Rumors that Daniel Dubois and Don Charles have fallen out not true

Rumors often swirl in the world of Boxing, and recently, a lot of speculation has focused on the relationship between IBF Interim Heavyweight world champion Daniel Dubois and his trainer, Don Charles. With Charles noticeably absent from Dubois’ camp leading up to his fight against Anthony Joshua, some have been quick to jump to conclusions, suggesting anything from personal coNFLicts to a total falling out. But, as Dubois made clear at a recent press conference, there’s no bad blood - just flu season.

When asked directly about Charles’ absence, Dubois cut through the noise: “Listen, as long as he’s there in my corner on fight night, I’m all right. Everything’s good.”

And that’s about all we got on the subject. No drama, no mystery, just a simple explanation. It turns out, Charles has been nursing the flu, not dealing with any internal rift, as some rumors suggested. Whatever was going on behind the scenes, it’s clear Dubois doesn’t feel the need to make a spectacle out of it.

The press conference itself, held on September 19 in London, wasn’t exactly packed with revelations, but that’s often the case with these events. Dubois, a man of few words at the best of times, stuck to his usual straightforward style. He’s focused. The training camp went well, and he’s ready for whatever comes next. “It’s a resurrection story, my career,” Dubois said, a nod to his ups and downs in the sport. “I just want the biggest challenges and to make a name for myself and create History.”

At 25, Dubois stands with a record of 19 wins and 2 losses, his most recent defeat being a controversial one to Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in August 2023. In that fight, many felt Dubois was robbed of a knockout victory after a low blow call. However, he showed his resolve by bouncing back quickly, with this latest fight against Joshua marking his first since that night. Dubois knows what’s at stake. He holds the IBF heavyweight belt, something he earned by defeating Filip Hrgovic back in June, and he’s not about to let it go without a fight.

“I need to maintain it and hold on to it,” Dubois said, referencing his title. “Now I need to legitimize myself by winning this fight by any means necessary.”

His opponent, Anthony Joshua, also didn’t reveal much in the way of fight strategy, but he did hint at wanting to rediscover his old form. “I’ve been watching some of the old fights, just to add some fuel to the fire,” Joshua shared, reflecting on his past successes. At 34, Joshua is looking to reignite a career that, while still impressive, has had its fair share of setbacks, including two losses to Usyk. His record now stands at 26 wins and 3 losses, but like Dubois, he’s itching to prove that his best days aren’t behind him.

“I’m in supreme condition both physically and mentally,” Joshua said, confident in his preparation for Saturday’s showdown. “It’s great to be back at Wembley.”

It’s clear both fighters are feeling the pressure but handling it in their own ways. Dubois keeps his focus sharp and his words few, while Joshua seems to be drawing on the past to fire himself up for the present. Regardless of the speculation swirling around his camp, Dubois is calm. As long as Charles is in his corner come fight night, everything else is just noise.