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'The real me, the raw me!' - With boxing in his blood, Joey Essex prepares to take off the mask at Misfits 22
When Joey Essex was announced to be the latest star from beyond traditional boxing borders to make their debut with the Misfits promotion, plenty of eyebrows were raised.
The television personality - a ubiquitous figure of the reality revolution that has consumed post-millennial media - did not appear to be the obvious kind of crossover fight star.
Best recognised for his tenure on The Only Way is Essex, burnished by a succession of other show appearances down the years, his image has been one of careful curation.
Now however, as he prepares to step into the ring at Manchester's AO Arena for Misfits 22 - RIng of Thrones, the 35-year-old is poised to open up new dimensions for himself.
They say boxing is a family game, and you need only to look through the sport's history books to find names that recur, echoes of the past who become warriors of the present.
Yet for Essex, his connection isn't one recognised for exploits in the ring so much as guidance beyond it - the nephew and son of two of Britain's most respected trainers.
A family lineage, ready to explode
If his father Peter may not command the same name recognition, then for fight fans, few will be in the dark over who Tony Sims is, as one of the country's superior cornermen.
No shortage of top operators have worked under the latter's stewardship, including Conor Benn, John Ryder, Darren Barker and Ricky Burns to name just a few of his fighters.
He was recently tapped up to succeed Don Charles as trainer for Daniel Dubois following the latter's five-round loss to Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley Stadium this past July.
But for Essex, his uncle offers a very tangible link to the ghosts of his family, and offers the pathway through which he can reintroduce himself on a more authentic level.
"I want to show people the heart and the strength and the courage that I've got," he told DAZN's Charlie Parsons earlier this year. "People know me and know how I've got here.
"My life and my career is a persona. You're going to get the real me, the raw version of Joey Essex. This is a dream. It's perfect timing. I feel confident and I feel good."
A chance to step outside of the box
It seems strange so many are eager to dismiss Essex as just another crossover hopeful, a man joining the new wave of next-gen boxing that breaks further from tradition.
But past his debut on TOWIE, he has presented himself with more nuance and variety than he often draws credit for, turning to a variety of television shows and contests.
He acquitted himself well on Splash!, then upended expectations on The Jump, beating out bona-fide international athletes such as Mike Tindall and Louise Hazel for the win.
Essex will be the first to say he is no expert in the ring, but his full consideration in ensuring he leaves no stone unturned in his preparations has impressed his family thus far.
"I'll be real, I'm a novice," he adds. "I've never really fought or sparred loads. I was born to do this. I don't think I was born to be a pro. My family never wanted this for me.
"I still think Tony and my dad don't want me to do it. But Tony sees what I'm about though, and he's impressed. I can't wait, I'm telling you. The adrenaline, I thrive off that."
"Silly games" and ready to silence the doubters
Amid a bill that sees Darren Till go for yet another victory, and Ty Mitchell bid to earn himself a ranked position against Sean Hemphill, Essex's foe is a little less storied.
Portuguese influencer Numeiro has fought only once before, in a loss to Kalin Simeonov back in late 2023. Certainly, there is a suggestion he could be low-hanging fruit.
Essex has been dismissive of his qualities to an extent, but it has been his opponent's attempts to rile him up and get under his skin that has mostly dominated headlines.
But the former is insistent that his history in reality television means he has developed a thick skin with these things - and that he wants a statement win to prove he is here to stay.
"It doesn't matter," he muses. "I'm too mature for that, as a man. You can play your silly games, but when it comes, you're going to be in the ring with me and no-one can help you.
"Whatever happens, it happens. This is a dangerous sport. This is the first of many, and I'm here to rise to the top and fight the biggest names in crossover boxing."
Misfits X Series 22 on Saturday only on DAZN PPV
Watch Darren Till vs. Luke Rockhold, Tony Ferguson vs Salt Papi and Dillon Danis, Joey Essex and more fight only on DAZN PPV, this Saturday night, August 31.
