Thumb war threatens to derail Wladimir Klitschko-Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury

IT seems increasingly rare for a major fight to pass without a heated dispute about the gloves that will be used. Wladimir Klitschko versus Tyson Fury is no different.

โ€œThe gloves were prototypes and were sent for fabrication, I think itโ€™s in Pakistan or India, thatโ€™s from Paffen Sports, a very well reputed company and we hope that they are here right on time,โ€ Bernd Boente, head of the Klitschko Management Group, said at Tuesdayโ€™s press conference. โ€œWe have the contract and we will go with the contract and we will not discuss the contract here in front of the media. Thereโ€™s a contract in place and we go with the contract. Everything else will be organised and decided by the governing bodies on Friday at the rules meeting.โ€

Furyโ€™s promoter Mick Hennesy however insisted, โ€œThe gloves need to be here on time. Those were the gloves that were sent to Tyson, he approved them, so those gloves need to be here on time. Any other glove manufacturer in the world, Everlast, Reyes, Rival, would get us a great selection in 24 hours so we need those gloves.

โ€œWhy wouldnโ€™t they arrive on time? This is the biggest prize in sport, this is heavyweight boxing, for any manufacturer itโ€™s a dream to be involved in this fight, why wouldnโ€™t they be turned around?

โ€œWe will have the gloves that Tyson approved. Paffen sent Tyson the gloves to approve, he approved them.โ€

Boente hit back, saying, โ€œTeam Fury tried on this glove, a prototype, five weeks, I donโ€™t know if you have to be an amateur or a professional to make a decision in five weeks if the glove is right or not.โ€

Blaming Hennessy, he continued, โ€œIt was your fault. It doesnโ€™t matter. We will have gloves on Friday.โ€

Mick responded, โ€œFor five weeks, the first gloves you gave him, he tried to get his hands used to them, he couldnโ€™t. Then we informed you he needed another pair of gloves. Youโ€™ve had a few weeks with these new prototypes… Thereโ€™s a health and safety issue. The gloves have got to be right for Tysonโ€™s hands.โ€

Peter Fury, Tysonโ€™s trainer, explained, โ€œThe problem was that Tyson kept hurting his thumb. Heโ€™s hitting with the gloves, heโ€™s catching his thumb, pushing his thumb back, heโ€™s not able to throw his back hand. He has to have the gloves. Hopefully theyโ€™ll be there. They have to be there because whatโ€™s he going to do, box with one hand? The thumbโ€™s sticking out round about an inch… Paffen said they can produce them.

โ€œWe will have the gloves.โ€

As Hennessy and Boente argued more tempestuously, a relaxed Tyson Fury cheerfully suggested, โ€œWhy donโ€™t we settle this like Ronnie Pickering would? Bare-knuckle outside, you two, right now, letโ€™s get it on.โ€

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