Shoes are becoming more imaginative, soles are getting lower to the ground, and whether presented as a pair of agile hi-tops or gothic office-ready flats, the boxing silhouette is here to stay.

Luckily, the right shoes can do a lot of heavy lifting. We’ve pulled together 12 standout pairs that not only complement a black dress but give it a whole new vibe.

A 90-year-old former schoolteacher’s collection includes Muhammad Ali’s boxing shoes and Tuskegee Airmen headgear — but it also features Ku Klux Klan toys.

He pulled on the black boxing trunks. Laced up the black boxing shoes. Slid his head into the opening of the white towel before parading to the boxing ring. But that was only part of the pre-fight ...