Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois: Why the IBF champion is without his trainer during the AJ fight week

19 September 2024, 10:20 | Updated: 19 September 2024, 19:54

Daniel Dubois' trainer Don Charles was not present at Wednesday's public workout and is not expected to attend Thursday night's press conference due to a cold.

But there is no rift in the IBF champion's camp ahead of Saturday's Wembley Stadium showdown with Anthony Joshua.

Charles simply had a cold.

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His son, George Fox told Sky Sports: "No secret, no ploy, no plan to unsettle anyone."

Assistant trainer Kieran Farrell also denied that Dubois was carrying an injury. "Daniel has no injury to his right hand - he's injured my hands with the power of his shots!" Farrell told Sky Sports.

Charles has been in Dubois' corner for this last three fights and has been credited with playing a key role in how Dubois has turned his career around, becoming an interim titlist and ultimately a world champion after bouncing back from defeat to Oleksandr Usyk with victories over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic.

New teams, new fighters?

Sky Sports' Matt Macklin says:

"AJ is coming in off two really good wins. You can dissect them and say he should have done that to Otto Wallin, he should have done that to Francis Ngannou. Maybe, but he still did and he did it with a new trainer, Ben Davison.

"Dubois' had a couple of defeats, but no shame in losing to either Joe Joyce or Oleksandr Usyk. He wasn't knocked out in those fights - he chose not to continue. It got tough and hard against Jarrell Miller but he stayed in there and got the knockout late in the fight. Filip Hrgovic same thing again, he stayed in there when the going got tough.

"So I would imagine psychologically he's turned a corner there again.

"His confidence, and belief going into the biggest fight of his life is where it needs to be."

Sky Sports' Johnny Nelson:

"Don is the kind of guy who needs to get into the head of his fighters all the way through, be positive, what he can do, what he should being down. Him not being around Daniel this week, I think that is a hinderance.

"Daniel is going to be around people, when it comes to these events, who haven't been in his ears for the last 12 weeks in camp. Unfortunately, Don isn't feeling great so is doing the right thing.

"He [Don] is going to be on the phone to him all the time. Daniel has had a great game face so far this week, but it should be very important that Don is here. Don not being there is an issue."

Anthony Joshua's heavyweight showdown with Daniel Dubois takes place on Saturday September 21 live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Joshua v Dubois now!

(c) Sky Sports 2024: Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois: Why the IBF champion is without his trainer during the AJ fight week