Tyson Fury’s boxing outfit designer Melissa Anglesea believes that the weight of Deontay Wilder’s ring-walk costume wouldn’t have made any difference to the outcome of the fight.

Melissa is the creative director of Lancashire-based Suzi Wong, which is the company that has made Fury’s shorts and robes since the start of his career.

Following comments made by the ‘Bronze Bomber’ on Monday that he lost because his costume was way too heavy, Melissa told BBC Radio Five Live: “Let's be honest, from a man who is six foot seven and weighs what Wilder does, a three stone costume makes no ounce of difference.

“We’ve made stuff for heavyweight fighters including Dillian Whyte that are super heavy because we’ve used thousands of crystals, but he knocked Dereck Chisora out.”

The American fighter, however, speaking to the US media following his first loss, said: “I didn’t have the legs because of my uniform. I was only able to put it on (for the first time) the night before but I didn’t think it was going to be that heavy.

“I wanted my tribute to be great for Black History Month. I wanted it to be good and I guess I put that before anything.”

The fact that Wilder went through all this trouble to arrange such an elaborate costume for this ring walk demonstrates the increased pressure on boxers to entertain the crowds, not just with their performance in the ring, but also with their entrance, as Melissa went on to explain.

“At the end of the day, when people earned their hard earned money to go to America they want to see a show and the costume plays a big part of that and gives the boxers an identity as well.”

Fury certainly identifies with this having come to the ring on Saturday night wearing a crown that symbolised the Brit as ‘the Gypsy King.’

Do you believe that the weight of the costume cost Wilder his WBC crown? Is the fighter’s costume a key part of a fighter’s identity? Let us know your thoughts.