T he title on the cover of the September 1987 issue of Ring Magazine reads “The Look of the Future?” in a vintage computer font. Behind the tagline is Michael “The Silk” Olajide Jr., Jheri curled and resplendent in a chromatic paisley-patterned robe, designer sunglasses guarding from the glare of his 1000-watt smile. He’s making finger pistols with both hands, the right one aimed at the camera – and ostensibly his fellow middleweight contenders. Olajide himself would not prove to be the sport’s future, but a relitigation of his career and influence tells a more nuanced story. The stylish Vancouver fighter might not have taken over the middleweight division, but he was indeed a glimpse into the sport’s future, one in which image-conscious fighters are not just the norm, but the expectation, and one in which fans can be attracted for many different reasons. The marriage of boxing and fashion is commonplace today, and being chic inside and out of the ring is often seen
MICHAEL OLAJIDE JR. INFUSED BOXING WITH A MIX OF TALENT AND PERSONALITY THAT WAS BOTH INIMITABLE AND A MODEL FOR THE FASHION- CONSCIOUS FIGHTERS OF THE FUTURE By Corey Erdman
STYLES MAKE FIGHTERS
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