On the highly anticipated night in Miami at the Kaseya Center, MVP Promotion staged a huge live event on Netflix, headlined by the much-talked-about bout between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul, which generated enormous hype around the card. On the undercard, Italy’s own Camilla Panatta (8-2-1) made her overseas title bid, challenging Caroline Dubois (11-0-1) for the WBC lightweight belt.
Both southpaws, Panatta—after a long boxing journey in Mexico—finally earned the opportunity of a lifetime, while across the ring stood the reigning champion, sister of Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois, himself a former world champion.
The bookmakers had Panatta as the underdog, and in the end Dubois successfully defended her title by unanimous decision (99-90 on all three scorecards). Still, Panatta fought hard for all ten rounds and deserves nothing but applause.
The fight was very intense from the start, with both fighters immediately engaging, looking to establish distance without any feeling-out phase. The champion’s vast experience was evident, but the Italian challenger remained focused and determined to fight her own fight.
In the second round, Dubois began landing precise shots, while Camilla tried to stay mobile on her feet to avoid being overwhelmed by the champion’s pressure.
In the third round, exchanges became more frequent. Dubois was deadly accurate with her left cross, but Panatta stayed sharp and attempted to answer back right away. The champion, however, remained calm and began to take control, showcasing her full arsenal.
At the fourth bell, Dubois unleashed unpredictable combinations. Panatta absorbed them but struggled to find the right timing on her counters, failing to make a real impact. The English fighter’s upper-body movement proved difficult to deal with.
In the fifth round, the Italian changed her approach. Clearly trailing on the scorecards, Camilla pressed forward and landed punches. Right uppercuts and hooks connected, with the lead hand very active—a strong round for Panatta.
In the sixth, the right hook again proved to be an effective weapon for Camilla. Dubois, however, seemed almost robotic, continuing with her precise and more seasoned boxing. Toward the end of the round, she dropped the challenger with a sudden right hook, lightning-fast and surgical, straight on the chin.
Camilla got back to her feet as the bell rang, allowing her to recover.
She recovered well and continued to trade bravely, while Dubois, with her timing, kept banking rounds, including the seventh and eighth, where she landed even more punches.
In the ninth round, Panatta managed to close the distance behind a left cross and land, but she also took some risks, as Dubois was always ready to respond effectively.
In the final round, the Italian launched a last all-out assault but was unable to overturn the outcome or avoid a points defeat. The score of 99-90 across the board sealed a deserved victory for Dubois, who retained her belt, while Panatta delivered an incredible display of heart and character.
I saw Camilla walk in emotional—this was a great experience for her, a huge opportunity against a top-level opponent on an enormous stage. Even after quickly realizing Dubois’ quality and how difficult the task was, Camilla never gave up for a second. She got back up and fought for every inch of the ring. We can only congratulate her and wish her another opportunity overseas.