Caroline Dubois Eyes Undisputed Title in Lightweight Division

Caroline Dubois has her eyes locked on undisputed – and she wants to fight her way there, not wait for it to land in her lap.

The unified WBC and WBO lightweight champion is already tracking a collision course with American rival Alycia Baumgardner, who challenges Elif Nur Turhan for the IBF lightweight world title in the early hours of Monday, November 9, live on Sky Sports. The winner will hold a crucial piece of the 135lb puzzle. Dubois expects to be waiting on the other side of that bell.

But she has no intention of sitting out the drama.

Dubois hunts Han as the next step

With two belts already strapped around her waist, Dubois wants a third before she chases the final piece of the undisputed crown. That means Stephanie Han, the WBA champion, has moved firmly into her crosshairs.

"I want to become undisputed and I want to be involved in relevant fights. To unify the division is my dream right now," Dubois told Sky Sports, laying out her roadmap with typical clarity.

"The only other champion [available] is Han and we'll just have to see if I can get it in before the end of the year. If not we'll have to go early next year.

"Hopefully we'll be unified world champion by the end of this year or early next. One belt away from becoming undisputed."

The ambition is blunt. So is the timescale. Dubois wants Han soon, then the winner of Turhan vs Baumgardner for all the marbles.

Birmingham win, Birmingham fire

Dubois comes into this phase of her career with momentum and menace. She turned back Amelia Moore in Birmingham last month, a successful defence that underlined her growing authority at lightweight.

The punches stopped when the final bell rang. The talking did not.

Almost immediately, Dubois and Baumgardner were locked in a fierce verbal exchange, a preview of the rivalry she believes will define the division.

"She's most definitely intimidated by me. She's frightened of what I bring to the table," Dubois said, pulling no punches outside the ring either.

"When she looks at me I know that she sees a younger, better, stronger, more talented, more everything better than her. Everything I do is just better than her. I feel like she's threatened by that."

Dubois framed their rivalry as a clash of timelines as much as styles.

"Everything that she has had to work so hard to get I've had it and I've achieved it in such quick succession. She's threatened, she's jealous. She's feeling a lot of emotions and all I can say is I hope she can focus herself, get that win [over Turhan] and we can find out who's the best.

"I hope she wins the fight. I'm going to be real upset if she doesn't win because I need to show her something."

Turhan, Baumgardner… and a clear path

For now, Dubois can only watch as Turhan, the defending IBF champion, and Baumgardner, the challenger, settle their own business.

"Elif Turhan, the champion, versus Alycia Baumgardner, the contender, is going to be an awesome fight. I want the winner. I've made it very clear," Dubois said.

"I feel like I have been very vocal about the fact that I want to become undisputed.

The path has revealed itself to me. The path has become clear now... So close, but so far."

One belt from Han. One winner from Turhan vs Baumgardner. The route is there, the stakes are obvious, and Dubois is already marching. The only question left is who dares stand in the way of her undisputed run.