11 November 2020

Ricky Hatton hits back at Deontay Wilder’s ‘ludicrous’ glove tampering accusations, labelling them ‘madness’

Ricky Hatton has labelled Deontay Wilder’s claims that he tampered with Tyson Fury’s gloves during their first fight in 2018 as ‘madness’.

Wilder recently made a video accusing Fury of cheating in both their first and second fights, which resulted in a draw and a win for the Brit.

Fury and Wilder fought to a draw in 2018 but many felt the Brit did enough to be awarded the win

(PA)

In the post, the American specifically suggests Hatton, who was in the corner for their first contest, was pulling Fury’s hand down into an illegal part of the glove in between rounds, an accusation Hatton is incensed by.

"It's absolutely ludicrous," the former boxer told Behind The Gloves. "Tampering with gloves is impossible to do. The officials in the changing rooms sign the bandages off, feel the gloves, touch the gloves, they do the tape, it is actually impossible to get anything squeezed into the gloves.

"You can't even get a rizla paper squeezed into the gloves the way they are done these days.

"I am a former world champ, I'd like to think a respected world champion, a boxing trainer now and trained a world champion in my own right.

"And don't forget Freddie Roach is in my corner, he's had more world champions than hot dinners. And Ben Davison, he's had world champions, three people held in high regard in boxing terms.

"To accuse [us of] something so pathetic, that physically cannot happen, was upsetting from a fellow pro. I think I speak for them that I see it as an absolute insult.

"If he keeps coming out with innuendo like he is, he will tarnish his legacy and his career, it's madness."

Hatton won world titles in the lightweight and super-lightweight divisions

(PA)

Hatton was not in Fury’s corner for his victory in the second fight with Wilder, where he stopped him in the seventh round.

But the American has still said Fury cheated in their rematch through the use of some form of weight in his glove.

Wilder has also used poor refereeing, his former trainer Mark Breland spiking his water and the weight of his suit as reasons why he suffered the first defeat of his professional career.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that Wilder is pursuing legal channels to try and secure a third fight with Fury after The Gypsy King’s team said the contractual right to a trilogy had expired.

Fury is planning to fight in the UK on December 5, with his opponent reportedly set to be named as undefeated German Agit Kabayel.

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