Caroline Dubois has been left shocked by the lack of drugs testing in boxing after revealing she has only been tested once since turning professional last year.
Performance-enhancing drugs in the sport have been thrust into the spotlight after a spate of positive tests in recent months, with Dillian Whyte, Robert Helenius and undisputed women’s super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner all returning tests with adverse analytical findings.
This follows on from Conor Benn failing two drugs tests in the lead-up to his cancelled bout with Chris Eubank Jr last year.
All four boxers involved deny deliberate consumption, but Dubois believes boxing may have an issue on its hands when it comes to drugs testing.
The 2021 Olympian claims she was regularly tested as an amateur, but that changed dramatically when she moved over to the professional ranks.
Caroline Dubois (pictured) revealed she has only had one drugs test since turning professional
There have been several positive drugs tests in boxing recently, with Robert Helenius (pictured) returning an ‘adverse analytical finding’ after losing to Anthony Joshua last month
‘I remember being an amateur I was getting tested every other week. Going into the Olympics I remember getting tested twice in one week, it was an insane amount of testing,’ Dubois explained to Mail Sport.
‘Because of that mentality of going from such a high-tested environment, I was on whereabouts, I was putting in my location, I had to log that in every single day, going into the pros I just had this naïve mentality.
‘I’d just think “why are you taking drugs? Who takes drugs?” I just couldn’t get it in my head that there’s people out there who are actually trying to cheat, do things illegally, I just couldn’t get it.
‘But it’s only now when I’m seeing people (testing positive). It’s just opening up, this actually may be a problem.
‘I hope it’s just a phase in the sense that the people who are taking it are just getting exposed now.
‘But going from an amateur when you get tested every other week, a guarantee that you’re going to get tested, I think I’ve only been tested once since being a pro.’
It is no secret that drugs testing is not cheap, with promoters often citing this as the reason for not having it in place for all of their cards.
But Dubois insists it is a necessary expense and has called for promoters and governing bodies to show more desire to protect fighters.
‘The organisations, the promoters, they need to put their hands in their pockets and sort it out,’ Dubois said.
Dubois wants promoters like Eddie Hearn (left) and Ben Shalom (right) to do more to ensure more is done to protect fighters when it comes to drugs testing
‘It’s their job to watch out for boxing and govern it and rule it correctly. All these organisations, they need to do a better job because sometimes there’s these fighters and they’re fighting for world titles, and they’re not getting paid a lot of money so they can’t afford to pay for VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association).
‘So I think it should be a little bit more on the promoters and the organisations. They need to be putting their hands on their money to make sure that the sport is clean and it’s safe for everyone that is participating.
‘Whether you’re getting paid good or whether you’re getting small amounts, it needs to be safe for all the fighters.’
Dubois is back in action on September 30 when she tops the bill at the iconic York Hall against Mexico’s Magali Rodriguez, with the IBO lightweight title on the line.
The 22-year-old has won her last five fights by knockout to move to 6-0, and has admitted she has adapted her style to hunt down her opponents in the professional ranks.
‘I feel my style has changed a lot. If you look at how I used to box as an amateur, I was never really focused on stopping people at all or winning by knockout or hurting people in the amateurs,’ she added.
‘I’d only focus on winning on points, in and out, just not getting hit, dancing around the ring and that was my style. I was a good counter-puncher, I had a really good jab and I didn’t really fight on the inside. I just boxed a lot on the outside, counter-punching, waiting for that.
‘Whereas now, I’m a bit more aggressive, a bit more on the front foot, really good on the inside, and I think I’m just coming into my own now. I’m getting comfortable at being in uncomfortable situations, when you’re rustling and tussling on the inside, when it’s getting messy, stuff like that and getting a bit more comfortable with that.
‘Instead of being desperate to get on the outside and keep it clean, I can get in there and have a tear-up as well.’
Women’s boxing is thriving, with Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron set to face each other in a highly-anticipated rematch in the weight division above Dubois in November, while former title-holder Mikaela Mayer is stepping up to welterweight.
Dubois (right) is back in action at the end of the month when she tops the bill at York Hall
Dubois is willing to jump up in weight to test herself against the likes of Katie Taylor (left) and Chantelle Cameron (right) in the future
Dubois is keen to test herself against the best, and is willing to jump up in weight to do just that.
‘I believe and I back my abilities. I have no problem with the weights. I think I’ve sparred women at all weights,’ she said.
‘I prefer sparring the heavier women and I enjoy sparring the heavier women. I always box a little bit better when I have a little bit more energy in me as well so I’ve got no problem jumping up and down. I think most women won’t. I’m 22, I’m so young, I have that freshness and ability to snap right back.
‘If the time comes and there’s a big fight and there’s an opportunity, you’d best believe I’ll be taking it.’