The ring was round until 18389 coloursS to XXXL
The essentials: it is called a ring because it used to be one: until 1838, fights were held inside a circle scratched on the ground, with the crowd forming the edge. Vintage crest in red and navy. The washed treatment needs a light ground — seven of the nine shades are. Hooded sweatshirt, kangaroo pocket. 6 sizes from S to XXXL, European cut — take your usual size. €39, free standard shipping.
Why a square is called a ring
A ring is a circle, and that is exactly what it was: in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, bare-knuckle fights were held inside a circle scratched on the ground, with the crowd itself forming the boundary.
The London Prize Ring Rules of 1838 imposed a 24-foot square marked out by ropes strung between four stakes. The name stayed put: nearly two centuries on, we still call a square a ring.
King of the Ring, printed at the top of the crest, comes from the same place.
The artwork
A vintage crest framed in red rules. KING OF THE RING runs in very small type across an upper band, then BOXING in large red serif capitals, struck through horizontally by a bar reading CHAMPION.
Below, a pair of navy gloves hanging by their laces, drawn in line with hatching and a washed-out finish. Red and navy are the only two colours. Plain back.
The garment
Lined hood with a drawcord, front kangaroo pocket, ribbed cuffs and hem. Straight cut, set-in long sleeves.
Technical specification
Technical specifications
Our advice: a washed-out treatment needs a light ground to stay legible — grey, white, beige and khaki serve it better than black, where the navy of the gloves closes up. Most of the nine shades on offer are light ones.
Your size
European cut — take your usual size, with no conversion to apply. Six sizes, S to XXXL (XXXL is the same as 3XL).
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Frequently asked questions
Why is a boxing ring called a ring when it is square?
Because it was round to begin with. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries bare-knuckle fights took place inside a circle scratched on the ground, with the crowd forming the edge. The London Prize Ring Rules of 1838 brought in a 24-foot square marked by ropes, but the name never changed.
What does King of the Ring mean?
The fighter who rules his division. The phrase comes straight from the name given to the fighting area, which is why it sits at the top of this crest.
What size should I order?
European cut — take your usual size, with no conversion to apply. Six sizes, S to XXXL, at one price across all nine shades.
How big is a boxing ring?
The 1838 rules set it at 24 feet / 7.3 m square. Modern professional rings run between 16 and 24 feet / 4.9 and 7.3 m a side, measured inside the ropes.
What are the gloves in the design?
A pair of navy gloves hanging by their laces, drawn in line with a deliberately washed-out finish, in the manner of an old fight poster.
How do you wash a printed hoodie?
The artwork is applied by heat transfer on PET film, so it holds through the wash without flaking. Machine wash at 30 °C / 86 °F inside out, no tumble dryer, no iron on the print.
