Don Charles, Dubois’ trainer, recently sat down with IFL TV for an interview and left no stone unturned in discussing what many UK boxing fans see as a theft of victory for his young fighter.
Charles: “I’m devastated. Devastation is an understatement. The fighter, Daniel Dubois, was robbed of his moment. The team, the family, family friends, the country— robbed last night.”
These words from Charles highlight the agony of watching what he describes as a stolen win, not just for Dubois but for everyone connected to him.
Did Dubois Quit?
Charles: “I promise you, when I get back to England, any human being that comes and says that, let them come and say it to my face. Don’t hide behind the keyboard. Come to my face, me, Don Charles, and tell me. I’ll punch you in the mouth. I’ll probably get arrested, but I’ll punch you in the mouth.”
Controversial Decisions and Modern Technology
“Like I said, we’re living in days of modern technology. It’s actually in color, not even in black and white. It’s in color, high definition.”
Charles insists that technology has the capacity to correct these wrongs. In an era where every angle can be reviewed in high definition, was Dubois robbed of his moment?
“There is only one God. Usyk is always seen making cross signs, praying. I want to know which God is worshiping because you don’t lie in the name of God.”
Charles didn’t pull any punches here. He directly questioned Usyk’s religious integrity, indicating that a true God-fearing man wouldn’t cheat or lie.
The Strategy: Targeting the Body
“We knew we had to end the fight in six rounds, which we managed to do in the fifth round. That was a knockout. That wasn’t even a TKO; it was a KO.”
Charles seemed confident that Dubois had executed the game plan to perfection. The targeted body shots were meant to exploit Usyk’s known weakness, and by all accounts, they did. So, why did it not count?
A Questionable Referee
“If you’re not good to do your job, you should get demoted. He did it with Anthony Joshua, the same referee. If you’re not competent, you should be demoted to a lower level because he’s not good enough to referee at that level.”
The Call for VAR in Boxing
“Such things should be brought into boxing because it’s too much on the line. We went through a lot to prepare for that.”
Can boxing take a page out of football’s book and implement Video Assistant Referees (VAR)? Charles calls for an overhaul in the way fights are judged, asking for a review system to correct wrongs that cost fighters their hard-earned victories.
Don Charles’ last words were both a warning and a lament:
“Usyk, stop cheating and be fair. If you’re a religious man like you claim, do not cheat in the name of God.”
