Reality TV personality Joey Essex is set to make his return to the boxing ring this weekend, having relocated from the UK to Dubai back in 2023. The 36-year-old, who first rose to prominence on The Only Way is Essex over a decade ago, will go head-to-head with Dapper Laughs as Misfits Boxing descends upon the Copper Box Arena.
Event Details and Previous Victory
The event forms part of a wider bill that also includes former Wales international footballer James Collins, who is scheduled to take on Big Stacks. Essex already has a victory to his name, having defeated Numeiro in a middleweight contest in Manchester in 2025.
His personal life, however, has undergone considerable change over recent years. Back in 2012, during the early stages of his celebrity career, the London-born star was targeted by two men posing as fans. The pair stole a £10,000 Rolex watch from him, brandishing a knife when he attempted to fight back.
Past Ordeals and Dubai Relocation
"We did the picture [they asked for] and when I put some money in the parking ticket machine, the geezers got hold of me and threw me over," he revealed to The Sun at the time. "It wasn't until I got up that I realised they had nicked my watch and when I hit one of them back, he got out a knife."
A decade on, the TV star endured yet another distressing ordeal. The Sun reported that he was left an 'emotional wreck' after burglars broke into his Essex home, following which he was said to be searching for a new property in Dubai.
"At the worlds most luxurious hotel Burj Al Arab I met up with the Dubai Government. They told me Dubai is now my home," he wrote later on. "Thank you to Mahmoud Al Burai and Shahab Ahmed Alsaadi for everything you have put in place for me and Dubai police / Dubai tourism board / Dubai media for getting in touch and taking time to meet me and giving me the warmest welcome to their beautiful country. Happiness is the way forward. Inshallah."
Training Commitment
When the relocation occurred, Essex seemed to be splitting his time between the UAE and Britain. He has posted photographs from Dubai in the time since but returned to his native country briefly before making an unexpected appearance on Love Island in 2024. He additionally spent time in Ibiza during the summer months, but is now entirely committed to his boxing challenge and treating it with utmost seriousness.
"These boxing camps are no joke. They're not for everyone," he posted on Instagram. "The closest training I've experienced, in my opinion, is the same as when I featured on the TV show SAS: Who Dares Wins. You need extreme discipline. There are no games, no excuses, for anything. The way we train at the Matchroom Gym is hard work, and like they say: 'Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard'. I've worked hard, all for October 10th at the Copper Box Arena in London, to put on a show that none of you will ever forget. This is only the beginning."
