Just hours before the biggest fight of his life, Daniel Dubois wasn’t meditating, training, or mentally preparing—he was at a house party with around 70 guests.
Yep, you read that right. And this wasn’t a celebratory after-party. It happened before his showdown with Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley, which ended in a fifth-round knockout loss.
Footage Surfaces of the Pre-Fight Bash
Videos have now emerged showing Dubois grinning, taking selfies, and mingling at the crowded house in Essex, with guests spilling out onto the driveway.
According to reports, this wild gathering wasn’t even Dubois’ idea—it was thrown by his dad, Stanley, and most of the guests were complete strangers to the boxer himself.
Dad’s Lavish Plans—and a £150m Misunderstanding?
According to The Times, Stanley Dubois became frustrated over a rumor that his son was set to earn £150 million from the Usyk fight.
The actual number? Closer to £10 million.
In response, Stanley decided to throw a lavish celebration at the family’s Essex mansion. He even demanded extra vehicles to transport the large entourage to Wembley.
The kicker? Only one of the cars had proper accreditation to park at the venue.
A Disrupted Journey to Wembley
Because of the lack of parking passes, Daniel Dubois ended up walking to Wembley on foot.
His father, Stanley—real name Dave—drove ahead and reportedly caused a scene at the stadium entrance.
At one point, he even threatened to call off the fight if the full entourage wasn’t allowed inside.
Fellow Boxers Left Speechless
When word of the pre-fight party and drama hit talkSPORT, other boxers were stunned.
Joseph Parker didn’t hold back: “That is insanely disruptive. I’m shocked.
You need to rest and get in the zone. And he’s hosting a big party?”
Lawrence Okolie, who has trained with Dubois, pointed out how hard this must have hit the fighter mentally: “It’s his dad.
That’s someone he looks up to. It’s definitely disruptive.”
Spencer Oliver chimed in too, highlighting how regimented fighters are on match day: “Even wearing a certain ring in your bootlaces matters.
The tiniest thing can throw you off.”
The Fight That Slipped Away
Going into Saturday’s match, many believed Dubois faced an uphill battle.
After all, Usyk had already beaten him once and is considered one of the best three heavyweights of all time, according to Mail Sport’s Jeff Powell.
Dubois was still riding high off a powerful win over Anthony Joshua last autumn, but experts agreed—he needed a flawless prep to stand a chance.
Instead, he arrived at Wembley around 8:20 pm—less than 90 minutes before his ring walk.
A Chaotic Build-Up and a Defeat
The house party wasn’t the only distraction.
At one point, Dubois reportedly left the crowd behind to go on a drive—maybe trying to clear his mind amid the madness. Still, the chaos didn’t stop.
Videos apparently show Stanley Dubois playing a very hands-on role at the stadium.
He even stepped in again after Daniel was knocked down twice by Usyk.
It was Stanley who threw in the towel, officially ending the fight in the fifth round.
The Man Behind the Fighter: Stanley’s Influence
Stanley has been a major figure in Daniel’s boxing journey from the very beginning.
He homeschooled him, trained him relentlessly from the age of five, and was known for his no-nonsense discipline.
According to a Times interview with both father and son, Daniel would run laps around their council estate and do endless push-ups that left him with scars.
And if the workout wasn’t done? Stanley didn’t let him eat.
Stanley—who has 11 children, including rising star Caroline Dubois, the interim WBC women’s lightweight champ—clearly played a major role in shaping Daniel’s path to the top.
But this latest incident has raised serious questions about how that influence played out on the most important night of his career.