Last week I held the iconic boxing glove in my hands.

It was a relic of time, part of boxing’s opulent history, a gauntlet of infamy, and it seemed impossibly lightweight for such a ponderous object. Airy and lightweight in my hands. It is already desiccated, aged and one of the most stunning facilities in our industry.

This glove was once worn by Cassius Clay on his left hand during his fight with Henry Cooper at Wembley Stadium in 1963. Yes, a glove with a tear in the seam, a glove that has become part of our folklore. There are so many stories that it is complex to combine two stories into one whole.

It seems like everyone in boxing has seen the photo of Clay being thrown on his ass at the end of the fourth round; in the black and white photo you can clearly see the tear in the seam, the lining sticking out, Clay’s eyes are wide open and his future is frozen at this point.

The bell rings and a few seconds later, Angelo Dundee in Clay’s corner goes to work. Dundee noticed a slight tear at the end of the first round; at the end of the fourth, as Clay still dazedly sits down, Dundee tears open the rip and starts screaming about the cut glove. He wants to take some time to get his fighter through the next round. At the center of the storm was a glove, the same one I held last week. Like I said, so compact and so huge at the same time.

“Cassius looked like he had nothing to do with it anymore,” Dundee always said. There was pandemonium at Wembley and in the ring. Dundee brings out the table salt and shakes Clay before soaking him and punching him. This is a pivotal moment in the life and times of Muhammad Ali – he must win.

And then Dundee uses her magic to facilitate save her guy. And that’s where the stories begin – it all started with Dundee putting a finger or two into that glove. He needed a little extra time to facilitate his boxer, and there are many versions of the “time” he needed. We love unbelievable boxing stories, and the timeline of split glove events has become unbelievable over the years.

“I saw a compact cut along the seam of the boxing glove,” Dundee said. “I put my finger in the crack, helping her. Now it was a bigger split.”

Referee Tommy Little and Teddy Waltham of the British Boxing Board of Control inspected the glove. Dundee builds time by demanding fresh gloves. The glove was never changed, it’s part of a fantastic story where Clay has five minutes to recover: It never happened.

“I examined the glove and I’m sure it was a natural tear in the seam,” Waltham said, and the quote appeared in the newspapers the next day. And this is an significant quote that cannot be ignored.

Meanwhile, Dundee is fighting for time at cornerback. “Sure I wanted a fresh pair of gloves, but hopefully not too soon.” Fresh gloves were found, ready in case they needed to be replaced at the end of the fifth round. The drama in that ring from the moment Cooper’s left hook landed at the end of the fourth round to the moment the bell rang for round five was unbearable.

In the fifth, as the action begins, it’s obvious that Clay’s head has cleared. One photo shows the polished and clear knuckle portion of the left glove and there is a perceptible cut along the edge, down the seam. Seconds later, Cooper is slashed and slashed, with blood everywhere. Little needs to step in; Clay survived and triumphed, and the story of the gauntlet begins on a bloody night.

Copper is saved at 2:25 of the fifth round, his face is blurred, but his resistance remains. The blood covering his face and torso and the left hook from the fourth fighter quickly become a distant, desperate moment in his boxing life. “I have no regrets,” Cooper repeated until his death. He loved Ali, they loved each other, but that night he was so close to glory. I never once believed him when he said he had “no regrets.” The glove is a reminder of all the regrets he never had.

This is also the glove that was at the center of Ali’s exhibition; in a glass case on opening night at the O2 in London, the Bellagio in Las Vegas and the Beverley Center in Los Angeles. Millions of eyes gazed at this minuscule glove, once red and brilliant. More tours are planned, and the gauntlet I held last week will return to the heart of the exhibition; it remains a great reminder of the man and a direct physical connection to him.

Now we just need to find the shoes Julius Francis was wearing when he met Mike Tyson in Manchester in 2000. “I think so [Kellie] Maloney donated it to a charity,” Francis told me recently.

They should be effortless to spot – white shoes, spattered with blood, size 14, with the Daily Mirror logo on the sole. No confusion; just like Clay’s glove – the tear in the seam burns as brightly as a newspaper logo and it’s strenuous to tear yourself away from all the facts.

And finally, how long did it take for Dundee to buy its fighter? Who cares, it’s a great story, one of our rituals. Cooper says minutes, others say less than a minute, and some, like me, think it was seconds.

SHORTLY after Jake Paul pushed his way past Mike Tyson, his DMs were filled with the usual thank you letters from fans. This time, the most essential information came from other, seemingly more legal sources.

IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois was the latest large name to give Paul a shot at the belt. The YouTuber-turned-boxer replied that he would consult his business partner about contacting Warren, adding, tongue-in-cheek, that he would put Dubois in line for the throne.

That last comment is perhaps a little closer to the truth than some might admit. If the throne is a large wad of money, created by probably the most celebrated “boxer” in the world today, Dubois does indeed have to get in line and wait for his chance. An opportunity, realistically speaking, that won’t come any time soon.

While Paul has a habit of linking his name to Canelo, the Mexican superstar has so far treated the call with the disdain it deserves. While Paul may yet win a fixed version of a world title, given all the sanctioning body shenanigans, fledgling weight classes, dodgy titles and even more dodgy swirling around top 15 opponents, he’s clearly a league below many people reaching for a decent scrap.

Mairis Briedis is a former world champion who negotiated 24 arduous rounds against Jai Opetai and pushed Oleksandr Usyk like no other in the Ukrainian’s career. However, Briedis got a tattoo of Paul on his leg and then dressed up as the video game character Super Mario in response to Paul deliberately changing his name.

Artur Beterbiev even offered Paul a chance, declaring that it was time for him to finally rise to the challenge and face real competition. Avoiding and avoiding a completely unlikely scenario, Paul responded to the offer by stating that he trained in boxing and would call the shots when the need arose. Basking in the fact that one of the best fighters in the world comes to him for a bit of strength, a few months after defeating rival Dmitry Bivol.

By first assigning his name to more established boxers, Paul twisted things to the point that proven boxers were doing promotional work on his behalf. The amount of money Jake Paul generates is certainly a factor, but his name has so much value that even having a few newsworthy lines next to it is worth a day or two of boosting your profile.

Paweł is a marketing master. Whether you’re dancing around faded legends like Tyson or beating substandard fighters from other disciplines, all at a comparable barely British standard, you’ll be jumping and screaming to the nearest shore when the champions call for it!

So far, the 27-year-old has not taken up any of these offers. Although he apparently took Dubois’ proposal seriously, he later backed out. The most positive thing currently happening with this up-to-date trend is that as long as its roadshow lasts, a collection of boxers will continue to ride the same wave, through undercards and standalone appearances, cashing in on the excitement and exposure.

“It took a long time to get here. But now everything is really fine for me.” Opening words from a fighter who often swam against the tide in her long and often problematic boxing career.

Sports haven’t always treated Chantelle Cameron kindly. Perhaps the understatement of any year. But she seems the happiest she’s ever been. The recent transition to Frank Warren has revived many things. A player who simply wanted to be treated more as a priority. A warrior who just wanted a little love and understanding.

“It would be a love-hate relationship to explain my boxing career,” Cameron said. “When I love it, I’m in a very good place. But when I hate something, I just can’t care less. But it’s all I’ve done since I was a kid, so it’s solid to let go of it. The highs are so high and the lows are so low, with very little in between. It’s obviously great that I’m making money, but in some ways it’s better if it’s just a hobby.”

Cameron says during gloomy times there were thoughts of leaving. “Many times I have wondered what the point is. The money is obviously good once you get to that level. But is it really worth it mentally? I talked about it all the time with people I’m close to. It’s a very demanding job. But I built some very sturdy arms. Now I just ride the ups and downs. I just swim with them. I’ve been involved in this sport for a long time and I think I’m only now getting used to it.

“I love fighting and why would I leave because of all the politics in this sport. I love fighting and I’m good at it, and leaving would be cowardly. I won’t let others push me out of the sport. I’ll go when I say so. It’s like a drug. This sport is so addictive that you are always waiting for the next portion of excitement. That’s why so many boxers struggle in retirement, because that’s the hardest part. What is your goal now. You have no structure.”

Cameron is currently writing his final chapter in the sport. But the ambitions are still high. The former undisputed super lightweight world champion hopes her career will end with redemption, revenge and closure. But even though the fire still burns, there is one eye on life without boxing.

“I’m planning now. I arrange everything. I’m starting my own gym. I find myself in the right position, so I’m one of those boxers who comes out cheerful. I don’t want to be someone who always comes back, knowing that my body can’t do it anymore, but my brain won’t let up. I want to leave the sport when I want and I know I will be stable once I leave. I have very good people around me, so I am very blessed.

Two incredible fights with Katie Taylor in 2023 were marred by internal politics that overshadowed two truly memorable nights. As a result, the emotional victory over Taylor in Dublin in their first meeting has been somewhat lost in history. Then the story should be primarily about Cameron and that notable victory. Unfortunately, the praise did not reach her. The narrative always lied elsewhere. But Cameron still has positive memories of that first fight, despite everything that came after.

“I beat the Queen of Boxing on her homecoming. I did what I set out to do, I became undisputed and cemented it by beating Katie Taylor. I finished boxing. That’s why I’m in a better mind space now. I have a good team around me. What a situation to find yourself in. How many people can say they achieved what they set out to do? I have nothing to prove to anyone and now I’m going to have some fun.

Cameron fought her first fight under the Queensberry banner in July, scoring a points win over the incredibly tough Elhem Mekhaled in Birmingham. In many ways, it was a fight from which lessons were learned.

“I felt very bad. I had a sinus and chest infection,” Cameron says of his first appearance since losing his undefeated record to Taylor in Dublin. “I had to fight. I had to get over the loss with Katie. This was my debut at Queensberry. This was one of them where I knew I had to fight. Recently, many women have been inactive in women’s boxing. As for me, I was assigned a date and a chance and I just had to go through with it. This doesn’t take anything away from my opponent. She was a tough and good opponent, but honestly, I was very infirmed. But I’ve learned my lesson and I won’t fight next time if I’m that frail again.”

The road back to regaining her world titles continues, on November 2 she fought against former world champion Patricia Berghult. The goal of this fight was to make a real statement and send a miniature warning to her opponents.

“I just want to put on a good performance,” Cameron assured before the fight. “I’m not going to pat myself on the back for my last performance because I know I can do much better. I want to remind everyone who the top super lightweight fighter in the world is. I’m not going to put too much pressure on myself, but at the same time I have to show what I can do. I have changed a lot since the change of coaches and I have to show it now.

“I’m so grateful that Queensberry is activating me because a lot of girls don’t come out. I am not complacent and I approach these fights as if they were fighting for the world title. Ultimately, if you become complacent, this is how you will be exposed. I’m just cheerful to be vigorous and get into fights.”

A victory over Berghult should put Cameron back on the gigantic stage in 2025. With Taylor and Amanda Serrano settling their differences, the super lightweight rankings should be a little clearer. But make no mistake, Cameron wants Taylor again. A rivalry he considers unfinished business.

“I want the Katie Taylor trilogy. I want my chance at redemption. That’s why this will always be my top priority. That’s what I want and it would be a real shame if that third fight never happened. But you can’t force someone to do what they don’t want to do.”

If the path back to the world titles is blocked at 140, Cameron also has options to seek novel challenges at welterweight. The fight with IBF champion Natasha Jonas has been brewing in the background for a long time. Two friends who would have no problem sharing a ring together. However, Mikaela Mayer, currently a two-weight world champion thanks to her recent hard-fought victory over Sandy Ryan in Modern York that gave the American the WBO welterweight title, is now also a real possibility. “I would love to fight Mikaela Mayer, I have a lot of respect for her,” Cameron says about a possible fight with Mayer.

But whoever Cameron faces next, if she overtakes Berghult in November, she has plenty of options ahead of her.

I want to take part in gigantic fights and become world champion again. But I just want to be cheerful and enjoy fighting again.” These last words are probably crucial for Chantelle Cameron. Boxing was both cruel and kind to her. The warrior is sometimes misrepresented, her words taken out of context. But a lot has changed recently. The change of promoter rekindled her love for the sport and reminded her of everything that could be good in boxing. Cameron seems really cheerful. This may be her biggest victory in her career so far.