Daniel Dubois Splits with Don Charles, Hires Tony Sims as New Trainer

As reported by BoxingScene, Daniel Dubois has cut ties with Don Charles and turned to Tony Sims, adding yet another trainer to his growing list. At 27, he’s on his fourth corner chief in under five years, which tells you plenty about where the real instability lies.

His latest shake-up comes off the back of being dismantled by Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley this past July. The Ukrainian ended matters in five rounds, stripping Dubois of his IBF title and leaving more questions than answers. And when fight-week chatter is about his family hosting a party rather than about crisp sparring sessions, it’s not hard to see why critics keep circling.

A Heavyweight Who Treats Trainers Like Spare Parts

The merry-go-round goes like this: Shane McGuigan, Martin Bowers, Don Charles, and now Tony Sims. Four trainers in an eight-year career, but the real stat is four trainers since 2020. Fighters who swap trainers this often rarely scream “consistency.” The explanation is always the same — “a new chapter” or “different energy” — yet the problems show up on fight night, unchanged.

Tony Sims has pedigree. He’s been around the block, brought Anthony Joshua an IBF title, and has given direction to fighters in need of rebuilding. But here’s the twist: Sims usually works with Matchroom fighters, while Dubois remains a Queensberry man. That’s not a natural marriage, and it may not last long.

Don Charles Delivered Wins That Dubois Pretends Never Happened

Charles didn’t exactly preside over a decline. Under him, Dubois beat Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua in succession — arguably the best run of his career. He even defended the IBF strap by stopping Joshua at Wembley. But all of that goodwill was wiped away after the rematch with Usyk, where Dubois again folded under elite pressure.

Now Charles is out, Sims is in, and the story is familiar. A fighter blames the corner, not the mirror. Will Sims succeed where three others failed? Possibly. But if history is any guide, Dubois will be hunting for trainer number five before long.