Dubois Leaves Don Charles – Is It The Right Move?

Daniel Dubois has officially split from his trainer, Don Charles, as he will now work alongside Tony Sims.  

The announcement follows Dubois’ knockout loss to Oleksandr Usyk, as he missed out on becoming the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. Charles, who helped Dubois resurrect his career after his first loss to Joe Joyce, was a central figure in his recent rise. Wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua were evidence of that. 

However, the Usyk loss raised many questions. Leaked footage showed Dubois partying hours before the Usyk fight, resulting in mass criticism. For Dubois, parting ways with Don Charles seems to be pragmatic and necessary. The Usyk bout highlighted a lack of defen sive discipline. Dubois was criticized for repeatedly getting caught with the same shots, namely the jab in the opening round. 

Implications

A new trainer offers the chance for a complete tactical overhaul. This can be seen as a parallel to Tyson Fury’s decision to move on from his previous trainer. After his first fight with Deontay Wilder, Fury brought in SugarHill Steward, who transformed him from a defensive specialist into a pressure fighter. 

While a change may seem logical on the surface, the decision to leave Don Charles is a significant risk. Charles was not just a trainer; he was the architect of Dubois’s career revival. After the devastating loss to Joe Joyce, many in the boxing world questioned Dubois’ heart and chin. It was Charles who guided him to a series of impressive victories

Charles is a highly respected trainer who also guided Daniel’s younger brother, Solomon, and has worked with other elite fighters. It’s possible that the issues in the Usyk fight were not a failure of training but rather the simple reality of facing a generational talent. The split could be viewed as an overreaction to a single loss. Either way, fans had plenty to say.