t started as a joke. A gimmick. A sideshow. “Influencer boxing” was the unwanted child of social media and combat sports—one nobody in the industry asked for and most wished would disappear. But here we are in 2025, and Misfits Boxing isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving. The very platform that once had boxing purists foaming at the mouth has packed out major arenas, racked up millions of pay-per-view buys, and built a die-hard fanbase willing to travel across continents to scream for their favourite YouTuber throwing overhand rights with all the precision of a bar brawl.

It’s the age-old story: the fighter who just can’t walk away. The final bell sounds, the gloves are hung up… until they’re not. A few years later, the training videos start trickling out on social media, the whispers of a comeback grow louder, and before you know it, a former world champion is back in the ring with a licence in one hand and nostalgia in the other. But how long is too long? When does a comeback cross the line from inspirational to irresponsible?

Ask ten boxing fans who the real number one is in any given division, and you might get ten different answers. Not because they all see the sport differently—but because the rankings themselves often feel like a bad joke.