Former IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois split with trainer Don Charles earlier this week, and the 27 year old has now issued a statement confirming his move. While at the same time, Dubois’s manager Sam Jones has gone into detail as far as why the man last seen being stopped in his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk decided to part ways with Charles.
“I can confirm I have parted ways with Don Charles,” Dubois said in his statement. “I have immense gratitude to Don for the time and effort he’s put into me over the last 18 months, and I wish him nothing but success going forward.”
Did Dubois Really Need A “New Voice” – Or Is He Just Chasing Excuses?
Dubois – who reports shockingly said had a party thrown in his honour just prior to the massive and so very important rematch with Usyk – is now looking to bounce back and, with a “fresh team,” the goal is to become a two-time heavyweight champion. Jones spoke about the future and how Dubois is now looking to come up with a “new plan.”
“He’s decided he needs a fresh team – a new voice, a new plan. But that’s not to diminish anything Don Charles has done,” Jones said in speaking with Sky Sports. “They shared some incredible nights. The AJ fight at Wembley was iconic, and Don played a massive role in that. But his is his life – Daniel felt he needed a change, and that’s what’s happened. Daniel just wants to win boxing matches. He’s a fighter through and through. He was upset with his performance against Usyk, he thought he could do a lot better. He’s a former world champion, and now the sole focus is becoming a two-time heavyweight champion of the world.”
Can Dubois Silence Critics Who Say He Quits Under Pressure?
Jones, who also said that there is “no shame” in losing to Usyk, “the greatest heavyweight of his era,” or in losing to Joe Joyce, who stopped a still-green Dubois in 2020, believes Dubois can come back stronger. The one good thing Dubois has on his side, the most obvious things, is his youth. At age 27, Dubois is still young for a heavyweight, in fact he really is quite young. But the critics say Dubois has now “quit” in three fights and that his mental strength and attitude will again prove to be his downfall. It’s now up to Dubois, an incredibly hard worker in the gym, to prove these critics wrong.
Dubois, a genuine puncher, will likely begin phase-one of his latest comeback before the end year. There are of course plenty of big and appealing fights out there for “DDD.” But can Dubois win these fights, and can he win another world title? Jones listed Joshua, in a rematch, and Moses Itauma as possible foes for Dubois when he does come back.
