Paddy Fitzgerald accuses Manny Steward of illegal hand wraps

Manny Steward has hit back at the claims that he wrapped Wladimir Klitschko's hands illegally.

The claims were made by Paddy Fitzgerald, part of Lamon Brewster's team for their 2007 rematch in which the Ukrainian avenged an earlier loss with a sixth-round stoppage.

Fitzgerald, who arrived at Monday's press conference as part of David Haye's entourage, walked up to the podium and confronted Steward with the accusations, sparking ugly scenes, with security having to step in.

The legendary trainer is alleged to have taped directly onto Klitschko's hands, which is against WBO regulations. Fitzgerald demanded he explain himself but Steward, who turns 70 next week, flatly denied any wrongdoing.

"Why would I do that? I know you can't tape the hands, of course I do," he told skysports.com.

"I have been wrapping hands for years; longer than I care to remember. I have wrapped hands all over the world.

"I give clinics on wrapping hands, so why on earth would I do that?"

DAVID HAYE’S camp called Wladimir Klitschko’s trainer a cheat as their world title build-up turned ugly.

A shoving match broke out at the official press conference after one of David Haye’s backroom team claimed the way trainer Manny Steward has taped Wladimir Klitschko’s hands in the past broke the rules.

Paddy Fitzpatrick stormed forward to confront veteran trainer Steward before two sets of minders and staff clashed.

There was jostling before it was broken up with Steward telling Fitzpatrick to f**k off.

Fitzpatrick had been a member of Lamon Brewster’s team when he stopped Klitschko in the fi fth round in April 2004.

He is convinced he saw Steward break the rules by strapping Klitschko’s hands to the skin and not on top of bandage.

“I was in the room and I know what I saw,” he said.

A furious Steward replied: “Who is this clown? I have never seen him before in my life.

“I have been taping hands for as long as I can remember and run clinics to show people how to do it.

“He is welcome to come into the dressing room on Saturday and watch because I’m no cheat.”

Haye is doing everything he can to unsettle Klitschko ahead of Saturday’s world heavyweight unification clash in Hamburg.

And yesterday he told his giant opponent he hoped he didn’t end up in hospital an invalid.

Klitschko accused him of not respecting boxing and those fighters who had died and suffered as a result of their time in the ring.

GrantZilla wrote:Bryd accused Wlad of putting something on his gloves

gomez1012 wrote:Is this Paddy?