Chisora vs Wilder Fight Thrown into Turmoil by Glove Controversy
The highly anticipated heavyweight clash between Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder, scheduled for tomorrow night at London's O2 Arena, has been plunged into chaos following a dramatic last-minute dispute over gloves. Reports indicate that Wilder has even threatened to pull out of the contest if his glove preferences are not met, casting a shadow over what was meant to be Chisora's farewell professional fight.
Weigh-In Drama Sparks Tensions
After a cordial build-up since the fight's announcement, tensions flared on Friday morning just after the official weigh-ins. Promoter Kalle Sauerland confirmed to iFL TV that there were significant issues involving the gloves, describing it as a "big flash point" that has caused nervousness among both boxers and their teams. He stated, "There's some issues around the gloves, I can confirm that. It would not be a big heavyweight fight if it wasn't for... it was inevitable there's going to be something before the fight."
Sauerland added that while the situation is being resolved, it is not uncharted territory, especially given Wilder's history with glove controversies. He expressed confidence that matters would be sorted out, but acknowledged the seriousness of the dispute.
Wilder's Glove History and Threats
Mirror Fighting understands that Wilder wants to wear gloves not authorised by the board, leading to his threat to withdraw from the showdown. This is not the first time the 'Bronze Bomber' has been at the centre of glove-related controversies. Following his defeat to Tyson Fury in 2020, Wilder accused Fury of placing "something hard" in his gloves, though Fury's team denied any wrongdoing and was cleared of tampering allegations.
In 2021, ahead of their trilogy fight, Wilder raised concerns about the padding in Fury's gloves, which included horse hair. The Nevada State Athletic Commission ultimately approved the gloves, and the fight proceeded with Fury winning by knockout. Wilder had previously commented, "If you haven’t put a glove on and hit someone in the face to understand what type of damage it could do, or how mechanically a glove can work, it’s 25, 30 years down the toilet."
Fight Context and Stakes
This bout marks Chisora's 50th professional fight, with 'War' expected to retire regardless of the outcome. Meanwhile, Wilder is on a redemption mission, aiming to prove he can still compete with top heavyweights and has even called for a future showdown with Oleksandr Usyk. The fight is available for fans to order via DAZN pay-per-view for £24.99 or free with the new DAZN Ultimate Tier.
As the boxing world watches closely, the resolution of this glove dispute will be critical to ensuring the event goes ahead as planned at the O2 Arena tomorrow night.
