The fight of the century: Robert Pattinson versus Terry McGuinness. It’s a name that will live on in infamy. On December 10th, 2020, the ‘Twilight Saga’ stars put their differences aside to take on Terry McGuinness, the man who ended Kelly Brook’s 16-year reign as the face of Lancome. It was the first time the 35-year-old beauty had faced a real opponent, having only fought robotic opponents in the likes of Dana White and Don George.
The rivalry between the British actor and the Irish model stretches back to when they both were competing for the affections of Angelina Jolie. Now, after their epic showdown, we look back on the dramatic rivalry that was dubbed ‘the fight of the century’.
A Rivalry That Started In The Shadows
The fighting career of Terry McGuinness really took off in 2015, when he decided to take on Robert Pattinson in a bid to become the new face of Lancome. Unsurprisingly, given their previous professional rivalry, the fight was personal. Both had scored highly in the polls to become ‘the new face of Lancome’, and this was no ordinary match-up. Pattinson’s team won the toss and elected to play into the wind, sending the fight to a showdown at stake. With the stakes elevated and the adrenaline flowing, both men delivered a high-quality fight, lasting the entire 12 rounds. In the end, it was Pattinson who emerged the victor, but not before delivering a parting shot, taunting McGuinness about the broken foot he suffered in the fifth round.
The following year, at the end of March, it was announced that Lancome had signed Victoria Beckham to a face cream campaign. The news came as little surprise to those who had followed the designer’s Instagram account, where she has shared numerous photos of herself applying the product. It was a strategic move to align with a luxury goods brand that is owned by one of the world’s wealthiest women, and it sent a clear message to the fashion industry that Lancome is still the kingmaker of beauty.
An Iconic Image To Keep For Life
After winning the first two rounds, it was clear that it was going to be a long night for McGuinness. In the sixth round, he landed a solid right hook that put Pattinson down for the count. A knockout defeat for the English actor and movie star would have been a milestone in his fighting career. Instead, it was just the beginning. Four months later, it was announced that Pattinson’s next fight would be against Mexican pop star and boxing novice Hiromi Okada. The bout was expected to be an easy win for ‘Daredevil’ after his convincing victory over McGuinness. However, the anticipation of the fight and the thrill of competing in a different country proved to be too much for Pattinson, who faltered in the later rounds and lost by unanimous decision. After the fight, a dejected Pattinson was taken to a nearby hospital for observation, but was released the following day. It was clear that his body had endured a major trauma and he would need time to recover. The 24-hour press junket that followed was a stark reminder of the physical demands of showbusiness.
The End Of An Epoch
Pattinson had been the dominant actor in the male beauty sphere for several years, but McGuinness’ unexpected rise to fame saw him usurp the Englishman’s crown. On August 31st, 2020, it was announced that McGuinness would face Robert Powell in a rematch of their epic 2015 clash. This time, it would be for the undisputed championship of the “real” fighting world. As with all great sporting events, the build-up to the big fight was preceded by a war of words. In the weeks leading up to the contest, both men traded barbs on social media, with Powell dismissing McGuinness as “a show pony” and accusing him of being “a quitter”. Powell was undeterred by the negative campaigning and chose to focus on the task at hand: destroying McGuinness once and for all. During the fight, which took place at London’s 02 Arena, the Irishman impressed the crowds with an early takedown and a sharp barrage of blows.
It looked for a moment as if Powell had delivered the knockout punch that would end McGuinness’ career. It looked like Powell had defeated McGuinness. But in the blink of an eye, the 34-year-old challenger forgot all about the championship glory he had craved for so long, as McGuinness displayed his trademark “Irish wit” by knocking him out in the 12th round with a vicious uppercut. The result was a stunning upset and the conclusion of an epoch. After the fight, a dejected Powell was consoled by his coach, who said that he had done everything he could but that the stars had simply “chose to ignore” him.
The rivalry between the British actor and the Irish model started back in 2007, when they were both competing for the affection of Angelina Jolie. Now, after their epic showdown, we look back on the dramatic rivalry that was dubbed “the fight of the century”.