Daniel Dubois’ trainer Don Charles has insisted that his fighter was in the “right frame of mind” to fight Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday, regardless of the “gathering” the defeated Dubois attended earlier that day.
The 27 year old was stopped in five rounds at London’s Wembley Stadium, since when details of what was reported as a “house party” during the day have been revealed.
He arrived at the fight venue less than two hours before his ring walk. It was also reported by The Times that chaotic scenes caused by the sizeable entourage accompanying him complemented his arrival.
The same publication reported that Dubois’ influential father Stanley was responsible for the occasion attended at their family mansion in Essex by in the region of 70 people, that Stanley requested extra vehicles to take the same entourage to Wembley, that only one of the vehicles was accredited to park at the stadium – meaning that the then-IBF champion had to walk to the stadium on foot – and that Stanley also reportedly threatened that his son would not fight if those with them were not allowed in.
Charles was not present at the party in Essex, but after a fight for which he had been very confident of victory he told Talksport: “I thought he was in the right frame of mind. The young man I saw in the dressing room, we had ample time to warm up.
“I didn’t see anything that suggested he wasn’t on it on the night. Of course we are terribly disappointed that we couldn’t execute the game plan.
“We were operating at 25 per cent capacity, and that is something to do with the legendary great in front of us. I put it down to Oleksandr Usyk being that much of a genius as a fighter. It had a large say in what happened in the fight.”
Charles had also overseen Dubois’ previous stoppage defeat by Usyk, in August 2023, which preceded the career-transforming victories over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua, which earned him the rematch with the 38-year-old Usyk, of Ukraine, for the undisputed title.
“Let’s retract that word – it wasn’t a party it was a gathering,” Charles explained.
“The same gathering was used as the prep on fight day for the ‘AJ’ fight, the day he won.
“A lot was made of it with the energy he walked out at for the Anthony Joshua fight. That gathering was taken from home to the dressing room for that fight.
“That energy is what gave birth to that energy that he showed in the ring walk. Yes [we tried to replicate it], we were victorious, if it works for you the first time, you’d do it again.
“There might have been more people for this second gathering to get more energy. I’m a logical man and it makes logical sense.
“The AJ fight was big but this even trumps it. I try to understand and it may appear madness to people but it was the same thing that got us victory.”
Asked if Dubois knew everyone present at the party – it was also reported that he left it to go for a drive, perhaps in an attempt to focus – Charles responded: “I can’t tell you he did.
“I wasn’t there and I chose not to go there. My duty is on the training team to make sure we go to the dressing room and make sure everything is intact.”
