Tyson Fury is clashing with Wladimir Klitschko at the weekend (28th November 2015) and has gotten into a pre-match conflict with his sporting enemy over gloves.
As Sky Sports reports, Klitschoko chose Paffen gloves for the bout, which Fury is finding uncomfortable to use, and is ultimately saying this has placed him at a disadvantage, "How can I box in gloves I'm not comfortable wearing?"
Raising a good point, here's how you can choose the right gloves for your own training and competitions, so you can enter the ring with the confidence Briton Fury is currently lacking:
Pick the right glove-type
Always remember what you're going to be using your gloves for as there's a lot of different type on the market. Bag gloves protect your hands over what you hit and are mainly for training with heavy bags. If you're fighting someone, sparring gloves are made to protect you and your sparring partner as they have balanced weight distribution.
For pro fighters and competitors, fighting/pro gloves offer an advantage, built to have smaller padding and a fuller impact on your opponent. Fighting gloves shouldn't be used for anything else. Finally, kick boxing gloves offer the benefits of boxing gloves but let you grab more easily as traditionally you use your hands more in this sister sport. These can be useful for boxers, but aren't to be used in competition.
If you're shopping for your first pair, try training gloves as they're made to be multi-purpose.
Leather or vinyl
Vinyl gloves are lesser quality than leather as the material is simply less durable, so whilst cheaper they won't last as long. Leather gloves cost more because they're better, and it's worth it if you don't want to keep going back online to order in new ones. If it's an expense you can't quite handle, use vinyl to become a better boxing and invest when you're ready. It might be possible to find some second hand, but brand new is always best.
Lace or velcro
Lace-up fastenings are probably what most people think of when they picture boxing gloves, as they're the classic, old school look. Yet, they come with complications as once on, you need to rely on someone else to make glove adjustments - not ideal and not practical if you're training solo and on your own timetable.
Velcro on the other hand, lets you quickly secure, adjust and remove your gloves so you're a lot more in control. Increasingly popular, you can see why, but the only drawback is you could get scratched, so it's worth investing in cuff sleeves to protect your skin.
Style
Performance and comfort are the most important aspects to new gloves and steering clear of communal gym pairs, but style will affect your personal enjoyment. Choose colours you like and colours that match your team kit so you're always representing. If you're fond of a particular brand, there's no reason to venture into the unknown as sometimes tried and tested is best.
As a final aspect to consider, when you're buying a pair they should feel comfortable with hand wraps on and shouldn't make you position your hand in any one particular way. Pick a trusted brand to ensure they last longer so you get more use out of your investment.
It waits to be seen how Fury will progress during his match, and whether or not support from the British Boxing Board of Control is enough to change the gloves. With your own training, you make the rules, so choose right for your kit keeping in mind that you need protection, ease of wear and durability.