In a weekend packed with major events, boxing’s crossover circuit quietly rolled into Derby’s Vaillant Live. The venue hosted Misfits Boxing’s card, headlined by a six-round exhibition between Ty Mitchell and Gabriel Rosado. The DAZN-streamed event featured a lineup of bouts involving fighters from the crossover-influencer scene. However, the moment that grabbed the most attention came on the main card, when two-time Olympic taekwondo gold medalist Jade Jones knocked out internet personality Egypt Criss.

“KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR CONTENDER?” posted DAZN’s combat sports account on X. “WHAT (A) KO FOR JADE JONES 🤯.”

The emphatic finish quickly gained traction online, with footage of Jones’ boxing debut circulating widely. Living up to her taekwondo-era moniker, ‘The Headhunter,’ the Welsh fighter held a clear edge from the opening bell.

Criss, a hip-hop artist, has no documented experience in boxing or any other combat sports discipline. While Jones is not a professional boxer either, the gap in skill and exposure was difficult to ignore.

The end came swiftly in the second round, when Jones trapped Criss along the ropes and unleashed a series of punches in succession. Her confidence was evident as she kept her hands down throughout the exchange.

Although a Misfits crossover win likely rules Jade Jones out of serious Knockout of the Year consideration, the finish still drew praise from several notable figures, including boxing great Amanda Serrano.

Amanda Serrano tips her cap after Jade Jones’ breakout knockout

Only an icon of Amanda Serrano’s stature could frame it this way: “That was Pretty Respectfully! As a fighter, we admire these things without wishing any harm to our opponents. Praying the young lady recovers & is OK. 🙏” In combat sports, knockouts are celebrated – but never at the expense of a fighter’s safety.

As the broadcast replayed the sequence – Jones stepping in with a straight left, following with a hook, and closing with a clean shot to Criss’s chin – Jamel Herring added, “She wound it up too 😬.” A former junior lightweight titleholder, Herring made his bare-knuckle fighting debut in January of this year.

Another fan praised Jade Jones’ debut. “Pure masterclass. Transitioning Olympic Taekwondo distance control into a clinical Round 2 setup proves elite fight IQ. That lead-hand entry followed by the hook was total divinity,” they wrote. While this was her first bout in boxing gloves, Jones’ taekwondo background likely gave her a strong grasp of range control and timing.

Still, the performance did not impress everyone. “She used the same left hand like 4x. Lame KO. The other girl has poor defense,” one user wrote. Given Jones’ pedigree, organizers should have matched her against a more experienced opponent, even from another combat discipline, to create a more competitive contest.

Another user echoed the sentiment, saying, “Now that I know the truth, this is nasty work. A child star with no fighting experience vs. a two-time Olympic athlete? And it’s being celebrated. This is sick. And a bad representation of combat sports.”

In crossover boxing events, however, uneven matchups are not uncommon.

Celebrating the result may stretch the debate for some. But given that the bout was billed as an exhibition, it can also be viewed for what it was designed to provide: entertainment. Even so, more thoughtful matchmaking could elevate the product, ensuring that fighters with at least some comparable experience share the ring.