Ex-Trainer of Dubois Wouldn't Bet Against Wardley in a Fight with Usyk

Don Charles, the former trainer of former IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, has shared why he believes the current WBO titleholder Fabio Wardley would certainly stand a chance against the unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.

“The outcome of this fight is not a foregone conclusion. A lot depends on styles, desire, and punching power. One thing you can say about Fabio: he won’t hold his hands back.

I don’t want to keep going back to the past, but I’ll do it for a second. Daniel’s first fight with Usyk in Poland showed that he is hittable. Back then, besides Daniel and that incident, who else gave Usyk problems? Derek Chisora. And Fabio Wardley technically has more skills.

Usyk is no longer young. He has beaten everyone in good style, but I wouldn’t bet against Fabio if he got the fight,” Charles said.

Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KOs) was elevated to full WBO champion after Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) declined to perform a mandatory defense and vacated the belt. Currently, the Ukrainian is planning a bout against Deontay Wilder for late April or early May 2026. While Wardley's next opponent is not officially confirmed, he has been linked to potential defenses against Anthony Joshua or a domestic clash with Derek Chisora in April 2026.