5 – #MakingForemanWaitGate
In a 2011 heavyweight title unification bout, boxing fans eagerly awaited Wladimir Klitschko’s pending entrance to the ring, where he would meet David Haye. A financially costly, but highly impressive intro began, with red carpets, visual aids and a staged boxing workout. The camera focused-in on an excited George Foreman, who, after exchanging pleasantries with Vitali Klitschko, went to fetch Wladimir. After a casual knock-and-enter from the former champion, it became apparently obvious that the Ukrainian giant wasn’t ready to ring walk, and the door was closed. A confused and slightly embarrassed Foreman was left to shadow box into the glare of the camera.
4 – #CanvasGate
Outrage ensued throughout TysoN Fury’s team, at the ESPRIT Arena in Dusseldorf, when it was noticed that the surface of the ring that would be shared to contest the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight title bout was too soft. In a likely bid to nullify Fury’s footwork, Wladimir Klitschko’s team had allegedly padded-out the canvas with multiple layers of foam, making it difficult to navigate. After protest from Tyson’s promoter, Mick Hennessey, as well as his manager, Asif Vali, it was agreed that one layer would be removed so the fight could take place.
3 – #GloveGate
Marcos Maidana’s showdown with Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather faced near cancellation in 2013, when Floyd demanded he wear standard Everlast gloves, instead of Chino’s preferred custom MX ones. Mayweather claimed that there was no padding in the knuckle of the gloves that Maidana had chosen, and if he did not bend to his wishes, the fight would be off. Presumably, at the risk of foregoing the biggest payday of his career, Maidana yielded.
2 #DressingRoomGate
Ahead of tomorrow night’s super-bantam unification bout, Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg continue to bicker about who will occupy the main dressing room. Both wage valid arguments, with the Ulsterman playing his ‘A-side fighter’ card, whilst Quigg chooses to utilise his ‘home fighter, home dressing room’ move. Frampton’s promoter, Barry McGuigan, has suggested that if the matter isn’t resolved, the fight may not happen. In response, team Quigg have dismissed the comments as “mind games.”
1 – #ShoulderGate
After the richest fight in boxing history, Manny Pacquiao admitted to the world’s media, that he had entered the ring against Floyd Mayweather with a shoulder injury. In pre-fight medicals, the Filipino had failed to officially disclose any details suggesting any kind of injury. However, days after the mega-fight, Pacman went under the knife as surgeons repaired a torn rotator cuff. At the time, promotor Bob Arum said: “Manny Pacquiao has had a torn rotator cuff since 2008. Generally if it ticks up in training, you rest it for a couple of days and its fine,” He added. “Unfortunately he reinjured the shoulder at the end of the fourth round and wasn’t as effective with his right-hand after that point as he had been before. That’s the whole story”.
