When illness forced Daniel Dubois out of his scheduled world title defence against Joseph Parker, he didn’t just lose the costs he’d sunk into his training camp. He missed out on a career-high payday.
Given he’d headlined against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium in his previous contest, that will have been a substantial sum.
Dubois had been due to box Parker in Riyadh on February 22. But a sudden illness abruptly ruled him out of the fight.
His trainer Don Charles has no doubt withdrawing Dubois was the correct course of action.
“Upon the recommendation of the doctors we opted not to put our fighter in that situation, save him from that situation. Live to fight another day,” Charles told Sky Sports.
“We did the right thing. Every day I wake up, I know we did the right thing. You have to sometimes save fighters from themselves. Daniel wanted to fight. They are gladiators. They want to fight.
“I don’t think it’s wise thing in a championship fight to go and take that chance of if you don’t blow Parker out in the first half of the fight, who’s to say because you’re ill, illness doesn’t kick in.”
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How Martin Bakole replaced Daniel Dubois for the fight against Joseph Parker due to illness
Dubois has subsequently been criticised for not going through the bout.
“He shouldn’t have fought and we didn’t and I’m glad,” Charles insisted. “It does anger me when I hear some of the comments of people. I always repeat: we’re not in the macho business, we’re in the smart business.”
Given that Dubois took the Parker fight as a voluntary defence, that Dubois had completed a full training camp for the contest and had travelled out to Riyadh for the fight, the IBF heavyweight champion had every incentive to box, if he’d been fit to do so.
The financial incentive alone would have been huge.
Don Charles was the 2024 trainer of the year at the BBBoC awards
“We had to do the smart thing. I also remind the audience this was Daniel Dubois’ highest pay to date in his professional career,” Charles revealed. “His career-highest purse.
“Three and a half months of sheer hard work and the money that it costs to do a camp of that magnitude.
“We then went all the way to Riyadh, 48 hours before he’s due to fight he showed signs of illness.
“It cost him money. To do a three and half month camp at this level, it costs a lot of money. So he’s lost all that. The whole team, we’re gutted.
“When I’m hearing people say ‘oh he ducked it’, ‘he ducked the fight’ – it’s not logical. It is what it is. We’re where we are and we look forward.
“Why would you then go to all the trouble of an expensive camp, travel to Riyadh and then opt not to fight? For what?
“Let me tell you something about the human race – they want blood,” he added. “We’re still bloodthirsty. It’s back in the medieval days, they’re still thirsting for blood. Somebody’s blood. That’s what that’s all about.”
Viral illness has affected Dubois in some of his previous camps. “It’s a reoccurring illness. We need to get to the bottom of it and see what’s causing it,” Charles said.
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Fabio Wardley says he is looking for a shot at a world title in 2025 and would have accepted a showdown with IBF champion Daniel Dubois
But he is expected to box in the summer. Dubois could meet unified champion Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed heavyweight world title fight, although Parker is the mandatory challenger for Usyk’s WBO belt.
Parker’s team hope he gets the shot at Usyk before Dubois. “Everybody’s got their opinion, Parker deserves this, Parker deserves that. Parker’s a lovely human being, he’s a brilliant boxer,” Charles said.
“Who am I to say that he doesn’t deserve it? If it’s for him and his people are able to manoeuvre him, good luck to the man. All I know is Daniel’s ready to fight anybody.
“Whoever our promoter brings to us next is who we’re going to fight.”
When it comes to considering who ‘deserves’ the Usyk fight, Charles points out that Parker didn’t miss out on a fight or a payday when Martin Bakole stepped in for Dubois.
“Also pulling him out when we did was the right time. Imagine if it was the day after? [Bakole] got his opportunity there,” the trainer explained. “It didn’t work out for him but I have to salute him for stepping in on such short notice.
“Eight times out of 10, there’s no replacement, [in that case] Parker would haven’t fought that night. Then you could have an argument as such ‘oh he deserves to get a fight’. He got a good name, he got paid handsomely to have that fight against Bakole. And the way the business is, I’m not a promoter, but it moves. Every second it moves.”
Usyk’s team has been discussing taking the Dubois unification next. “There’s a few options there and that’s one of the options that’s been mentioned. That’s not my department,” Charles said.
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Daniel Dubois demands a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk following the Ukrainian’s win over Tyson Fury
But the trainer is adamant that Dubois, who lost to Usyk in 2023, is now ready for the rematch.
“Since we’ve been working together he fought Usyk, [Jarrell] Miller, [Filip] Hrgovic, Joshua, then Parker would have been his next fight. It’s incredible, the run,” said Charles, who was the Boxing News trainer of the year at the British Boxing Board of Control annual awards in recognition of that success.
“When you’re holding one of the titles, he’s got the IBF heavyweight belt, so you have to be able to take on all comers and that’s where we’re at,” Charles said of Dubois rematching Usyk.
“He’s a champion, a world champion, Daniel Dubois. We’re in the business of fighting. So long as it makes sense, then yeah.”
