CAROLINE DUBOIS is eyeing a world title shot by next year after punching her way into boxing stardom.

But it has been a long road for the 22-year-old, who had to hide her true identity when first picking up the gloves.

Dubois was inspired to box at the age of nine by her older brother Daniel but she faced a fight to fit in from the off.

So much so that she pretended to be a boy and called herself Colin.

Dubois told SunSport: "When I turned up and my dad finally agreed to let me go, he was like, 'You're going to have to say you're a boy, they're not going to let you in. They're not going to accept you.'

"At first, I wasn't sure if he was being serious but I went there and there were only boys, there was a different intensity.

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"I've done so many different sports, running, swimming, gymnastics but when you come into the clubs for training there's a nice, light attitude, it's very relaxed and chilled out.

"But when I walked into the boxing gym there was a different intensity, I knew straight away that maybe there was something here.

"I had to say my name was Colin. When I did finally tell them I was a girl, at first they didn't want to let me back in the club, they didn't want to accept me.

"But now, there's loads of females, loads of national champions. It's really changed a lot."

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Dubois went on to win European and world championship honours in the amateurs before representing Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics.

But during the early stages of her career in the paid ranks, activity was her greatest opponent.

Dubois said: "It was very hard. As an amateur, I wasn't getting any fights.

"I'd be getting straight finals in tournaments where usually others would be fighting five or six times, I was fighting just one time.

"It was definitely hard. Back in the day, if you had a daughter putting them into boxing was the last on the list.

"But now it's opened up, parents want to put their kids into boxing as it's a form of self defence, it makes you feel more confident.

"Loads of parents are seeing it as something their daughters can be doing too, so I'm very happy to be a part of this movement and this change."

Dubois – trained by Shane McGuigan – at 6-0 is racing up the ranks and closing in on a world title shot despite only turning pro last year.

So finding willing sparring partners for the lightweight – who has won all but one of her fights by knockout – is becoming difficult.

She said: "It's been an absolute nightmare, Shane will tell you.

"We were actually just talking about it the other day, who's it hardest to get sparring for.

"And one of my coaches, Josh Pritchard, said it's me because you've got to get it right.

"I'd spar any girl and any weight, it doesn't matter if they're heavier or whatever. But they're just not turning up, they're not coming.

"They don't want to spar because it's hard sparring and it's hard work. So it's like OK, either you don't spar or you get in with the men.

"It's very hard but it's good, it's what's going to push me forward and make me better.

"For this camp, I think I've just been sparring boys. It's been hard but it's been good."

Dubois returns on June 16 against 13-2 Argentine Carmen Lescano.

And she hopes it will be another stepping stone on her way to climbing up the world title ladder.

Dubois said: "Female fighters, we got world title shots a lot quicker.

"Looking back, Katie Taylor fought for a world title in her seventh fight, I'm in my sixth fight so I'm not far behind.

"I feel like I'm progressing really well in the gym and even though I may not have been able to show it in the ring so far, I'm putting the progression in, I'm working every day, I'm training very hard.

"I'm putting in the ground work to make sure when the time comes, I'll be ready for it. I'm aiming for five fights this year.

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"I've already had one, I've got four more, one on June 16th and then another two and hopefully by the fifth one I get a massive real acid test.

"Then hopefully I'll fight for a world title next year."

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