Daniel Dubois’ trainer shows a surprising way to motivate him before the Wardley fight.
Daniel Dubois’ trainer used a surprising way to motivate him between rounds during their fight, which helped Dubois, 28, win against Fabio Wardley.
The two fighters faced off in an exciting battle tonight, ending with Dubois winning by stoppage in the 11th round. Even though Dubois was knocked down twice early on — once in the first 10 seconds and again in Round 3 — he managed to get up and keep fighting. The second knockdown was tough, and it took him eight seconds to recover, but he kept going strong.
After some good rounds at the start, Dubois fought back hard in the fourth round. By the sixth round, the fight got bloody, with Wardley’s injuries making the referee check on him often. Wardley’s right eye was nearly shut, and he had a deep cut on his nose.
Between rounds, Dubois’ trainer, Don Charles, slapped him on the face to wake him up. It was a bit unusual and old-fashioned, but it seemed to do the trick. Dubois’ head moved from side to side with the slaps, and it helped him bounce back after those early knockdowns.
Charles has been a great coach for Dubois, helping him win some of his best fights between 2023 and 2024, including beating top fighters like Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgović, and Anthony Joshua on his way to the IBF heavyweight title. They had split ways after Dubois lost to Oleksandr Usyk in 2025, but the reunion for this fight clearly had a big impact.
Fabio Wardley’s trainer, Rob Hodgins, also spoke highly of Charles. He said Charles was the best trainer for Dubois, noting that Dubois had tried a few different coaches before finally finding the right one. Hodgins said, “Don has really built Daniel’s confidence and added to what he’s good at. If something’s working, don’t change it. Don is the perfect fit for him.”
After the fight at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, Dubois called Wardley a “warrior” during his interview with DAZN. Talks about a possible rematch are already starting.
With his win tonight, Dubois, who now has a record of 23 wins and 3 losses, will look to defend his WBO heavyweight title, which he previously held from 2024 to 2025.