Deontay Wilder is at it again. This time, it’s over the gloves. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ is about to face Derek Chisora on Saturday night at London’s O2 Arena. But before the final weigh-ins for the bout, a dispute had broken out between the two camps. Promoter Kalle Sauerland explained what went wrong. 

“There were some dramatics this morning at the weigh-in over the gloves,” Sauerland told iFL TV. “There were dramas; those dramas are currently being resolved. It isn’t our first rodeo; this isn’t uncharted territory. There is some issues around the gloves, I can confirm that. It was a big flash point. I’m confident we get it sorted, but there’s a big issue at the moment.”

According to reports, the issue centered on Wilder’s insistence on wearing custom-made gloves that had not been authorized by the British Boxing Board of Control. The disagreement escalated during the pre-fight glove selection and rules meeting, which Wilder and his team attended. The former WBC heavyweight champion raised concerns over the provided gloves being “too tight.” He even threatened to walk out of the bout.

“It was my issue. I’ve broken my hand so many times, and the glove that was provided,” Wilder said. “As you can see, all the surgeries that I’ve had… I just want to be comfortable in the ring. We had an issue with the gloves being too tight on my hands. We’re gonna see what happens. We’ll get it straightened out. I just wanna be right, I wanna be comfortable [to] where there’s no excuses.”

However, Derek Chisora appears to have interceded personally to defuse the situation. After extensive back-and-forth between the two camps, he ultimately allowed Wilder to use his preferred gloves brought in by his team for the fight.

“The glove dispute is over. I am the f–king board,” Chisora said in a behind-the-scenes video shared by IFN. “Deontay has the right gloves.”

Later that day, both fighters stepped on the scales for their final weigh-ins. Wilder came in at 226.4 lbs, while Chisora—sporting a Tyson Fury mask—weighed 266.7 lbs, giving him a significant 40-pound advantage. In any case, this isn’t the first time Deontay Wilder has caused problems over the gloves for his fights.

Deontay Wilder and boxing gloves have been at odds

‘The Bronze Bomber’ and boxing gloves have been at odds ever since his rivalry with Tyson Fury turned controversial. After their 2018 draw, Wilder later questioned whether Fury’s gloves were improperly fitted, suggesting his opponent’s fist sat too far back, creating a loose, smushed look.

Though no objections were raised at the time, the suspicion lingered. It intensified after their 2020 rematch, where Wilder publicly accused Fury of loading his gloves with a hard object and pointed to unusual bending and alleged injuries as proof. 

Officials, including the Nevada State Athletic Commission, found no wrongdoing. Ahead of their 2021 trilogy bout, concerns were raised once again over Fury’s gloves, particularly the padding. Despite repeated inspections clearing everything, Wilder’s mistrust endured, turning gloves into a lasting symbol of dispute in one of boxing’s fiercest rivalries.

It appears Deontay Wilder has been forever scarred by the losses to Tyson Fury. After all, his career hasn’t been in the best shape since his losses to Fury. But can he beat Derek Chisora?