Derek Chisora taunts Deontay Wilder with Tyson Fury mask amid new update on gloves row

Derek Chisora wore a Tyson Fury mask as he tipped the scales at a career-heaviest weight for his fight against Deontay Wilder this weekend, which is set to go ahead after a row regarding gloves was reportedly resolved.

The veteran British heavyweight meets America’s former long-reigning WBC champion in a high-profile battle at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday night, which could yet be a send-off for both fighters.

Chisora, who turns 43 in December, was 266.7 pounds at Friday’s weigh-in at York Hall, the heaviest he has ever been during his long 49-fight career to date and seven pounds heavier than he was for his last outing in February 2025 - a points win over Otto Wallin in Manchester .

He weighed 40 pounds - almost three stone - heavier than Wilder, who clocked in at 226.4 pounds.

‘The Bronze Bomber’ previously put on 11 pounds for his last fight against Tyrrell Herndon last summer, having weighed 214.6 pounds for his stoppage loss to Zhilei Zhang 12 months earlier.

There were plenty more trademark mind games on display from Chisora at the weigh-in, where he donned a Fury mask and said of Wilder: “I just wanted to put it on.

I know that he has PTSD with Tyson Fury.

That’s the game of boxing.

Mind games.”
Wilder responded: “Hilarious.

I didn’t know it was Halloween.”
Wilder’s unforgettable trilogy with Fury is among the most high-profile boxing rivalries of recent times, with the two men initially battling to a remarkable draw in 2018 before Fury won and then retained the WBC heavyweight belt with successive stoppage victories in 2020 and 2021.

Wilder had never lost as a professional before that and had reigned for five years as WBC champion, defending the belt successfully on 10 occasions.

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Chisora has also fought Fury three times, stopped in the 10th round of their last meeting at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December 2022 as ‘Del Boy’ challenged for a maiden world title.

Chisora also retired in the 10th round as Fury won the British, European and WBO International heavyweight titles in 2014, having first lost to Fury on points in 2011 to relinquish the British and Commonwealth belts.

There appeared to be real concerns over the fight on Friday regarding a disagreement over gloves, but multiple outlets report that issue has now been resolved.

“It's the first time I am hearing it now,” Chisora said.

Wilder said: “It was my issue.

I broke my hand so many times and the gloves that were provided...

as you can see all the surgeries I had, I just want to be comfortable in the ring.

“And we had an issue with the gloves.

They are too tight on my hand and we going to see what happens and we going to straighten it out.

“I don't play mind games.

When I say things, it's real.

I just want to be right, I want to be comfortable and where there is no excuses and everything is left in the ring.”
Promoter Kalle Sauerland had told IFL TV earlier on Friday : “No panic on the Titanic here, this is not our first rodeo.

“It’s also not the first time there has been a flare-up around big heavyweight fights and gloves.

Yes, there were some dramatics this morning at the weigh-in.

“There are some issues around the gloves, I can confirm that.

I can’t really say much more to what those dramas are.”