Trainer Tony Sims has been impressed with his new charge, Daniel Dubois, since they linked up at the end of last year.

Dubois, coming off a repeat loss to Oleksandr Usyk, parted ways with trainer Don Charles and padman Kieran Farrell as he rung the changes to his team.

In came manager Sam Jones and trainer Sims, who has worked with heavyweights before. His previous clients include former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and Demsey McKean. Popular heavyweight Johnny Fisher is in his current stable of fighters.

Sims said he felt that Dubois, 22-3 (21 KOs), the powerhouse former IBF champion from London, could beat anyone on his day.

He also anticipates Dubois coming back in a big fight.

“I don't think it will be a tick-over fight," Sims told BoxingScene. “I feel like it's going to be a good year for the heavyweights. You've got Usyk and it looks like he wants to fight Wilder and everyone else is going to have to fight each other. You've got Kabayel who wants to fight Usyk, Wardley just became [WBO] champion and Tyson Fury is coming back and has talked about fighting Wardley. You've got Lawrence Okolie, Fury... With the top 10 in the world, I don't know that there's a tick-over fight there for anyone."

Sims and Dubois might have not had a fight together yet, but they have known one another for years.

Sims used to train Anthony Joshua, and Dubois would visit to spar.

"I knew him when he was young from sparring Joshua," said Sims. "I've known him since he was 18 year old and he was a phenomenal puncher then. He turned pro young and gained experience as he's gone along. He trains hard, he lives the life and he's still so young. He's only 27."

Sims also said there's more to Dubois than being a heavy-hitter.

"He's got good footwork, good balance," said Sims.

But he also knows what he has with the hard-hitting Dubois. "I feel it's the same with most heavyweights, if they connect properly, it's lights out and Daniel's probably the biggest puncher out of all of them. He's in with a shot of beating anybody."

Dubois has been linked with Fabio Wardley, while Fury has outlined his plans to return to the ring in 2026.

The former WBC champion, from Morecambe, took a year out – called a retirement – after suffering back-to-back losses to Ukrainian great Usyk.

Sims was working with Dubois today after his heavyweight returned to the gym after some down time in the Caribbean.