On October 28, 2023, Francis Ngannou, ‘The King of MMA’ stepped into the ring against undefeated heavyweight boxing champion, Tyson Fury, also known worldwide as the self-proclaimed ‘Gypsy King.’
Each man raised by a lineage of fighters, subjected to poverty and a childhood of labor and adversity, rising against demons both mental and physical. Kings MADE in their own right, by different sets of circumstance. The glory and grit of this once in a lifetime fight comes from their origins - two equally matched behemoths and Kings, facing off.
So, it felt inevitable to collaborate with two legends to bring this to life: photographer Nick Knight and costume designer Sandy Powell, who custom made each fighter’s wardrobe and crowns to tell the story of their legacies.
The key photography was used in all media leading up to the fight, as well as throughout press conferences and the arena, and even featured across the graphic insets on ESPN. Both fighters walked out during the opening ceremony wearing replicas of their tailor-made crowns and costumes on the world’s stage.
Our wild postings used longer copy narratives to tell the stories of our kings.