Trainer reunion aims to tighten Daniel Dubois’ guard
Frank Warren has backed Daniel Dubois’ move back to Don Charles ahead of a planned May fight with Fabio Wardley, a decision aimed at restoring discipline in the corner before the bell even rings. At heavyweight, small technical slips grow costly once clean shots start landing.
Dubois, 22-3 with 21 knockouts, is expected to challenge WBO belt holder Wardley with Charles again running the gym floor. The reunion follows the fifth-round stoppage against Oleksandr Usyk, a night where the guard opened and straight shots split it repeatedly.
“I’m glad they got back together, I think it’s the right thing,” Warren told Ring Magazine. “He lost his fight with Usyk and there were a lot of circumstances around it but he was on a bloody good roll.”
Before the split, Charles had Dubois punching straight and bringing his hands back tight to his cheeks after every combination. Against Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua, his stance stayed set and the right hand traveled without hesitation. Once the elbows drifted and the chin lifted, opponents found daylight.
A heavyweight must punch and defend in the same beat. Throw, reset the feet, bring the guard home.
“Some people do things, people say things and get influenced but I think he’s found out for himself… that’s the place he should be, so that’s good,” Warren added.
Wardley will not give him space. He works behind a busy jab, steps into mid-range, and forces exchanges until the other man reacts. If Dubois allows the fight to compress without structure, the right hand becomes a single swing rather than a built attack.
Elsewhere, Agit Kabayel remains in rhythm while the title picture waits on Usyk. The German-based heavyweight, 27-0 with 19 knockouts, has held the WBC interim belt since stopping Zhilei Zhang and recently removed Damian Knyba inside three rounds to avoid rust.
“We had the balls to go there, do it and take that chance,” Warren said. “Going back a long time, there’s always been a lot of love for boxing in Germany and they’ve got a hero.”
Kabayel’s path is straightforward. Keep the jab touching, work the body, and stay active so timing stays sharp when the call for a full belt arrives.
Heavyweight belts often hinge on positioning as much as punching, yet once the bell rings it comes down to stance, balance, and who keeps their guard honest.
Dubois is betting that returning to Charles restores the details. Kabayel is betting that steady rounds keep him first in line. The division waits on Usyk, but the work in the gym has already begun.