Ladies and gentleman: the McGregor-Mayweather circus boxing match this weekend has, for right or wrong, dominated headlines since long before it was even agreed. And despite the never-ending, expletive-laden, occasionally offensive trash talk, the result seems clear cut in Mayweather’s favour. Less obvious, however, is another duel between the two perennial showboaters: that of their extremely loud wardrobes. We’ve seen more statement looks on this hype machine than a Versace runway. In one corner is “Money” Mayweather, the crown prince of streetwear, accessorised with a diamond collection worth more than most countries’ GDP. In the other corner is the self-styled gypsy king, McGregor’s wardrobe flitting between street fighter and Al Capone tailoring. These two are toe-to-toe, at least when it comes to stunting, so who wins? We followed the fighters on the promotion trail to see which one is the sartorial champ. Let’s get ready to rumble.
Round 1: The Wembley Weigh-In
Ding ding ding, and round one begins. What was expected to be a flying start for Mayweather has already stumbled at the first hurdle. Tiger stripes are about as scary as Mel B of the Spice Girls, while lashings of gold only punctuate the Leeds-council-estate-done-good aesthetic. Compare that to a crisp, royal blue three-piece for McGregor, and there’s a clear winner. Especially with a statement Rolex on his left hook – much better than a T-Pain chain and bracelets straight from a Goan souvenir stall. The round goes to: Conor McGregor.
Round 2: The New York Knockout
Round two begins without a clear frontrunner: it’s a little like choosing your favourite Gallagher brother. Conor McGregor has clearly done the rounds at
Round 3: The LA Low Blow
Things are heating up. There’s a lot of staring. Somebody even dropped a homophobic slur – such larks! But it seems Mayweather just can’t land a punch in this decisive round. Not that his look is particularly bad: it’s kind of okay for a man that once wore diamond encrusted snowboots. The stars and stripes however, is something of an obvious move – and one that McGregor could see coming a mile off. Hence the ‘fuck you’ suit, that internet-breaking, social media reeling, despicably and wonderfully crass ‘fuck you’ suit. If the devil really is in the detail, consider McGregor Satan incarnate. The round goes to: Conor McGregor.
Round 4: The Toronto TKO
Now it’s getting serious. Mayweather, in typical Mayweather fashion, is wearing Mayweather branded fashion. Humble. And, as if the bare-knuckle boxing and Dublin drawn accent weren’t big enough hints, McGregor’s lobbed an Irish flag: he’s bloody Irish, don’t you know, and he’s got a bit of fabric from Amazon Prime to feckin’ prove it! Now, all that glitters is most certainly not gold – as proven by Mayweather’s Poundland princess necklaces. Aside from the mandatory bling however, the 40-year-old boasts a somewhat muted look. Opposite, in the very blue corner, there’s McGregor. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with immaculate tailoring – far from it – but unless the Irishman mixes it up, there’s a big margin for mediocrity. The everyman may only wear a plaid suit at weddings but twice a year, but McGregor seems to wear it almost daily. He’s lost the element of surprise. The round goes to: Floyd Mayweather.
Round 5: The Vegas Showdown
It’s the deciding round. The closing press appearance was marked by, shockingly, two very good outfits. Of course, both are marred by two very ridiculous poses, but boxing wouldn’t be boxing without manhood-compensating bravado. McGregor, practicing for a much-coveted role in The Karate Kid, has pushed statement tailoring once more. Except, the lack of overly-peacocking touches and Dickensian flower pins make for a far more memorable look (for the right reasons). This is a knockout look – can Mayweather counter? He can! Mayweather is the ultimate comeback kid in this round. A windowpane check throughout lifts the fist-clencher’s outfit to a Mayfair standard, and better yet, the palette chimes with a choice shirt underneath. The only downside? Sunglasses indoors that scream “asshole”. This one’s going down to points, but the round, and the match, goes to: Conor McGregor.
