The Boxing Ring Is the New Fashion Runway

On the evening of Saturday Sept. 13, Terence "Bud" Crawford and Canelo Alvarez squared off in a main event bout at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Crawford's decisive victory over one of this era's most successful boxers to maintain his undefeated record wasn't the only thing that had people talking.

Anyone into fashion likely noticed something else—each competitor’s ring gear. For Bud, it was a custom outfit made by heritage boxing brand Everlast in collaboration with Off-White complete with "OMAHA" in Virgil Abloh's signature type across the waist band. Alvarez opted for a black look with gold tassels, courtesy of Amiri. It was the latest example of some of the most popular designers in the scene making their mark at a major title fight. 

Boxers representing popular brands isn’t a totally new phenomenon. Mike Tyson wore cut-off sweaters and black trunks that featured the logos of April Walker’s Walker Wear in the ‘90s, a pioneering streetwear label of the era. Floyd Mayweather Jr. rocked Gucci-trimmed trunks by the legendary Dapper Dan for numerous bouts throughout the 2000 and 2010s. Of course, there are also all the brands who have had their logos stamped on shorts through sponsorships, but that’s a bit different. 

Even before designers cooked up one-of-one trunks and robes for the world’s top prizefighters, “the look” was always an important piece of boxing. Some of the all-time greats kept things simple, like Muhammad Ali’s above-the-knee white trunks with black trim or Tyson’s all-black look. Hector Camacho was known for his Liberace-esque attire that shimmered under the ring lights. In the 2000s, British boxer Prince Naseem Hamed rode to the ring on a magic carpet and fought in leopard trunks. Amir Khan even wore shorts threaded with 24-karat gold inside the squared circle in 2014. Countless other fighters have spruced up their ringwear with tasseled trims, bold prints, animal furs, and flashy sequins in an effort to add to the spectacle of boxing. Nowadays, a lot of them tap in with Bespoke Boxing for those types of creations. Showmanship goes hand-in-hand with the sport. 

Now, many of the style cues we see in the main event are less costume-y. They’re coming directly from designers of actual fashion brands. 

The fashion world has been inspired by boxing for years. On numerous occasions, Supreme collaborated with Everlast on robes, gloves, and even punching bags. In 2020, so did Saint Laurent. Over 40 boxing-inspired items are currently available from Gallery Dept.’s web store. Designers from John Galliano to Jean Paul Gaultier have presented boxing-themed collections on the runway. Miu Miu just released a Gym capsule including boxing-inspired boots for women.

In the past five years, we’ve seen more and more brands not just channel the squared circle, but actively participate within it. Over a dozen designers have been in the ring for big fights, from popular modern labels like Denim Tears and Fear of God to fashion houses like Dior and Dolce & Gabbana. The most consistent fighters moving this trend forward are superstars Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis, and Ryan Garcia. We also have to give a shoutout to Philadelphia's Stephen Fulton Jr. who has gotten in on the fun with his custom sets by The Surgeon channeling classic workwear attire and Margiela’s coveted belt jacket from its H&M collab in 2012. What these individuals wear on fight night has become as talked-about as the judge’s scorecards and massive knockout punches thrown in each round.

Following this weekend’s stylish contest, we took a look back at the most notable examples of one-of-one designer attire worn in professional boxing rings from the past five years.