Frank Warren threatens legal action for ‘libellous’ claim Fabio Wardley glove claim from Ben Shalom, who denies ‘accusing’

Frank Warren furiously responded to Ben Shalom’s comments on the legitimacy of the gloves Fabio Wardley wore against Frazer Clarke.

And he didn’t pull any punches as he called him ‘stupid’ and ‘Inspector Clueless’ over his suggestion the gloves were tampered with, but Shalom has denied any accusations being made.

Wardley beat Clarke in dominant fashion at the weekendCredit: Mark Robinson/MatchroomWardley won via a technical knockout on Saturday after a series of vicious punches on his opponent, who was left with a huge dent in his head.

Clarke is on the books with promotional company BOXXER whose founder Shalom claimed the victor’s custom Fly gloves are being investigated.

He told Sportsman Boxing: “[Clarke] had a horrific break but that was caused by a vicious punch.

READ MORE ON WARDLEY VS CLARKE”We’ll look at what the glove situation is there. I won’t get too much into it but there was a lot of talk during the week as to the gloves that were being worn by Fabio Wardley. The doctor said to me there’s no way in hell any boxing glove should be able to have that level of damage.”

He added: “It’s something that we are looking at very carefully at the moment with our team, not just for big Frazer’s sake, but these customised gloves that have started to get introduced…

“The word customised, the fact that they’re different, you gotta look at it and as I say, ‘I’m not going to get too much into it because it’s an ongoing process’, but during the week we were warned repeatedly by Frazer’s team around what gloves could be being used.

“That’s no excuse, Frazer lost the fight fair and square, it’s the damage that it can cause and it will, and that will have to be looked at.”

However, Wardley’s promoter Warren emphatically shut down the claims, telling talkSPORT they were ‘libellous’ and called for an apology.

When asked by Jim White and Simon Jordan whether Shalom has a point, a defiant Warren said: “No he hasn’t.

“First of all, the situation is that all gloves and manufacturers have to be approved by the British Boxing Board of Control. The ones that are approved are on a list, which is on the website of the Boxing Board of Control for everybody to see, and Fly is an approved glove.

Shalom claims they are looking at Wardley’s gloves amid Clarke’s injuryCredit: Sportsman Boxing YouTube

But Warren hit out at his comments and said they’re libellousCredit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom”The procedure before a fight is this: the gloves are inspected by the British Boxing Board of Control at the rules meetings, then they are retained by an official until handed to the boxer in the dressing room, where there is a British Boxing Board of Control inspector who is ever-present until the fight takes place.

“The gloves are checked and signed off, the fighter’s hands are wrapped, the inspector signs the wrapping, the gloves are put on and then the lace part of the gloves are normally taped up, and then the inspector will sign off on that.

“And then again when they’re in the ring the referee, if you notice before fights, he also checks the gloves prior to the contest commencing. No boxer can have possession or supply his own gloves, they must be sent by the manufacturer to the promoter in sealed packaging, which was the case here.

Ben Shalom responds to Frank Warren’s THREATS to sue him after Fabio Wardley’s glove controversy

“You’re wrong in saying that Shalom was the promoter, he wasn’t the promoter, the promoter at the event was Queensbury on behalf of Riyadh Season and in conjunction with Sela. His fighters fought on the bill, the contracts that were signed were with Queensbury and that dealt with glove issues et cetera in those contracts.”

He added: “Any boxer’s camp can inspect the other boxer’s choice of gloves and make an objection if they wish. Frazier’s camp checked it at the rules meeting – they said he didn’t like Flys, but Robert Smith said they are approved gloves and Frazier could wear them if he wished.

“Prior to the fight Shalom said something like, ‘There was a big concern about them’ – he didn’t even attend the rules meeting!

“Why didn’t he attend the rules meeting if he had that concern? If he was so concerned he, as his representative, could have been there, but he didn’t attend. Pure nonsense!”

Jim White then revealed that talkSPORT have asked Shalom to join the show on Friday morning but were yet to hear back from him.

“Well you won’t get any word back, because he’s made a wreck hasn’t he? Warren responded.

“The problem he’s got now is what he’s said is libellous. First of all, I am the promoter at that event, it was a British Boxing Board of Control event.

“It was me [as] the licensed promoter, so what he’s saying is that the gloves were not correct, that’s what he was alleging and that is libellous. The manufacturers of the gloves, I’m sure they’re gonna take that up with him, I know for a fact they will take it up with him.

Warren insisted that all gloves have to be approved before fightsCredit: BOXXER”The guy who runs that company is a nice young fella, entrepreneurial, built the business from scratch, and what he’s saying is totally out of order and wrong.

“And as to say it’s an investigation, you heard what the Board of Control said, how’s he investigating anything? He doesn’t even have the gloves.

“I mean, what is he, Clouseau, is he Inspector Clouseau? Or in his case, Inspector Clueless, I mean, the man’s a complete and utter idiot to even be going down this road, it’s a poor excuse for what was a legitimate win.

“And I’m sure that Fabio wore those gloves in his previous fight and the irony of all this is I understand tomorrow night, Adam Azim is fighting on his bill, [he] wears Fly gloves. What planet is this guy on?”

When asked if there could be some legal recompense for Wardley, Warren said: “Everybody concerned has. The allegation is unfounded, it’s untrue, it’s stupid, naive, and it’s like clutching at straws for a defeat.”

Warren was then questioned about whether or not Shalom is calling his man a cheat, and he responded: “Like, you’re saying that you’re wearing gloves and he’s hearing the gloves are dodgy, well you heard it, that is exactly what you’re saying, it’s what people think.

“It’s outrageous and it aggravates me, we’ve had a great show there, had a fabulous win for Fabio, you know, there are winners and losers in boxing, take the loss as what it was.

“I mean, it wasn’t like it wasn’t inconclusive or a debatable decision with judges. It was a brutal knockout, end of story. And the one person who’s not complained is Frazer, not a word from him.”

Warren wants his fellow promoter Shalom to issue an apologyCredit: Chris Dean/BOXXERWhite asked Warren if he’s looking an apology and he replied: “I am, yeah, I think everybody concerned is.

“I think he [Shalom] has got a problem, I think the Boxing Board of Control will call him for bringing the sport into disrepute because again, it looks like something crooked is going on, with what he’s saying, it’s totally untrue.

“This is totally baseless and untrue.”

Whilst Shalom didn’t appear on White and Jordan, he did speak to talkSPORT later in the day to clarify the comments he made: “First of all, I’m the promoter.

He insists that the claims made about his fighter’s gloves are falseCredit: Getty”When I have questions from the team, when I have questions from the doctor, it’s my job to pass them on. I’m not the regulator, they’ll make that decision. There was no excuse for the loss, no excuse for the fight, nothing to take away from Fabio Wardley.

Read More on talkSPORT”I think it was done in an interview with a sponsor as a passing comment, that we have passed on questions, that’s it, we’re not the regulator.”

He added: “There’s been comments made by members of the team and members of a medical team that I have to pass on. We’re not accusing of any wrongdoing whatsoever, absolutely.”