Don Charles On ‘Why’ He Split From Dubois

Trainer Don Charles says his departure from Daniel Dubois was influenced by those around him and Dubois’ father Stanley. 

The split followed leaked footage showing Dubois partying hours before his stoppage loss to Oleksandr Usyk in July, as he missed out on becoming the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. Dubois is now reportedly with trainer Tony Sims, although no official announcement has been made. Under Charles’ guidance, Dubois secured victories over fighters including Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua. Charles says Dubois did not necessarily make the decision. 

“I want to take this moment to thank Don Charles and his team for all the time, effort, and hard work they’ve put into me over the past 18 months. I’m truly grateful for everything. That said, I feel it’s time for a change, a fresh approach for the next phase of my career, as I push forward to become a two-time heavyweight champion of the world. God bless. “I’ll be making a further announcement regarding my new team structure very soon,” Dubois stated

“I can categorically [say] Daniel’s not capable of making that decision. That was made for him and he was the one who had to action it — deliver it because he is the fighter,” Charles said 

Was It The Right Decision?

For a fighter whose career has been rejuvenated by Charles, the pre-fight lapse was a major setback. The appointment of a highly-respected, new voice like Tony Sims (even if unconfirmed) signals a desire for a stricter, more focused training environment. Dubois’ team might believe that a new set of eyes and a clean slate, particularly on the psychological side, are essential to erase the controversy. 

Conversely, leaving Don Charles represents a significant risk. Charles proved he could not only rebuild Dubois physically but also tactically guide him to victories over formidable opponents. Removing that stable, successful partnership—especially when the perceived issue was external discipline (the partying) rather than in-ring tactics—could prove disastrous.