Daniel Dubois’ trainer Don Charles has put down claims that the heavyweight’s pull-out against Joseph Parker was suspicious.
Dubois was set to make a voluntary defence of his IBF heavyweight world title after selecting Parker as his opponent.
But the Briton fell ill on fight week with an infection preventing him from stepping in the ring in his best condition, thus doctors forcing him to withdraw from the fight.
Parker took on and defeated Martin Bakole who stepped in as a late replacement, but was suspicious about Dynamite’s withdrawal.
Dubois’ trainer Charles, though, has lashed back at critics of the current division king, pointing out the withdrawal wasn’t even his decision.
“I’ve heard some idiots online and others saying that Daniel bottled it, we chose him,” Charles told talkSPORT.com.
“How can you choose someone then bottle that? It was Daniel’s career high payday and it was a voluntary defence.
“The doctors recommended he withdrew, he didn’t pull himself out.
“It’s like if you go to a GP and then they say, you’ve got something going on stop doing something like boxing.
“If you go against a doctors recommendation, then you would run into potential problems.
“So those theories online are nonsense. Daniel still has his world title and we live to fight another day.”
Dubois retained his IBF belt and is in no way forced to hand Parker another shot at the crown.
The New Zealander has instead remained WBO champion and is chomping at the bit to earn a shot at current champion Oleksandr Usyk.
But that appears to be the destination of travel instead now for Dubois, who has named Usyk as his preferred next outing after the cancellation.
Many have called for him to reschedule his bout with Parker, but Usyk appears the bigger and more lucrative opportunity, with the added bonus of potential undisputed glory.
Dubois famously came up against Usyk in 2023 dropping him with a controversial low blow, before being stopped himself by the Ukrainian.
And Parker believes his plan to potentially now fight Usyk, is a reason why he isn’t entirely satisfied as to the reasoning for his withdrawal.
He said: “It feels weird because [Daniel Dubois] was at the public workout and then, just like that, he got real ill.
“And there was no real statement. There’s no real proof or doctors. There’s nothing.
“It feels a bit weird. It feels a bit strange that during that time that [Oleksandr] Usyk started calling out Dubois saying he wants him next.”
Dubois now has a number of options on the table, with the most likely now deemed as rematches with either Usyk or Anthony Joshua.
Promoter Frank Warren is set to hold talks with the IBF king in the coming weeks, to see what options can be put on the table.
