Joseph Parker's trainer Kevin Barry plans to exploit a loophole in Brian Minto's fight contract regarding the type of gloves his man will wear in their heavyweight clash next Saturday, a move likely to bring relations between the camps to a new low.
In a build-up already notable for claims of performance-enhancing drug-taking, accusations of lies and threats to sue, Barry's glove strategy is likely to anger Minto, a fighter he trained for his stunning victory over Shane Cameron, even further.
"Minto cunningly wrote into the contract, unbeknown to me until the contract was signed, that we would not wear Everlast MX gloves," said Barry. "I prefer them. It's a puncher's glove. I'm trying to develop Joe into a puncher so, when that was taken off the table, I looked around for another option."
Minto, who has admitted to taking testosterone for hypogonadism - which inhibits the body's ability to produce the hormone - and has threatened to sue Barry for revealing his condition, has described the Everlast MX gloves as "cheater's gloves", saying they are dangerous.
As a compromise, Barry has selected Reyes gloves for Parker which, like the Everlast MXs, are made with a combination of horse hair and foam. However, the Reyes gloves have the potential to suit Parker's precision and power even more than Barry's first choice.
