Daniel Dubois looked in serious trouble during his heavyweight title clash against Fabio Wardley after suffering two early knockdowns. However, one of the biggest talking points from the fight came not from inside the ring, but from the corner.
Ahead of the fifth round, Dubois’ trainer Don Charles delivered two quick slaps to his fighter in a moment that instantly divided boxing fans. The move appeared designed to shock Dubois mentally and bring his focus back into the fight after a difficult start.
The tactic quickly became one of the most discussed moments of the night.
After weathering the early storm, Dubois recovered strongly and eventually stopped Wardley in the eleventh round to become the WBO heavyweight world champion.
Now, promoter Eddie Hearn has praised Charles’ actions and believes the trainer played a huge role in Dubois turning the fight around.
Eddie Hearn believes Don Charles changed the fight
In his recent appearance on IFL TV, Hearn said Charles deserves major credit for recognising the situation and stepping in when Dubois needed a wake-up call.
“By the way, if Don Charles didn’t take it by the scruff of the neck, he probably would have lost the fight,” Hearn said.
According to Hearn, Charles was one of the main reasons Dubois eventually found his rhythm.
“So Don Charles was a massive factor in him winning that fight,” he added.
Dubois had looked sluggish early and struggled to deal with Wardley’s pressure before his corner intervention.
Hearn explains why Dubois accepted the slap
Hearn also believes the relationship between Charles and Dubois played a major role in the unusual tactic’s success.
“The difference is when you know someone like that, sometimes it’s easier to take those instructions on board,” Hearn explained.
He suggested that a similar action from a coach without that bond could have produced a completely different reaction.
“You might think, what are you doing?” Hearn said. “Whereas, it’s just different when they’ve been through what they’ve been through and they know each other like they do.”
While Charles’ corner intervention sparked debate across the boxing world, Hearn clearly believes it may have helped save Dubois’ night and his heavyweight title dreams.
Charles explains why he slapped Dubois
Charles has since explained that his decision had one purpose only to mentally reset his fighter and remind him of the task at hand.
“[I did it] to wake him up, to remind him of his duties, his obligations, of what the task is,” Charles explained.
“Wake up, and I think that woke him up… and I’ve got heavy hands.”
The experienced trainer also insisted the key was staying calm under pressure.
“Experience [was key],” Charles said. “When a plane goes through turbulence in the air, a good pilot will stay calm and steady the plane, that’s what we have to do. Stay calm, steady the plane.”
