In the bowels of Royal Albert Hall on March 7, hours after a hard-fought points win over longtime contender Bo Mi Re Shin, a bruised but content Caroline Dubois caught up with excitable friends.

This was, after all the disapproval of her steady-but-unspectacular matchmaking, the first time she'd been truly tested. Finally, we'd seen a chink in the armour of a young fighter being hailed as a future multi-weight world champion.

The WBC world lightweight beltholder had to grit her teeth, ride the wave of an inspired South Korean storm and lost the last four minutes as her defences were exposed.

Yet, one 95-95 scorecard aside, she still won comfortably (98-93, 98-92) on two scorecards in her first true world title defence after Jessica Camara's challenge was cut short two months prior.

'That's why she hasn't fought Beatriz Ferreira ... no wonder she tried to catch Terri Harper off-guard, out of camp, with a low-ball offer,' her naysayers may have detracted.

The criticism has shifted from the 24-year-old's resume to perceived ability, such has been the stick to beat Ben Shalom-backed BOXXER fighters in recent times. Is she ready for the unification fights she so dearly craves, or needs more time at the elite level?

This week it was announced her stablemate, Ring and unified junior featherweight champion Ellie Scotney will face WBA champion Mayelli Flores Rosquero for undisputed status at 122 pounds as part of a busy Jake Paul-Gervonta Davis undercard on Nov. 14.

Elsewhere on the same bill, unified junior lightweight titlist Alycia Baumgardner will defend her titles against Leila Beaudoin (13-1, 2 KOs) in a 12x3-minute contest under equal rules to men's champions.

Having followed Amanda Serrano's lead by vacating the WBC belt to compete under men's rules, a lightweight move feels inevitable for "The Bomb" if she prevails as expected against the Canadian, unless WBA interim champion Elif Nur Turhan (11-0, 7 KOs) can convince her into staying at the weight in 2026.

Dubois (11-0-1, 5 KOs) has called for a fight against Baumgardner, as well as Terri Harper — both under Paul's Most Valuable Promotions banner — but there's no movement on either front.

Shalom, her promoter, clarified the Brit's current situation in conversation with The Ring.

"She's been out longer than we expected because she, like Lauren Price, also had a small injury and is rehabbing from that," he said.

"We're talking to the team, obviously just done the [contract extension] deal with Adam Azim so we'll be looking for a big fight for her before the end of the year."

On the topic of a WBC/WBO unification against Harper, the 30-year-old promoter remained tight-lipped.

"Caroline has repeatedly told us of her desire for the biggest fights and biggest nights, we've got a big announcement coming and then will take it from there."

WBA champion Stephanie Han (11-0, 3 KOs) will likely defend her title against 2022 IBHOF inductee Holly Holm next, while IBF titleholder Beatriz Ferreira (7-0, 2 KOs) makes her third title defence against Dubois' former opponent Maira Moneo in her native Sao Paulo, Brazil, this weekend.

Dubois' rivals and contemporaries are moving forward as the Katie Taylor sweepstakes begin to shrink. After recovering from injury, it's high time she does the same.