Bates came under fire for several incidents. The first one came early in the bout and set the tone. Wilder and Chisora became entwined on the ropes and neither, despite being instructed to stop grappling by Bates, was willing to let go. The official then tried and failed to separate the heavyweights, who weighed a cumulative 494lbs, before Chisora’s corner man Alexis Demetriades entered the ring. Had Bates applied the rules to the letter, Chisora would have been disqualified.
