Caroline Dubois has vowed to keep it clean and remain professional in Sunday’s grudge match with Terri Harper, while warning she will not be “brought down” to her rival’s level.
WBC lightweight champion Dubois (12-0-1, 5 KOs) and WBO belt-holder Harper (16-2-2, 6 KOs) have traded verbal exchanges throughout the build-up to the Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) show at London’s Olympia.
Harper shoved her fellow Briton in a tense face-off on Wednesday, but the latter vowed to keep her cool on a landmark, women-centric card being put on by the promotional company of YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
Speaking ahead of those encounters, Dubois told the Press Association: “I don’t feel any personal vendetta against her so it’s not personal for me, it’s business.
“It is a rivalry that is completely professional and, for me, I am not going to let anything ever get personal between me and her because we are not on the same level.
“When I look at her as an athlete, as a boxer, we are just not on the same level. I am not going to bring myself down to her level and make it personal. I am going to keep it clean, keep it professional and, when I step into the ring, I will show her there is levels in boxing. I can’t wait.”
There were fireworks between Dubois and Harper during Sky Sports’ Gloves Are Off programme, which ended with the latter walking off.
Dubois’s straight talking has seemingly gotten under the skin of the experienced Harper, who has been a world champion in three weight classes. And the undefeated Dubois is determined to add another statement victory on her journey to the summit of women’s boxing.
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“Listen, there is no love lost and it’s competition at the end of the day,” Dubois explained. “I am coming to take her head off and she is coming to take everything that I’ve worked for since I was nine years old. And I can guarantee you that is not going to happen.
“There is going to be that competitive spirit, that energy and that clash. I’m OK with that, because we’re going to step into the ring and try to punch each other’s lights out.”
London-born Dubois, the younger sister of heavyweight Daniel Dubois, is excited to fight in her home town and on a stacked fight card, which includes British world champion Ellie Scotney.
Dubois added: “London has a special part in my heart and it is crazy. It’s a full circle and I want everyone to turn up and show their support for women’s boxing, but more importantly boxing.
“If you call yourself a boxing fan, come down and show your support because it’s going to be a great night. There are so many world title fights on the card and good fighters on the card.”
