- Rumours spread earlier this week that Daniel Dubois has sacked his trainer
- His trainer, Don Charles, has now responded to these wild rumours
- He has hit out at people for spreading a ‘vicious lie’ ahead of Saturday’s fight
Daniel Dubois‘ trainer has slammed wild rumours that he was sacked by the heavyweight champion ahead of his title defence against Anthony Joshua this weekend.
Charles was not present at the grand arrivals or open workouts at the start of fight week, leading to speculation on social media that he had been fired after a disagreement with Dubois.
But it was reported on Thursday morning that he is actually battling illness, which Dubois confirmed later in the day at his final press conference.
Charles is furious that the rumour spread just days before Dubois enters the ring, and insists he has every intention of being in his fighter’s corner at Wembley on Saturday night.
‘I’ve been bedridden for the last five days,’ Charles told talkSPORT on Friday morning. ‘It’s a very bad head cold.’
‘The most sensible thing to do was not go near my fighter because can you imagine if I gave this to him? Then there will be no fight.
‘It’s subsided, I feel strong again and we will not be denied. If God gives us help then 100% I will be in his corner, that’s the plan.
‘A few individuals spread vicious rumours, there has not been any fall-out. It’s a vicious lie.’
Charles is set to stay away from today’s weigh-in as well, but believes he will be ready to train Dubois on Saturday.
Charles has trained Dubois for his last three fights, with the pair first teaming up ahead of the Brit’s world title fight with Oleksandr Usyk last August.
Dubois was beaten inside nine rounds that night, but has since bounced back with consecutive wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic.
The Hrgovic fight was for the interim IBF title, but Dubois was later upgraded to full champion after Usyk vacated the belt ahead of his rematch with Tyson Fury in December.
Dubois will now make the first defence of his title against Joshua, and looks set to have Charles giving him instructions in the corner.
