World champion Harper calls out Dubois after routine win

BBC News

23-05-2025

England's world lightweight champion Terri Harper cruised past the overmatched Natalie Zimmermann to defend her WBO title in front of a spirited home crowd.The 28-year-old dominated from the opening bell, picking her opponent apart without ever really threatening the stoppage.German Zimmermann, 42, became a sitting target and ended the fight bloodied because of a clash of heads at the Eco-Power Stadium.All three judges scored it 99-91 as three-weight world champion Harper extended her record to 16 wins, with two defeats and two losses.Afterwards, Doncaster's Harper called for a unification fight with fellow Briton and WBC lightweight champion Caroline Dubois."That gets my fire burning. I said it the other day in the press conference, she rubs me up the wrong way," Harper said.
Routine win for Harper but no KO as predicted
With the boxing world in mourning this week, there was a poignant moment when those in attendance applauded a 10-bell salute in memory of boxer Georgia O'Connor, who died aged 25 on Thursday.O'Connor lost her battle with cancer and was a hugely popular figure among her fellow fighters.The event was hosted by relative newcomers GBM, in what was the promotional outfit's first stadium card and world-title headliner.After each fight on the main undercard went to points, Harper made her ring walk at the late time 23:10 BST.Nicknamed 'Belter', she entered to Gerry Cinnamon's folk song with the same title. Several fans had already left, but those who remained gave her a hero's welcome.The gulf in class was apparent as early as the first minute when a left hook from Harper drew chants of "Yorkshire" from the crowd.The former super-featherweight and light-middleweight champion pinned Zimmermann on the ropes and was landing to head and body.Hamburg's Zimmermann had won all 13 professional bouts, having only started boxing aged 37, but in Harper she faced someone who had gone toe-to-toe with world-class operators such as Natasha Jonas and Alycia Baumgardner. Zimmermann's will to win did not match her talent as she rushed in her punches. She did land a solid uppercut in the sixth as a dejected Harper began to cut a frustrated figure.Blood poured down from Zimmermann's head after the accidental head clash in the final round, but Harper - who before the fight said she would be disappointed with a points win - could not find the telling blow.
Harper targets all-British unification fight against Dubois
After years of jumping up and down the divisions in search of big fights and accolades, Harper seems comfortable at lightweight and is confident of halting the hype of the unbeaten Dubois.Dubois, 26, has long been considered as the future of women's boxing, and predicted she would make Harper "crumble" in a potential unification fight."That fight makes sense," Harper said, adding she will now take a short break before pursuing unification fights.If the Dubois bout does not materialise, Harper may target IBF champion Beatriz Ferreira or WBA title-holder Stephanie Han."I want to go on to fight the other champions and really step up", she said.