Over the years, boxing stars have served up style, in and out of the ring. Consider the peerless Muhammad Ali, a pin-up in glitzy fashion shoots or dressed up in crisp coats, cardigans and shirts, the late Joe Frazier’s signature cowboy hat, part of his persona as the country boy, or Naseem Hamed, with his leopard-print shorts and French crop, in the 90s. Following in their footsteps? Tyson Fury – a man known for wearing crowns and regal capes – and Francis Ngannou. The former mixed martial arts professional and first-time boxer wore a full-length gold robe, crown and black and gold shorts inspired by Black Panther as he prepared to take on Fury in Saudi Arabia in October.
Boxing’s modern relationship with fashion, can be traced back to one man – Imtayaz Qassim. Qassim began his label Bespoke Boxing in 2017, when he made an outfit for Welsh professional boxer – and friend – Joe Cordina. He has now created something of a niche as the go-to designer for the “ring walk”, the moment when fighters make their way from the changing room to the ring to fight, as well as what boxers wear when they are actually exchanging blows. With a bewildering 174 clients (male and female), he is on speed dial for some of the biggest names in the sport including Fury, Ngannou and Conor Benn.
