Watch Caroline Dubois return to the ring on the undercard of Richard Riakporhe's cruiserweight showdown with Deion Jumah, live on Sky Sports on March 26
Tuesday 22 March 2022 12:05, UK
Caroline Dubois may have a new seat at the professional table, but the amateur-slaying prospect has no issue with setting her sights on a place in boxing history as she chisels and refines her skillset ahead of a return to the ring.
The 21-year-old juked and jabbed her way through a commanding professional debut last month with victory over Vaida Masiokaite, and is due to fight for the second time in her professional career at Wembley Arena on March 26.
Dubois, who is yet to discover who she will face after her initial opponent withdrew, is embracing the lofty expectations that have accompanied a 37-3 record entering the pro ranks.
"I feel like pressure is a privilege, I'm so appreciative of people believing in me and it makes me want to work harder and want to not disappoint anyone," Dubois told Sky Sports.
"All these people saying good things about me is making me want to prove them right and make people proud of me. It gives me that incentive to work hard in the gym and I'm training hard for this.
"I'd be lying if I said that's not the goal, I'd be lying if I said to be a multi-weight champion is not the goal.
"I want to go up, I want to be somebody that is remembered in this game, it's a tough old game but I feel like I'm here for the long run and I want to do something that's never been done before."
Although bullish about her potential, an unassuming Dubois is long-tuned into the challenge and necessity of balancing aspirations with boxing education early on in her career.
Her talents as a fighter aside, Dubois knows the professional experience entails daunting stadium atmospheres and an error-limited ladder to contention that offers no room for complacency.
"This is all part of the learning experience, I've got people around me who are watching my back. Got my dad, got my manager, people who know how good I am, know what level I'm at," she added.
"I remember somebody saying 'it's all about seasoning', every young fighter thinks he's the best and he's ready for anybody anytime and that's right and good to have that confidence, but it's the people around you that hold your back who know how good you are and when you'll be ready, it's all about timing. I feel like it's my time and I'm coming into it."
Among those helping Dubois adjust to life in the spotlight is her brother Daniel, who looks set to face Trevor Bryan next for the American's WBA world heavyweight title.
"It's amazing to come in the gym now and see him train and work and see how he conducts himself as an elite athlete and we push each other on," said Dubois.
"Seeing him train all the time, seeing him come through defeats and come back and have that mindset and mentality is rubbing off on me. It's good to watch him and watch other people, other champions in the gym and learn from them."
The former Olympic, world and European youth champion admits the wait to find out her next opponent is "frustrating" but is welcoming it as another test to add to her development.
"In the amateurs you go into tournaments and don't know what the draw is, don't know who you're fighting and you just have to be ready and I suppose that's the mindset, that's where boxing can catch you tripping but I've been training good for this camp so I should be ready for anything," she said.
As far as improvements on her debut are concerned, Dubois is eager to bury any lingering nerves in view of a more composed approach come her second fight.
"I feel like it was a good experience, I feel like I rushed it a bit and I was just throwing for the sake of it and that's actually good experience now because now I know what to do," said Dubois.
"In this fight I'm going to take it a lot slower, I'm going to relax a lot more, I'm going to try and pace myself better and just work on setting things up a bit more. Throwing punches with bad intentions and setting them up."
Watch Caroline Dubois return to the ring on the undercard of Richard Riakporhe's cruiserweight showdown with Deion Jumah, live on Sky Sports on March 26.
