- Dubois was scheduled to defend IBF heavyweight title against Joseph Parker
- The 27-year-old was forced to pull out through illness two days before the bout
- The IBF champion has since been criticised for his late withdrawal from the fight
Daniel Dubois’ coach Don Charles has explained what really happened in the hours leading up to the IBF heavyweight world champion’s withdrawal from his scheduled title fight with Joseph Parker.
The 27-year-old was set to take on Parker in a highly-anticipated bout on a stacked card in Riyadh last month.
However, just two days before he was meant to take to the ring, Dubois pulled out after being struck down by illness.
The shocking news came less than a day after he pronounced himself ‘absolutely’ ready to go against New Zealand’s former world champion.
Dubois has since faced criticism from people within the sport, and fans, for not facing Parker – who went on to knockout Martin Bakole.
Charles has since been adamant that his camp made the right call and has delved into the details of what happened in the lead-up to the cancellation.
Daniel Dubois was forced to pull out of his IBF title fight with Joseph Parker through illness
Joseph Parker went on to knockout Martin Bakole, who took the fight on just 48 hours notice
The heavyweight champion’s coach Don Charles has explained what happened to Dubois
‘Two independent doctors [examined Dubois],’ the trainer told Box Nation. ‘One of them was a Riyadh Season’s doctor and the other was the board’s doctor.
‘He (the board’s doctor) came about 25 minutes after the first doctor. He examined and took a blood sample from the finger, urine sample, and checked his ears and everything.
‘He said he was coming down with something and he said that he doesn’t recommend that Daniel fight. As you can imagine, the disappointment, the shock – it’s like ‘what?’. Daniel said to me at that point “Coach I want to fight”.
‘Then I called his father and said: “Two doctors have recommended he doesn’t fight”. He asked what I think and I said he’s not fighting. The dad seconded that opinion and said “If he’s not well he’s not fighting”.’
The bout was set to be Dubois’ first title defence since brutally knocking out Anthony Joshua at Wembley last June and a career-high payday.
The ultimate prize of a fight against Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title was also on the line for the winner.
But ultimately, Dubois was too unwell to enter the ring and Charles has hit back at those taking aim at the IBF champion.
Charles told Sky Sports: ‘[You] live to fight another day. Every day I wake up, I know we did the right thing.
Dubois is still yet to defend his IBF heavyweight title since beating Anthony Joshua last year
‘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. He shouldn’t have fought and we didn’t and I’m glad.
‘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.’
‘We had to do the smart thing. I also remind the audience this was Daniel Dubois’ highest pay to date in his professional career, his career-highest purse.’
