contest against Amelia Moore, then turned her attention to a heated exchange of words with fellow lightweight contender Alycia Baumgardner on the sidelines, setting the stage for a possible blockbuster clash with the American champion. In the co‑main event of MVPW‑06 in Birmingham on Saturday, the 25‑year‑old Londoner displayed a masterclass of skill and power, cruising to a unanimous decision victory with scores of 99‑90, 99‑90 and 98‑91.
The win allowed her to retain both the WBC and WBO lightweight crowns and underscored her dominance in a division that has become increasingly competitive. After the final bell, Dubois found herself in a war of words with former undisputed champion Alycia Baumgardner, who is scheduled to step up to lightweight when she meets Elif Nur Turhan on November 8. Baumgardner, who has been a vocal presence throughout the Birmingham weekend, pressed former rival Mikaela Mayer at a press conference and reiterated her belief that Dubois has not yet reached the level required to challenge her.
"That was a lackluster performance," Baumgardner said. "You gotta tighten up, baby girl.
You were tired, really tired. I'm going to show you what a champion does.
I'm an undisputed champion now, and I'm at lightweight too." Dubois fired back with equal intensity: "I've been calling for this fight for a long time. After my last bout I said, ‘Move up and fight that bum.’ What happened to Amanda Serrano? What happened to Katie Taylor? What happened to Claressa Shields?
You haven't gotten anything you asked for. I got what I asked for. You’re moving up to my division.
I’m the best in the division and you know it. I'm 25 and I'm better than you." The verbal sparring continued, with Dubois adding, "I love that energy.
If you get past Elif Nur Turhan, there will be no denying it. Everything I've asked for has happened. I'm going to knock this bum out, you better believe it." In the ring, Dubois established her rhythm from the opening round. She unleashed a rapid barrage of body punches that forced Moore to retreat and disrupted the American's attempts to use her longer reach.
By the end of the first round, Dubois had already asserted control of distance and pace. Round two saw the Londoner probing for her optimal range while Moore tried to counter‑strike.
Dubois capped the two‑minute interval with a crisp overhand right that snapped Moore's head back, signalling that the champion was not going to be intimidated by the challenger’s size advantage. The third and fourth rounds were dominated by Dubois’s relentless body work. She mixed hooks, uppercuts and straight lefts, forcing Moore to constantly adjust her guard. The American, known for her stamina, began to show signs of fatigue as she struggled to land cleanly on Dubois’s moving target.
A pivotal moment arrived in round five when Dubois landed a shot that sent Moore stumbling to the canvas. While the knockdown appeared more a result of Moore losing her balance than raw punching power, it shifted the momentum decisively in Dubois’s favour. The champion pressed the advantage, following up with a ferocious right hook that kept the pressure on. In round seven, Dubois continued to pepper Moore with sharp, accurate hooks to the head, then broke through the American’s guard with a clean straight left that landed flush.
By round eight, blood began to trickle from Moore’s nose, a visual testament to Dubois’s sustained dominance. Despite a brief surge from Moore in the ninth, where she attempted a late‑round offensive, Dubois maintained composure and kept the fight firmly in her control. The final round turned into a gritty exchange.
An accidental clash of heads produced a cut on Moore, but she fought on, refusing to back down. Dubois, ever the tactician, stayed on the offensive, landing precise combinations that left no doubt about who controlled the bout from start to finish. Beyond the main event, the card featured several notable performances. Terri Harper returned to the ring with a spectacular second‑round stoppage of Houston’s Miranda Reyes, the very opponent who had previously fallen to Dubois earlier in the year.
Harper opened with a perfectly timed left hand that sent Reyes sprawling, and a rapid succession of hooks followed by a punishing right forced the referee to halt the contest. "One of the best performances of my career," Harper told Sky Sports. "It’s good to build the fight up, but you can’t get rid of me that easily.
This journey has had its highs and lows, and I’m grateful MVP gave me the chance to come back quickly. I’ve got a lot more to give you!" In another thrilling bout, American Reina Tellez out‑pointed Jessica Barry in a tightly contested 96‑94 decision.
Tellez, who famously stepped in on short notice to face Amanda Serrano earlier in the year, displayed crisp, high‑volume punching that edged out Barry’s aggression. After the fight, Tellez admitted to feeling a bit of ring rust but praised her own resilience and the platform MVP provided. "I dominated the fight," she said, acknowledging Barry’s heart while emphasizing her own tactical superiority.
The night also highlighted rising star Tysie Gallagher, who made her MVP debut with a points win over Chicago’s Brandi Robinson, improving her professional record to 11‑2. Gallagher was candid about her performance, noting, "I’m not particularly happy with the performance, couldn’t really get going, first one back, no excuses. I’ll be back 100 per cent next time." Overall, the Birmingham event underscored the depth of talent in the lightweight division and set the stage for future high‑stakes matchups. With Dubois confirming her intent to stay at the top and Baumgardner promising a showdown later in the year, fans can expect an electrifying narrative to unfold as the year draws to a close.
The combination of dominant in‑ring displays and fiery pre‑fight banter has only heightened anticipation for the next chapter in women’s lightweight boxing.