Misfits Boxing in AO Arena in Manchester: The Standard Was Shocking, But the Bravery Was Real

Another Misfits Boxing card has come and gone, this time at the AO Arena in Manchester, and if social media is anything to go by, the internet is having exactly the reaction you'd expect.

The boxing purists are horrified. The memes are flying. The clips are doing the rounds.

And once again, everyone is debating the same question: was any of it actually good boxing?

The honest answer? Not really.

But here's the thing: at Locked In Sports Tape, we're not here to judge whether someone looks like Sugar Ray Robinson or throws punches like they're trying to swat a wasp. If you put in the training, wrap your hands, lace up the gloves and step through those ropes under the bright lights, you've already earned a level of respect most people will never understand.

Because no matter how chaotic the action gets, stepping into a boxing ring takes serious courage.

Heavyweight Chaos Meets Olympic Class

The headline attraction was one of the strangest matchups boxing has seen in years: Tommy Fury vs Eddie Hall.

Watching Fury stand across from a man carrying well over 100 pounds of extra mass was fascinating in itself. Fury did what you'd expect from the more experienced boxer, using movement, timing and ring craft to secure a majority decision victory.

Hall, meanwhile, looked exactly like a former World's Strongest Man trying to bulldoze his way through a boxing match. Technical flaws aside, the man is built from reinforced concrete. He absorbed shots, marched forward relentlessly and made for an entertaining spectacle.

Earlier on the card, we saw a completely different challenge unfold.

Two-time Olympic Taekwondo champion Jade Jones continued her transition into boxing with a dominant stoppage victory over Argentina's Federikita. Elite combat sports athletes often make crossover attempts look easy, but moving from Olympic Taekwondo to professional boxing is a huge adjustment. Jones showed composure, discipline and growing confidence in her second outing.

Elsewhere, Misfits delivered its usual dose of madness.

Anthony Taylor and Matt Floyd ended in a controversial No Contest after Taylor complained of a burning sensation in his eyes, sparking an ugly post-fight altercation between the corners. Armz stopped Big Stacks in brutal fashion with a fourth-round TKO, while the rest of the card delivered the unpredictable mix of action, entertainment and chaos that Misfits has become famous for.

The skill levels varied wildly throughout the night.

The effort didn't.

The Battle Nobody Sees: Protecting the Hands

Before the cameras roll, before the ring walks and before the first punch is thrown, every fighter takes part in one of the most important rituals in combat sports:

Getting their hands wrapped.

Whether you're an influencer making your boxing debut, an Olympic champion crossing over into a new sport, or a heavyweight powerhouse like Eddie Hall, your hands are your tools of the trade.

And in events like Misfits, where punch mechanics can sometimes be a little unconventional, proper hand protection becomes even more important.

Wild, looping shots create awkward angles. Poor alignment places additional stress on wrists, knuckles and finger joints. Without the right support, injuries can happen quickly.

Here's how the Locked In Sports Tape range would fit into a professional hand-wrapping setup.

Build the Foundation with Zinc Oxide Tape

A quality hand wrap starts with rigid support.

The Zinc Oxide Tape provides the structure trainers need to create a stable "cast" around the wrist and hand. This helps limit excessive movement and keeps the wrist aligned when punches land.

For a fighter carrying the power of Eddie Hall, rigid support becomes even more important. Every punch generates enormous force, and protecting the wrist against hyperextension is critical.

Add Shock Absorption with Cohesive Bandage

Before rigid tape is applied, many trainers build protection around the knuckles using a soft layer underneath.

The Cohesive Bandage acts as a comfortable cushioning layer, helping absorb impact while protecting the metacarpal bones from repeated trauma.

When fighters are throwing hundreds of punches in training camps and sparring sessions, that extra protection makes a real difference.

Secure the Details with Finger Tape

The finer details of a professional hand wrap often determine how secure it feels once the gloves are on.

Using Zinc Oxide Finger Tape, trainers can anchor wraps between the fingers, prevent shifting inside the glove and add support around vulnerable finger joints.

These small adjustments help reduce the risk of finger sprains, awkward twists and unnecessary movement during exchanges.

Respect the Grind

It's easy to sit at home and criticise a dropped guard.

It's easy to laugh at wild swings and missed punches.

What's difficult is spending months in training camp, sacrificing your time, dealing with nerves and pressure, and then walking into an arena full of people ready to judge every mistake you make.

Whether it was Tommy Fury, Eddie Hall, Jade Jones, Federikita, Anthony Taylor, Matt Floyd, Armz or Big Stacks, every fighter on that card did something most people will never do.

They stepped into the ring.

The technical standard may have been questionable at times.

The bravery certainly wasn't.

And that deserves respect.

Ready for Your Next Session?

Whether you're sparring, hitting pads or preparing for competition, protecting your hands should never be an afterthought.

Explore the full range of hand-wrapping and injury-prevention products at Locked In Sports Tape and make sure you're taped up like the pros before your next session. Stay protected. Stay prepared. Stay Locked In.