Joey Essex might be known to many as a dim-witted reality TV star, but he’s now reinvented himself after having his hand raised in victory after surviving his boxing debut.
The ‘Only Way Is Essex’ alum battled Portuguese prankster Numeiro across four breathless rounds at Misfits 22 inside Manchester’s AO Arena.
At the end of the bout – which admittedly looked messy at times – Essex had his hand raised as he edged a majority decision after the judges scored it 37-37, 38-36 and 39-37.
The fight was anything but straightforward. Essex looked shaky early on as Numeiro’s jab found its target, and the 33-year-old struggled to shake his nerves. But as the rounds wore on, Essex began to fire back, landing heavy shots that stunned his opponent and even forced a standing count in round three.
By the final round, exhaustion had set in for both men. Essex was rocked by a barrage of punches and given a standing count of his own, while Numeiro threw everything he had in search of a late stoppage. When the final bell rang, both fighters were spent, barely able to lift their arms.
The Manchester crowd roared behind Essex – the obvious underdog – chanting his name in the closing stages, and he collapsed to the canvas in tears when his narrow victory was confirmed.
His preparation had been serious. Guided by former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew during the fight and trained by his uncle Tony Sims — the man behind Conor Benn — Essex had even sparred with Benn in the build-up. Benn, watching from ringside, embraced his close friend afterwards in a wholesome moment that summed up the emotion of the night.
After Essex’s victory was shared on social media, a number of celebrities shared their support for the reality TV star, with Ashley Roberts typing, “Well done Joey” and Gemma Collins commenting, “Well done”.
But outside the ring, the toll was obvious. In photos shared by the Daily Mail, Essex was later pictured leaving his Manchester hotel battered and bruised, sporting a swollen black eye, cuts across his face, and a tracksuit from his own apparel line. He was flanked by TOWIE friends James Argent, Demi Sims, Diags and Dan Edgar, who had been there to support his first steps into the ring.
Fans online were divided — some calling it a “Fight of the Year contender” and praising Essex for lasting the distance, while others described it as chaotic entertainment rather than polished boxing. Former British champ Darren Barker summed it up best on DAZN: “They left it all in the ring. It was a close fight, a really close fight. They can both be really proud of themselves.”
Strongman turned fighter Eddie Hall also praised Essex, telling TalkSPORT: “The highlight for me was seeing Joey Essex. It was literally the worst best fight I’ve ever seen in my life.
“It was great. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was shouting for Joey for the knockout all the way through that, so fair play. I loved that fight.”
Essex also took to Instagram following the bout to share his thoughts, writing: “Just gained another level of respect for anyone who steps in the ring.
“This journey has been so hard but also incredible. I’ve pushed myself further than I thought but to get the Win made it all worth it. The support has been overwhelming, so greatful to the fans in Manchester, the millions watching around the world & thousands of you sending messages.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to my team who supported me, also to the great people who made this experience happen.”
Whether Essex fights again remains to be seen. But after a bruising night at Misfits 22, one thing is clear — Joey Essex has added “fighter” to his reality star résumé, and he earned it the hard way.
Featured image credit: YouTube/DAZN X Series (Screenshot)
