Boxing Shoes: Shop this New Footwear Trend Now

You’re about to see boxing shoes everywhere – that’s one of my footwear trend predictions. For now, they’re not sparking much conversation, and there aren’t too many fashion brands making them. In fact, it took me hours to pull together 12 products for you to shop so you can get in on this shoe trend. It’s still at the really early stage, and that’s something that makes it even better. I remember having this same problem about three years ago trying to put together a shopping post for clogs as a footwear trend – and look where we are now.
Taking a step back for a moment: boxing shoes – also called boxing boots – were designed for the needs of the ring. They’re flat, snug, lightweight, and lace up higher than your average high-top, which makes them look so different to other styles. They don’t look like a regular trainer; if I had to compare them to something, they’re almost like a laced-up ballerina shoe with attitude.
I’m going to call it now: they’re going to be one of the key footwear trends of the next two years.
Why should you believe me? I’ve worked as a stylist – including on a short film about boxing, funnily enough – and I spend a significant part of my time spotting and forecasting trends, both through the screen and in person. I’ve seen boxing shoes worn with casual outfits in Paris, Berlin, and Copenhagen. Not en masse, just one or two people here and there. And every time, they made the outfit. There’s something about them that just works – I’ve bought three pairs of the adidas Box Hog in the past 15 months, so clearly I’m not immune. It’s a shoe trend that’s bubbling up and it’s going to break out soon.
Here’s everything you need to know: what boxing shoes are, why this footwear trend is building, and the pairs to buy now while you’re still ahead of the curve.

Note: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through these links we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Cover image credit: NOWFASHION.com

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What Are Boxing Shoes and Why Are They Trending?

Let’s get specific. A true boxing shoe (or boxing boot) is completely flat – no cushioning, no heel drop. It’s snug, almost like a second skin around the foot and lower leg. It’s lightweight, built for speed and pivoting, not impact absorption. And it’s tall – higher than a regular high-top, usually hitting mid-calf, with lacing that runs all the way up the shin.

That combination – flat sole, slim profile, exaggerated height – is a silhouette that doesn’t exist anywhere else in footwear right now. The look is new, versatile, and flattering; and the fashion world is paying attention.

Here’s why. Footwear trends have been moving towards a slimmer silhouette for a couple of years now. The adidas Samba went viral, the Puma Speedcat brought the silhouette closer to the foot, then adidas went even sleeker with the Tokyo and Japan. As ballet flats kept rising in popularity, sneakerinas hit the scene: the adidas Taekwondo Mei, the Puma Speedcat Ballet, the Nike Air Rift. And then the silhouette started being pushed higher: the Japan High Top, and the Speedcat High Top, even knee-high styles.

Super high-tops started reappearing on the runway at Kitschy Couture in Berlin and Sinéad Gorey in London; Converse re-released the style in 2024; it was originally released in 2006 at the height of the emo/scene era. But what if you don’t want a ballerina or low-top sneaker, and you’re not willing to revisit the MySpace era? How about a pair of boxing shoes? They’re the perfect middle ground: the snug sleekness of a slim sneaker with the height of a super high-top. Comfortable, flattering, and genuinely different.

Then there’s the fashion-meets-sport angle. First it was football. Then Formula 1. Next – and you can believe me or wait and see – it’s boxing (and then equestrianism, but that’s another post). The crossover is already happening: Off-White x Everlast, and boxing-inspired clothing and footwear at adidas Originals x AVAVAV, Dior, Ann Demeulemeester, and adidas x Stella McCartney.

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Why You Should Get In Early

This footwear trend is in its very early days; very few brands have picked it up. It took me hours to compile this edit – genuinely hours – because the options are still limited. This isn’t like the Samba trend where you could walk into any shop and find twenty versions. I know because I tried. I’m a stylist, and I own three pairs of the adidas Box Hog (it’s that comfy) and I still had to dig to find 12 products worth recommending. That should tell you something about how early this is.
And that’s exactly why you should care.
If you buy a pair now, you’re ahead. You’re wearing something that people will ask you about, not something they’ve already seen on everyone already. The window between “what are those?” and “oh, those again” is short in fashion, and right now we are firmly in the first phase.
Within 18-24 months every high street brand will have a version. It’ll be everywhere. The people wearing them now – at Copenhagen Fashion Week, in fashion editors’ quiet rotations – they’ll have moved on. You want to be in that first wave, not the third.

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Shop Boxing Shoes: A Stylist’s Picks

Here are 12 boxing shoes – and styles that are similar to boxing shoes – so you can find your perfect fit and get in on this footwear trend. Some of these are unisex, especially the actual boxing shoes by sports brands like adidas; there are also some wrestling shoes which are similar to boxing shoes but they don’t go up as high on the shin.

Some fashion brands have produced their own versions – see Ann Demeulemeester and Naked Wolfe below – while others are clearly taking inspiration, like Alaïa with their neoprene zipped sneakers. There are also a couple of styles that are more along the lines of Formula 1/motorsport shoes – the Senny by Isabel Marant and Rasant by adidas x Stella McCartney if you’d like to get something that merges both worlds.

I can vouch for the first two: the Box Hog Classic and Box Hog 4. Both are extremely comfortable and light – great for walking in, and great for packing into a carry-on. The Classic is the lighter of the two.

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