Joey Essex has vowed to become the the 'king' of Misfits Boxing ahead of his headline fight against Dapper Laughs this weekend.
The television personality star made quite the impression when making the cross over to Misfits Boxing in August 2025, where he locked horns with Portuguese YouTube star Numeiro.
In a four-round bout that was branded by fans and the media as the 'Fight of the Night', Essex came out on top via unanimous decision at the Manchester Arena.
Over a year on from his boxing debut, the London-born 36-year-old returns to the ring, but this time he will headline the Misfits card against Dapper Laughs, formally known as Daniel O'Reilly.
Speaking ahead of his welterweight clash this weekend, Essex revealed his goal to become a leading fighter on the Misfits promotion cards.
He said: "Some of these top crossover boxers, my name is bigger than them.
"They've just had more experience in boxing than me and have just been in the game a bit longer.
"Once I've been in this game for a couple of years, who's going to be the king?"
While Essex's name might not hold as much weight in the boxing world, he is a prominent reality star in the UK after appearances on I'm A Celebrity, Celebs Go Dating, Love Island and more.
His arrival on the crossover boxing scene felt inevitable given his family ties to the sport, and it's uncle Tony Sims who has overseen the start of his career.
The esteemed professional coach -- who has worked with some of the biggest names in British boxing history, including Anthony Joshua -- reaffirmed that his nephew would have to take the sport seriously if he was to train him, and while the British board did not allow Sims to be in Essex's corner against Numeiro, he has been with him every step of the way thus far.
Essex's manager, Dave Read, confirmed that the 36-year-old's future with Misfits Boxing will go beyond Saturday night, having signed an extended deal with the promotional company.
He said: "We've actually got a multi-fight deal this time, so it is exciting. I know Misfits have got ideas on who they see as his future opponents, but we've got to walk before we run and we've got to be realistic.
"The sky is the limit."
