Confidence in the Daniel Dubois’ camp is unwavering ahead of his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. Dubois is more confident than anyone, seemingly counting down the days until he can ink ‘undisputed heavyweight champion of the world’ on his CV.
“I’m raring to go – get ready for the greatest victory in boxing history,” the Brooks athlete says, relaxing into a leather sofa after a few rounds of performative padwork – all-out efforts are saved for when he is behind closed doors.
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But while boxing is the prototypical individual sport, it is now a team game. And Dubois’ team for this fight has grown to new heights, ensuring no stone is left unturned in his preparations for the heavyweight clash.
“This is only done at the top level,” says trainer Don Charles, who sits at the helm. “I’ve been in the coaching industry for 25 years, and I’ve trained other high-profile boxers. This is the first time the team has grown to where we’re getting all of this support: nutritional advice, a doctor present at training. That’s unheard of, having a doctor present at training sessions.
He adds: “It’s because this is the pinnacle. It doesn’t get any higher than this, contesting for the undisputed. Daniel is a part of history, and we are all involved in it.”
Among his team are Dr Ravi Gill and physiotherapist Tom Kopelman, who have been brought in from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.
“Our main remit is illness and injury prevention, recovery optimisation, and giving Don Charles the best possible version of Daniel Dubois every day,” Gill says.
As well as taking precautions to avoid a repeat of Dubois’ illness-caused withdrawal from his Joseph Parker fight, Gill stays ringside to keep tabs on metrics such as heart rate variability, blood oxygen levels, heart rate and more via a chest-worn monitor.
His summary: “I’ve worked with elite athletes and World Cup winners, and Daniel has the best physique I’ve seen.
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He goes on: “It’s impressive how well he recovers. His heart rate goes up when sparring and training, then it comes down again really efficiently. He can go 18 rounds, no problem.”
Recovery is another big focus, physio Kopelman adds. Alongside prehab work and strengthening exercises to build a buffer against injury, he employs several techniques to allow Dubois to bounce back from tough 20-round training days.
“Recovery can involve lots of different things,” Kopelman explains, “and it’s very individual, so it’s [about] finding what works for the athlete to make sure they’re ready. Everyone talks about improving the one per cents, but even if you can improve things by 0.1 per cent, it adds up.
Sleeping is a huge part of that, he says. “You can have the best ice bath in the world, but it means nothing if you don’t sleep well. Then there’s an individual aspect to being an athlete. You have to be happy.”
Dubois does seem happy, and remarkably at ease. After leaving the ring, he is led through some stretches, then unflinchingly lowers his imposing frame into a tub of freezing cold water. A torrent of ice cube-laden liquid is displaced onto the floor in the process.
As eyebrows raise over his lack of reaction, he laughs, submerges his head, then reemerges with a laugh: “It gets easier over time,” he says.
Rather than the act itself becoming easier, he might simply be getting better at it. Most would agree this is mirrored in his career, with Dubois growing in composure, guile and ability with each passing fight.
This, twinned with his team’s fastidious preparations for the Usyk fight, means we are likely to see the best version of Daniel Dubois to date on Saturday, 19 July. For boxing fans across the world, this is an exciting prospect.
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