Caroline Dubois explains Ronda Rousey-inspired takeover plan as star of Jake Paul’s promotion

Caroline Dubois believes she can take over women’s boxing, just like Ronda Rousey when she ruled the UFC.

The 25-year-old is gearing up for her second appearance under the banner of Jake Paul‘s and Nakisa Bidarian’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP).

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An all-British affair sees Dubois fight Terri Harper over 10 rounds for the unified WBO and WBC lightweight world titles on April 5 at Olympia London.

It is the first time that MVP, the self-proclaimed ‘home of women’s boxing’, will enter the UK market, with big plans for the future, having already snapped up several of Britain’s biggest female stars.

Six athletes at the top of their first British bill were present at Olympia London for the event’s pre-fight press conference on Friday.

Dubois oozed confidence as she labelled Harper her ‘lottery ticket’ to mark the start of her future legacy in the sport.

Harper, meanwhile, thinks she is being overlooked by her younger opponent and plans to use her experience in the ring to cause an upset.

Nonetheless, the British blockbuster marks a huge chapter for women’s boxing in the UK, and something Dubois plans to take full advantage of.

Caroline Dubous: Ronda Rousey was first woman I took note of

Speaking at the press conference, the Londoner named Rousey when airing her feelings on the sport needing ‘another face’ – after the likes of Katie Taylor and Claressa Shields – to come through and push its limits.

In the aftermath, ‘Sweet Caroline’ caught up with talkSPORT.com and was asked why she was confident in having similar success to the UFC legend.

“She was the first woman that I ever really, really took note of,” Dubois explained.

“Even in boxing, there wasn’t anyone, and then Ronda came on the scene, and she changed the game.

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“She changed the game, not just for UFC, but for combat sports as a whole – she broke that barrier. 

“And I think at one point she was the highest paid UFC fighter, period. Forget male, female, she broke the game. 

“So when I look at Ronda, I see her as the point that everyone should try and aim for.

“And at the end of the day, I just want to do what I can for my sport. I think if I can continue to grow my sport, put it out there, grow it, build it, that’s all that matters.”

Rousey was one half of the UFC’s first ever female fight in 2013, defeating Liz Carmouche to become the first women’s champion in Dana White‘s promotion.

Her impact on the sport transcended anything MMA had ever seen before, as she later became the first female fighter inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

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Dubois believes all she needs to do is be herself to emulate the success of ‘Rowdy’ in the UFC.

“Continue being me,” Dubois responded when asked how she plans on doing the same.

“I realise the hardest thing in the world to be is to be yourself, so just continue as hard as it is to try and be yourself.

“A lot of people try to hide away and shy away because they feel peer pressure.

“They feel like, ‘Oh, I shouldn’t be like this, or I shouldn’t be like that.’ But if you believe in yourself, step into the ring. 

“Stepping into the ring and facing off with your opponent in front of thousands is the toughest thing in the world to do. So realise that and say, be yourself.”

Mark Robinson

“Be yourself 100 per cent. It’s not that hard. And that’s why I think it takes a person who is 100 per cent themselves.”

What’s at stake on MVP’s UK debut?

Dubois, who previously represented Ben Shalom’s Boxxer, defended her WBC strap against Camilla Panatta on the undercard of Paul vs Anthony Joshua in her MVP debut last December.

A win for the younger sister of former IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois could set up a blockbuster with unifiedsuper-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner, who defended her titles with a unanimous decision win over Leila Beaudoin last time out.

Baumgardner is just one of two fighters, alongside Sandy Ryan, to defeat Harper, who signed with MVP in July 2025.

Britain’s only female three-weight world champion won her first world title in 2020 before moving up four weight classes to claim the WBA super-welterweight strap.

She has since won the WBO belt at 135lbs, making her first defence with a unanimous decision win over Natalie Zimmermann on home soil in Doncaster nine months ago.

Mark Robinson

Dubois-Harper is one half of a double main event at Olympia, with London’s undefeated unified WBO, WBC and IBF super bantamweight champion Ellie Scotney also facing Mexico’s WBA queen Mayelli Flores at the top of the bill.

Should Scotney get her arm raised, she will become the youngest UK boxer in the four-belt era to become an undisputed world champion.

Also on the card, former undisputed super lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron hopes to conquer two divisions as she takes on Michaela Kotaskova for the WBO belt at 154lbs.

Cameron, the only pugilist with a win over Ireland’s Taylor, signed with MVP last year, having previously represented Frank Warren’s Queensberry.

The Northampton fighter told talkSPORT.com in May that signing with Paul’s promotion was ‘the best move’ she could’ve made.

Elsewhere, IBF super flyweight champion Irma Garcia, who balances her boxing with work as a police officer and attorney, defends her belt against Norfolk’s undefeated Emma Dolan.

Dolan, 27, is the current British and Commonwealth super flyweight champion at 115lbs and has envisioned becoming the first British fighter to hold any version of the division’s titles.