Adrien Broner deserves a gallery all to himself. "The Problem" was never less than extraordinary, in his get-ups if not always in his fighting. His ring-entrance ensemble for the March 7, 2015 debut of Premier Boxing Champions on NBC was a bobby-dazzler. Faux-leopard skin? Check. Diamante bling? Check. A grin smugger than an Instagram super-brat? Check.
Broner's post-show outfit was no less considered, with a floral shirt, medallion and cooler-than-thou shades.
For his June 20 showdown against Shawn Porter in Las Vegas, Broner exceeded his own sartorial extremes, with more glitter and fringing than a rhinestone cowboy, and a skirt/shorts combo which was part Roman emperor, part hula dancer and 100 percent Vegas.
The best thing about Broner's "skorts" (skirt + shorts) was the way they swished about during the fight. It was just a shame Broner's punching wasn't as agile as the outfit.
It wasn't all about Broner. Japan's Tomoki Kameda made an impression before he even threw a punch when he faced Jamie McDonnell in Hidalgo, Texas, on May 9. With his baking-foil intergalactic storm-trooper waistcoat, blond-bombshell Kameda anticipated two of 2015's big fashion stories: sleeveless coats and 1970's “style.”
There were some great ring-walk outfits. Andrzej Fonfara announced his bad intentions from the minute he entered the arena dressed as a winged gladiator in Chicago on October 16. The outfit set the tone for 12 rounds of full-on combat which left Nathan Cleverly nursing a broken nose and a fractured ego. A gladiator worthy of Emperor Nero.
Kameda did it again when he faced Jamie McDonnell for the second time in September, this time in imperial purple. It didn't turn his fortunes around, though, as he came up short yet again.
Kenneth McNeil looked like he had already been in a scrap—with a circus clown—when he entered the arena to face Taronze Washington in September in Birmingham, Alabama.
Danny Garcia ratcheted up the menace at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on August 1, with a horror-movie mask as he prepared to take on Paulie Malignaggi.
Christmas came early when Anthony Dirrell turned up to face Marco Antonio Rubio in Texas on September 6. The elf-like costume and fluffy hood proved deceptive as Dirrell went on to box circles around Rubio.
Even fighters less disposed to the frivolous found ways to express their style. Lee Selby worked the fringing theme with a pair of white frilled shorts when he fought Fernando Montiel in October.
Adonis Stevenson, on the other hand, is not a man to follow fashion fads. His signature 'Superman' garb, including cape, worked nicely for him all year as he busted both Sakio Bika and Tommy Karpency.
Ryan "Cowboy” Karl has paid homage to his Texas roots since his days as an amateur, wearing a 10-gallon hat into the ring before and after his fights. Karl wore his Western wear into the ring six times in 2015 as he pushed his perfect record to 11-0 with eight KOs. Hey, when you've found a look which works for you, why meddle with it?
Style is all part of the fighter's armory. Looking—and feeling—fabulous is an early salvo in the psychological battle of the ring, and the fighters who appeared on Premier Boxing Champions cards in 2015 did not neglect their appearance.
From the fabulous, strutting peacock that was Adrien Broner to out-there style stars such as Tomoki Kameda, PBC photographers Lucas Noonan and Suzanne Teresa captured the most fashion-forward fighters in 2015.