Caroline Dubois: Lightweight world-title with Jessica Camara contest ends in draw after clash of heads

British lightweight boxer Caroline Dubois retained her WBC world title after her fight with Jessica Camara ended in a frustrating technical draw due to a head clash. The bout in Sheffield, which coincided with Dubois' 24th birthday, saw her knock down her challenger with a sharp left hook in the first round.

The London-based fighter, sensing an early finish, continued to apply pressure in the second round. Camara's left eye began to bleed due to an accidental clash of heads. The referee and ringside doctor called a halt to the fight before the start of the third round, deeming the 36-year-old Canadian Camara, whose right eye was also badly swollen, unfit to continue.

"The blood wasn't going into her face, and she didn't want to continue herself," said Dubois, who moved up from interim to full world champion after Katie Taylor vacated the belt, after winning her first 10 professional fights. "It was either going to be the doctor or me to finish it. I wish her all the best and hope she gets home safe." Dubois has called for a unification fight with Doncaster's WBO champion Terri Harper.

In the main event of the evening, Barnsley's Callum Simpson defeated Steed Woodall in the second round to retain his British and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles. The 29-year-old Simpson floored Woodall with a flurry of attacks, before the referee intervened after another attack moments later, despite protests from the 30-year-old Woodall. It was not the outcome Dubois wanted, but the champion looked impressive in the first four minutes of the fight.

She entered to a dance remix of Whitney Houston's 'I'm Every Woman', which ignited the 3,000-strong crowd, almost all of whom were there to support Yorkshireman Simpson. Dubois' intentions were clear from the outset. She landed a crisp body shot early in the first round, followed by a southpaw left that knocked Camara down. Former cruiserweight world champion Chris Billam-Smith was ringside cheering on his teammate, as Dubois landed damaging power punches. Camara, who had previously won four fights in a row, looked out of her depth, sighing as she returned to her corner.

Dubois continued her onslaught in the second round, grunting with each punch. She looked set to secure her sixth knockout victory, but the disappointing ending cut the bout short. If the fight had gone beyond the fourth round, it would have been decided on the judges' scorecards. Dubois' trainer Shane McGuigan added: "The cut was on the side and the blood wasn't going into the eye. I'm surprised we didn't go past four rounds."

It has been an unusual few months for the Dubois family. The Greenwich fighter's estranged brother, Daniel Dubois, beat Anthony Joshua in September to retain his world heavyweight title. Long hailed as the future of women's boxing, amateur star Dubois has done everything that has been asked of her in her professional career, despite the draw with Camara. "She is definitely the best female boxer on the planet," said McGuigan.

However, her boxing resume is not yet commensurate with her ability. Dubois' record lacks a marquee opponent that would elevate her star status. Unification fights with Harper or Brazil's IBF champion Beatriz Ferreira would be a genuine step up, and Dubois is confident of winning both of those contests.