There’s nothing like the moments before a major boxing fight begins when the two combatants make their way from the locker room to the ring. What was once nothing more than a straightforward walk to the squared circle has morphed into something far more theatrical and has allowed fighters to express themselves artistically before heading into battle.
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Some ring walks are simple as the fighter would rather focus on the task at hand than entertaining the masses while others are more elaborate productions that require a collaboration between the artist, the venue, the network, and whatever (or whoever) they have involved. It’s hard to tell just how much the ring walk affects a fighter’s — or an opponent’s — psyche before heading into battle.
These moments have become one of the most attractive things about a major boxing event. Fans pull out their cell phones to capture the pageantry — or lack thereof — as a fighter and his entourage make that final journey.
The ring walk for a major bout is the opportunity for a fighter to express themselves artistically before putting their health on the line in a battle of fisticuffs, so the September 30 battle between Canelo Alvarez and Jermell Charlo for Canelo’s undisputed super middleweight championship will be no different. For Canelo, he’s accustomed to making his ringwalks an elaborate show but Charlo has yet to be on a stage this large and it’s highly likely that he’ll look to have his own moment when he takes those final steps to the ring.
The expectations are high for this unprecedented clash between undisputed champions. Will their entrances measure up to some of the all-time greats?
Here are the seven greatest ring walks in boxing history
#7: Wladimir Klitschko (vs. David Haye, 2011)
Wladimir Klitschko was not a man of many words but his opponent certainly was. Haye chastised and berated Klitschko at every turn before their heavyweight championship showdown in 2011. Klitschko took exception to the challenger’s trash talk and used a fantastic entrance to get his point across before dominating Haye to retain his titles.
The ring walk started with a video depicting a theater watching the buildup to the fight as the camera traveled from the theater, through a boxing gym, to a park bench, where older brother Vitali was seated next to boxing legend George Foreman. Vitali then went to get his brother as a massive fireworks display took place outside the stadium.
Foreman went to get Wladimir as the Red Hot Chili Peppers “Can’t Stop” blasted over the sound system. It was a phenomenal production that set the stage for Klitschko to silence “The Hayemaker.”
#6: Floyd Mayweather (vs. Oscar De La Hoya, 2007)
Floyd Mayweather has had plenty of memorable ring entrances over the years but this was the entrance that saw him transition from star to superstar. Mayweather’s 2007 fight against Oscar De La Hoya was already on course to smash box office records but Mayweather wanted to make sure that he maximized his visibility while wearing the black hat as the villain during the build. He antagonized “The Golden Boy” at every turn and capped it all off by wearing a sombrero and a robe with the colors of the Mexican flag during his ring entrance while 50 Cent rapped him to the ring. It was the ultimate gut punch before Mayweather won a decision and became the biggest star the sport has ever seen.
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#5: Chris Eubank (vs. Steve Collins, 1995)
Chris Eubank was undoubtedly one for the theatrics and his showdown with Steve Collins was no different. As always, Eubank made his way to the ring with Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best” blaring from the arena speakers. But prior to the song playing, his name was lit up in a fire at the top of the entrance. Eubank then appeared seated on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and took his time getting off it before making his way to the entrance ramp, where he posed until “Simply the Best” played. Eubank always did have a flair for the dramatic.
#4: Canelo Alvarez (vs. John Ryder, 2023)
Canelo wanted to make sure his homecoming fight in Guadalajara had an entrance that honored his countrymen. Before defending his undisputed super middleweight titles against John Ryder, the Mexican star made his opponent watch an epic production that featured a massive mariachi band, flag bearers, fireworks, and the champion wearing a crown. It was an incredible sight to see and Canelo sent the fans home happy as he successfully defended his title.
#4: Terence Crawford (vs. Errol Spence Jr., 2023)
Terence Crawford has never been a man of many words but the statement he made before entering the ring for his undisputed welterweight championship clash with Errol Spence Jr. was definitive even before he laid a leather-laced glove on his rival’s face. Crawford was a menace the entire fight week, wearing a no-nonsense death stare that would have Medusa shook. But when he interacted with hip-hop superstar Eminem on social media, it opened the door for one of the most memorable ring walks in boxing history.
On the night of the fight, Crawford wore ring attire indicating that the fisherman was going to capture his big shark — playing off of Spence’s own “Big Shark” persona — and the sound of Eminem’s hit song “Lose Yourself” erupted from the arena speakers. One of the best-selling music artists of all time made the rare public appearance and emerged from the tunnel alongside Crawford as the crowd’s jaw collectively hit the floor. It was an iconic moment that preceded one of the most violent beatdowns of a world-class fighter in boxing history as Crawford steamrolled Spence and earned a 9th-round stoppage.
#3: Tyson Fury (vs. Dillian Whyte, 2022)
Tyson Fury has always been known for his theatrical ring entrances but the nearly 10-minute production that preceded his WBC heavyweight title fight showdown with Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium may have been the grandest of them all. It all started with Don McLean on the giant screen playing his hit song “American Pie” as a video montage of Fury was projected to the nearly 100,000 fans filling up the stadium.
This was followed by an over-the-top announcement of Fury as he emerged from the tunnel rhyming along to The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy” before switching up to Kings of Leon’s “Sex On Fire” as the giant heavyweight took his seat on a throne. Fireworks illuminated the London sky and Fury and his entourage jogged to the ring. It was one of the most incredible sights for a boxing entrance ever witnessed. Fury then proceeded to score a devastating sixth-round knockout of Whyte.
#2: Prince Naseem Hamed (vs. Wayne McCullough, 1998)
There’s a stark contrast between this ring walk and the one that tops the list. Hamed was forever the entertainer both in and out of the ring with his flashy style and boisterous personality. For his WBO featherweight title defense against Wayne McCullough, Hamed pulled out all of the tricks and put together an elaborate theatrical performance powered by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Complete with tombstones, skeletons, a ghoul playing the organ and a dancing Hamed that emerged from the fog with pyro going off and confetti falling from the sky. It’s a good thing he won this fight because he would have looked silly had he done all of this and fallen short.
#1: Mike Tyson (vs. Michael Spinks, 1988)
This was about as simple and incredibly intimidating as it gets. Mike Tyson’s calling card was to terrify his opponents with his sheer presence. For his heavyweight title defense against the then-undefeated Michael Spinks, Tyson kept it simple. No camera tricks. No fireworks. No flashy robes. Not even a song. It was a low humming sound with metal clanging as Tyson marched to the ring, flanked by a massive entourage. Tyson was shirtless with his trademark black boxing trunks. The only thing he wore was a menacing look on his face that left Spinks stricken with fear.
Simply intimidating.
91 seconds into the fight, Tyson ended Spinks’ unbeaten streak and sent him into retirement with a first-round knockout.
