Trainer Don Charles confirmed there will be no party for Daniel Dubois before his fight against Fabio Wardley. Dubois faced criticism after a previous gathering before his fight with Oleksandr Usyk, which he lost.
Mentioned in this story
Trainer Don Charles guaranteed Daniel Dubois' team will not be hosting a party before Saturday's fight against WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley in Manchester.
Dubois, 28, arrived for July's fight with Oleksandr Usyk at around 20:15 BST - less than two hours before his ringwalk - after reports that a gathering had been held at his house.
The Briton was stopped in the fifth round, losing his IBF title, and his team subsequently held an "internal inquest" as to why the party was allowed to happen.
A similar event had been held prior to Dubois' victory over Anthony Joshua in September 2024, when he knocked out the former champion in the ninth round.
"It's not ideal to have a gathering on the day of the fight," Charles told BBC Radio 5 Live's Boxing with Steve Bunce podcast.
"I'm not here to justify but they did the same gathering prior to the Joshua fight - that gave birth to the ringwalk.
"They tried to replicate that but it didn't work. I can guarantee there will be no gathering before this fight."
Figure caption,
Fabio Wardley: from white collar boxing to world champion
Dubois is aiming to become a two-time world champion when he faces fellow Briton Wardley at Manchester's Co-op Live Arena on Saturday.
He joked that they would "have a bigger party this time" before insisting the previous gathering had no influence on his performance against Ukraine's Usyk.
"It wasn't why I lost," Dubois said.
"I went up against one of the greatest fighters of this generation and I'm glad I have the experience of sharing the ring with him twice."
Dubois and Charles parted ways after that loss at Wembley, ending their 18-month relationship, but they reunited later in 2025 and have been working towards returning to the top of the sport.
"He was ticking over and training," Charles said.
"He went on holiday for five weeks to get a bit of sun and went to Tony [Sims] before coming back to familiar territory.
"There was not a lot of talking, there was a lot of embracing. I love all my fighters and when he walked in with his father we embraced each other and I said 'welcome home'."
Trainer Don Charles stated that there will be no party to avoid distractions, especially after Dubois lost to Oleksandr Usyk following a similar gathering.
Daniel Dubois lost to Oleksandr Usyk in the fifth round, which led to his team conducting an internal review regarding a party held before the fight.
Daniel Dubois is scheduled to fight WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley on Saturday in Manchester.
Donald Trump claims the US and Iran are close to a peace deal, but Iran's foreign ministry dismisses this. Recent US military strikes in Iran raise legal questions about potential war crimes.
Taylor Swift makes emotional speech as she joins Songwriters Hall of Fame
Nigeria's president announces military has killed over 13,000 terrorists in a year.
Oil prices plummet after Trump claims he's close to a US-Iran peace deal.
As Brexit's 10-year mark nears, key figures remain silent on its success.
Children with autism receive unapproved stem cell treatments, supported by RFK Jr.
See every story in News — including breaking news and analysis.