At just 24, undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney is already a superstar in boxing. But don’t be surprised if you see him make a name for himself in fashion as he continues to dominate in the ring.
“I want to take it to the next level. I want to do the runways, I want to dig deeper into fashion and get dialed in with the right people. I want to walk the runway for Louis Vuitton, Dior — any of those big brands, the real fashionable brands,” Haney told FN.
Haney’s love for fashion is well documented, and he often shares his statement-making looks with his 2.2 million Instagram followers. He said his influences in fashion are few, but the people who have inspired him the most are legitimate style icons, a list that includes Pharrell Williams and A$AP Rocky. In terms of today’s fashion-focused athletes, the fighter admitted he admires the style of rising NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Haney — who will face Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas — often showcases his love of fashion in the ring. Although his looks are always top-notch, arguably the most attention he has received are the times he worked with design icon Dapper Dan.
“Somebody I knew also knew Dap. I asked if they could reach out to see if he would be interested in doing a collab. He was all for it,” Haney recalled. “This was around the time he was working with Gucci. The rest is history. We locked in and went from there.”
He continued, “At first, they sent me all the fabrics that they had, and then I chose the fabric. Then they sent me patches and asked what patches I wanted and what I wanted them to say. It was crazy how much different fabric he had from Gucci. It was unbelievable.”
Boxing superstar Devin Haney wearing an in-ring outfit created in collaboration with Dapper Dan. CREDIT: Courtesy of Johnny Rueg
His favorite in-ring outfit to date, however, isn’t one created alongside Dapper Dan. Haney’s favorite is his first collaboration with Gallery Dept., the outfit the boxer wore on June 5, 2022 when he defeated George Kambosos Jr. to become the youngest undisputed champion in the four-belt era. “It’s my favorite because it was historic,” Haney said.
When it comes to what he wears in the ring, Haney’s looks are never pawned off on someone else to create. They are always collaborative.
“I’m the type of person where I want to be able to really design. I don’t just tell somebody my colors and have them design for me. I like to be hands-on when designing my outfits,” Haney said.
Having already worked with the likes of Dapper Dan and Gallery Dept. founder Josué Thomas, finding equally as known or respected names won’t be easy. But that’s not how Haney thinks. He said he’d like to collaborate with more streetwear brands, as well as up-and-coming labels, for his in-ring attire. And if he wanted a big name, they’re reaching out to him. Haney said he’s been contacted by the likes of Jerry Lorenzo for a potential Essentials collab, as well as Rhude founder Rhuigi Villaseñor.
“More brands reach out to me to do boxing outfits than to send me clothes,” Haney said with a laugh.
Haney’s in-ring footwear, too, is collaborative. Arguably his most attention-grabbing boxing boot to date was a look he created with Dominic Ciambrone, known in the footwear world as The Shoe Surgeon, for his rematch against Kambosos last October. Haney stepped into the ring wearing custom Nike boxing boots inspired by the Cactus Plant Flea Market x Nike Dunk Low covered in Swarovski crystals.
Although sparse on details, Haney said he and The Shoe Surgeon have teamed up once again to create a custom boot for his upcoming showdown with Lomachenko.
Devin Haney’s custom Nike boxing boots created alongside The Shoe Surgeon. CREDIT: Courtesy of Johnny Rueg
Outside of the ring, Haney is a bit of a sneakerhead. While his apparel leans toward high fashion, his footwear is more in the athletic space. His collection — which he estimated consists of 500 or 600 pairs — is Asics heavy, with a fair share of Nike Dunks and Nike Air Force 1, calling the latter “the best shoe of all time.” In terms of more high-end shoes, Haney said he favors Lanvin and Rick Owens. As for where he shops, Haney said he has two shoe plugs who find him the sneakers he wants, and shops at secondary market standout Urban Necessities.
His range of shoes each training camp is also vast.
“I run through 10-to-12 pairs of running shoes through a camp, whether its Nike or Asics or Mizuno. And I will go to maybe two or three pairs of boxing boots through a camp — I don’t really go through that many. I like to wear Asics when I’m boxing or a Nike boot, the Nike HyperKO or some of their wrestling shoes,” Haney said.
Although fashion is something he cares about deeply, and provides a welcomed distraction at times, Haney’s focus is solely on Lomachenko, arguably his toughest opponent to date. Despite having a former champion in front of him, Haney — who has an undefeated record of 29-0 — is confident he will get his hand raised May 20.
“I will be victorious, will be dominant, will show the world how great I am and handicap him of his best attributes,” Haney said. “We found numerous things that I could exploit. We’ve been dissecting him. We know his flaws, we know what he likes to do, what he doesn’t.”
This win, Haney said, will also lead him one step closer to an even greater goal.
“I do this for my people, I do this for all the Muslims around the world. I want to spread the word and continue to be a great role model for young kids looking up to me, to other Muslims and fighters,” Haney said. “I want to be an all-time great in the sport of boxing so my name will live on much longer than I ever will. I just want to be a great person, a person that gives back.”