Roy Jones Jr. Defends Daniel Dubois’ Usyk Fight Day Party “Nothing He Did…”

The July 19th showdown between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois was poised to be a historic night for British boxing. At only 27, Dubois stands on the brink of becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.

History turned against the Brits as the Ukrainian maestro once again proved his dominance in the ring. Reports surfacing days after the fight indicate that Daniel Dubois might have jumped the gun on his celebration before entering the ring. Even on enemy territory, the 38-year-old Ukrainian commanded the crowd’s support, flooring Daniel Dubois twice before referee Michael Griffin called the fight in the fifth round. After Dubois’ lackluster performance, criticism has intensified following reports of a 70-person pre-fight party at his Essex home, which he himself attended. Roy Jones Jr. has stepped up to address Dubois’ actions.

Just a few hours ago, Seconds Out shared a video on YouTube where Radio Raheem caught up with Roy Jones Jr. for a candid conversation. During the discussion about the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois fight, Raheem took the opportunity to ask the four-weight world champion about the controversy surrounding Daniel Dubois’ actions before the bout. “There’s been so much controversy about what Dubois did the day before the fight. I know you’ve heard about the party, so what was your reaction when you heard that?” Raheem asked.

Roy Jones Jr. responded with a detailed answer, dismissing the notion that Dubois’ pre-fight activities had any bearing on the outcome. “None of that had nothing to do with the outcome of that fight,” he said. “I mean it’s different. Everybody tries to do different things. Everybody wants to be trailblazers. I mean you have to tip your hat to him for trying something like that, but nothing he could have done. He could’ve slept all day, he could’ve had the perfect fight plan, perfect fight preparation before that fight. Nothing he did that day or the day before was going to affect what happened there that night.”

For Roy Jones Jr., Daniel Dubois’ actions were neither a sign of overconfidence nor a factor in the fight’s result. He believes Dubois’ early celebrations, if they can even be called that, were irrelevant and should not be overanalyzed. What truly mattered, Jones emphasized, was what happened in the ring, both fighters gave their 100%, and it became clear who the superior fighter was. But while critics claim Dubois celebrated prematurely, Don Charles suggests it might not have been a celebration at all. Why so?

Daniel Dubois’ pre-fight bash? Camp calls it a ritual

Last week, Don Charles appeared in an interview with talkSport, where he addressed the controversy surrounding the large gathering before Daniel Dubois’ fight. The veteran trainer defended the move, insisting it was nothing new and referencing their previous success. “The same gathering we used for the prep on fight day for the AJ fight… That gathering from the same home was taken to the dressing room for that fight. Some of Dano’s friends and his father’s friends were in the dressing room for the AJ fight. That energy is what gave birth to the energy that everybody witnessed in the ring walk. And we were victorious on that occasion,” Charles explained.

Charles further justified the larger turnout this time, noting that the Usyk clash was the biggest fight of Dubois’ career. “I’m a logical man. The only logical sense as to why there were more people is to increase the volume, because it’s big, you’re going… the AJ fight was big. This, this even trumps it. I didn’t think that was possible. So if you try to understand, that’s what I do,” he said, emphasizing that the energy from the crowd was meant to fuel Dubois’ confidence.

Across Reddit and Twitter (X), fans are sharply critical of Stan Dubois’ influence, speculating it may actually hinder his son rather than help: The prevailing sentiment: “Daniel doesn’t listen to Don Charles in the corner anymore, he just takes instructions from his dad.”

While Charles himself attended the gathering, he defended its nature, claiming that every attendee was connected to Daniel Dubois. “He comes from a very large family, cousins and brothers. And yeah. So a lot of the people, I know most of those people. They’re his people,” he concluded. While Don Charles’ explanation of sticking to what previously worked seems logical on the surface, combat sports don’t follow a single formula. Every fight requires a unique approach, and hosting such a large gathering hours before the most important bout of Dubois’ career may have been ill-judged. So what are your thoughts on the situation?