'I ran from planes as they shot at civilians'

DUBOIS TRAINER'S CHILDHOOD TRAUMA IN AFRICAN CONFLICT

- by CHRIS MCKENNA

DON CHARLES breaks down when he talks about his childhood in an African warzone.

The boxing trainer to a world champion has lived a varied life, from florist to working in fashion.

Charles, 63, will be in the corner this weekend when Daniel Dubois takes on Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed heavyweight showdown at Wembley.

But if his father hadn't got him out of Nigeria in 1974, the crazy path he has taken may never have happened.

"My country is called Biafra," said Charles. "We were in conflict... a three-year conflict with Nigeria. I was six years old when that war started and I was nine years old when it finished.

"It's still something I probably need to get counselling for, because when I start talking about it, if I start expanding it, I'll start, I always break down.