Inside Daniel Dubois’ ‘Farm Gym’ camp forward of Anthony Joshua combat

Nestled in the tranquil outskirts of Borehamwood, the ‘Farm Gym’ is where Daniel Dubois has been forging his path to greatness ahead this weekend’s blockbuster bout with Anthony Joshua. 

The Farm Gym is more than just a place to work out; it’s a crucible where raw grit meets serene calm, and it’s all happening against the backdrop of the iconic Wembley Arch – visible on clear days.

Dubois and his coach, Don Charles, opened the doors of their camp to Mail Sport, offering a rare glimpse behind the scenes. From learning camp secrets to watching Dubois’ sparring partners spit blood, it proved an insightful and eye-opening visit.

Each morning, Dubois starts his day with a ritual that’s both inspiring and grounding. He steps outside the gym and gazes at the Wembley Arch in the distance, picturing himself beating AJ, with the crowd cheering as he stands triumphant on the canvas. 

‘I will let you into our camp secret’, Charles said. ‘Daniel doesn’t tell anyone about it but you’ve busted us. Every day since we’ve been training for this fight he will come and stand out here to look at Wembley arch. Every day, it’s almost like a ritual.’ 

‘That’s destiny beckoning in my opinion. And guess what? He’s the fighter but he’s not the only one doing it. The coaching staff and myself do that ritual every day. I park my car and then I look over there and visualise Daniel winning at Wembley.

‘Life and boxing is not all about physical, it’s also about the spiritual. So part of the reasons to have this location is because you drive onto the complex and see the arch of Wembley Stadium.’

But, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows in camp. When we arrived at the gym, the intensity was palpable. Dubois’ sparring sessions were nothing short of brutal. One sparring partner nearly barreled us out of the way as he rushed out the door to spit blood while another, barely catching his breath, gave a weary nod from the corner.

There was a quiet, simmering confidence in Dubois after sparring, the same one we saw when he boldly declared himself Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller’s ‘daddy’ before their December clash, and again when he rattled Anthony Joshua so much during their face-off that AJ accused him of showing no respect. It’s the kind of self-assurance that speaks volumes without needing to shout. 

‘I would say his confidence is coming from within’, Charles said. ‘The succession of good results. But, it’s also a mixture of the happiness he has found in his life. There is a saying: “You are the company you keep”. You become the power of the environment you surround yourself with and this brings out the natural fighter in him. 

‘He is speaking more and being bold because he is happy within himself. It’s powerful.’ 

Dubois’ environment also features a punishing army assault course that pushes fighters far beyond the limits of traditional boxing workouts. The 27-year-old faces a relentless series of obstacles designed to test every ounce of his physical strength and mental toughness. 

From scrambling over walls to crawling through mud and sprinting across unforgiving terrain, each challenge serves as a stark reminder that the quitter label he was tagged with after his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk is a thing of the past.

Charles is in agreement and claims the farm environment has helped harden Dubois into a champion, reminiscent of the legendary Big Bear gym in California, where icons like Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, and Oscar De La Hoya forged their legacies. 

‘When Muhammed Ali was fighting Sonny Liston, he trained up in Big Bear and the environment was almost a carbon copy of what we have here. So, we are going back to the days of the greatest boxer Muhammed Ali. We’re trying to reconnect the past to the present.’

And if the assault course wasn’t enough, Charles has completely ruined any notion of a relaxing beach day for Dubois. For most of us, the thought of travelling to the seaside brings joy—but for Dubois, I can only imagine it stirs something closer to dread.

Ride beside the ring lies a brutal stretch of sand that more closely resembles a torture track than a beach. This long sand pit has become an essential part of Dubois’ training routine.

There are no sand castle here— instead he performs sprints and completes round after round of shadowing boxing to not only build his endurance but to fine-tune his speed and agility. 

‘I’ve travelled a lot with boxing,’ Charles told Mail Sport. ‘I have done camps in most parts of the world. I am very observant when I am away and I saw a sand pit at one of the gyms I visited. I always thought, one day I am going to replicate that. 

‘We do numerous drills in the same. I get boxers to go in there and shadow box barefoot. Imagine trying to run on the beach. It’s hard work. So imagine trying to do a load of drills in here. It’s hard work. 

‘My boxers can be in there for half an hour shadow boxing. By the time they finish, their legs are like jelly. But, when you get into the boxing gym, you’re floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee.’  

The Farm Gym isn’t all blood, sweat and tears though. Out the back of the gym, past the training facilities, lies a pastoral haven—a tranquil paddock where horses graze peacefully. 

It’s here that Daniel finds a moment of calm amidst the chaos of his training schedule. After a particularly grueling session, he often heads out to the paddock to unwind and connect with the horses.

His coach, Don Charles, frequently remarks on this dichotomy: claiming the gym is a place of raw, unfiltered grit, while the horse paddock offers a peaceful retreat where Dubois can decompress and reflect.   

It’s actually here that Dubois likes to eat his lunch – which has been has been meal prepped by his father Dave Dubois, a former Camden Market street trader who would fly to New York in the 1980s to sell posters and make a million dollars in one trip. 

Dubois’ dad spends hours slaving over a hot stove to cook his son macro-hitting meals to help build his strength and power while keep him lean. But what’s on the menu? Well, spice is paramount but it ranges from Jamaican classics to Caribbean delicacies. 

‘He’s a very disciplined individual away from boxing. You never read about Daniel Dubois going to night clubs, causing havoc, drinking, smoking, none of that. He eats well. His dad does all his meal preps. They’re all home cooked meals. Everything is home cooked. 

‘It comes from a very strict background. His father is very, very, very strict with him. Always has been with all his children, not just Daniel, and that’s the product of that. He’s very, very disciplined individual, and that’s why. 

‘In terms of the muscle gain, you have to remember he’s maturing. He turned 27 very recently, last week or so. So there’s the maturity and and when you’re a human being, a man, you grow. I know when I was 27 I know I was in the best physical shape of my life.’

After a demanding training session, Dubois also calms his mind and body by immersing himself in the onsite ice bath with the chill helping to soothe sore muscles and accelerate recovery before heading back to his digs. 

Given the fact Dubois usually trains abroad for a fight, he had adapted a similar routine in the UK, staying away from home and ensuring he is full focused on the task at hand.