The Top 6 Best Boxing Ring Walk Tracks of All Time
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One of the biggest fights for years takes place on 19th July at Wembley Stadium. For the first time in two decades, a battle to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world is taking place in the UK - the fighters are the legendary Oleksandr Usyk and Britain's own Daniel Dubois.
No matter what the result, one thing is certain, it will be a huge event. The glitz and glamour and the energy that accompanies such big evenings in heavyweight boxing won't let us down.
So to help get you in the mood, here are our Top 6 Boxing Ring Walk songs of all time.
Ambitionz Az a Ridah by Tupac - Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield II (1997)
For his ring walk, Tyson chose Ambitionz Az a Ridah by Tupac Shakur, a song that holds significant meaning for him. Tyson and Tupac shared a close friendship, and this track represented more than just entrance music - it was a tribute to his fallen friend.
Why It Mattered: This infamous rematch saw Tyson bite Holyfield's ear, but the entrance was equally memorable. The raw, aggressive lyrics of Tupac's track perfectly captured Tyson's mental state heading into a fight where his career and reputation hung in the balance. The friendship between Tyson and Tupac added emotional weight to an already explosive atmosphere.
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The Payback by James Brown - Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson (2002)
Lewis chose the Godfather of Soul's funk masterpiece for his entrance against Tyson in Memphis. The song's message about settling scores and getting revenge was perfect for a fight that had been years in the making after their infamous brawl at a press conference.
Why It Mattered: This fight ended Mike Tyson's era and established Lennox Lewis as the undisputed heavyweight champion. Lewis's choice of James Brown reflected his confidence and his intention to "pay back" Tyson for years of disrespect. The soulful, powerful track helped Lewis project the calm authority that would dominate Tyson throughout the fight.
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Superwoman by Alicia Keys - Claressa Shields vs. Savannah Marshall (2022)
Two-time Olympic champion Claressa Shields chose Alicia Keys' empowering anthem for her historic undisputed middleweight title fight against longtime rival Savannah Marshall in London. The song's themes of female empowerment and strength perfectly matched the significance of the moment.
Why It Mattered: This fight unified all four major middleweight titles in women's boxing for the first time in the division's history. Shields' choice of "Superwoman" wasn't just entrance music - it was a statement about women's boxing reaching new heights. Her confident entrance, complete with choreographed moves, showed she understood the moment's significance beyond just winning titles.
Can't Stop by Red Hot Chili Peppers - Wladimir Klitschko Vs David Haye (2011)
In the run-up to this major boxing event, David Haye had taken trash talk to a whole new level, with Klitschko, who was a man of few words, stating it had gone too far. With a theatrical entrance that also featured heavyweight legend George Foreman, Klitschko used the Red Hot Chili Peppers' classic Can't Stop to prove a point and to shut up the Brit.
Why It Mattered: As much as anything this became personal. After Haye was perceived to have offended Wladimir's mum and disrespected the champ himself, he was determined from a personal and professional level to win the contest. The whole process made its mark and Wladimir Klitschko easily won the fight.
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Lose Yourself by Eminem - Terence Crawford Vs Errol Spence Jnr (2023)
There have been a few instances when the boxer has been accompanied by a performer as they walk to the ring. This one took a lot of people by surprise. Crawford had been a nuisance the whole fight week and was playing to Spence's persona of Big Shark by calling himself the fisherman. All of that was a bit of a sideshow as a chance interaction between Crawford and hip hop legend Eminem resulted in something special.
Why It Mattered: Crawford was again traditionally not a big talker, but Spence brought it out of him. The fight was to become the Undisputed Welterweight Champion. Many experts believe that Crawford won the fight before a glove was thrown and adding mega star Eminem to his camp just sealed the deal.
Shut Up by Stormzy - Anthony Joshua Vs Dillian Whyte (2015)
If the last one was big for the US Audience. At the time, this UK version was epic. There wasn't a bigger name in boxing than Anthony Joshua or a bigger name in rap than Stormzy. Such was AJ's pull at the time, he managed to get Stormzy to not only accompany him on the ring walk, to not only perform, but also to tailor the lyrics for AJ.
Why It Mattered: This felt like a moment. This was culturally big for the UK Hip Hop scene and boxing and showed the two worlds effortlessly collide. It also had the message for Dillion Whyte that the time for talking is over. AJ went on to win the fight.
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Cringeworthy?
All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey - Tyson Fury Vs Oleksandr Usyk II (2024)
We won't go into too much detail on this one. The track itself is a lovely one, a Christmas classic, that showcases Mariah's vocal ability. However, it's possibly one of the last songs you would connect to boxing.
Tyson Fury was obviously trying to have a bit of fun with his Christmas rendition, but it backfired with a large audience saying it was the ultimate cringe. Usyk won the fight and Tyson Fury later retired from boxing
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This was a tough list to put together. If there is a ring walk song that you think should have made the list, just let us know in the comments or on our socials.