Demi Sims’ Heartfelt Tribute to Father Moves Molly McCann and Carla Jade After Misfits Event

Demi Sims, best known from her work on TV on ‘The Only Way is Essex’ and ‘Made in Chelsea’, made her debut in the squared circle at Misfits Boxing 22 recently. And while she walked away with her hand raised, it was what came after that truly stole hearts. Because the victory wasn’t just about points on the scorecards, it was about family, legacy, and a daughter honoring her father in a way that left fighters like Molly McCann and Carla Jade visibly moved.

And if you’ve ever wondered how sport bridges generations, Demi Sims may have just given us the perfect answer. Sims recently posted a video on Instagram that stitched together memories both old and new. It opened with a much younger Demi, grinning under oversized headgear, before cutting to her father, Tony Sims, warming her up backstage for her debut.

Alongside it, she wrote in the caption, “Dad, I’ve always watched you be passionate about boxing growing up, it’s been around me my whole life, but never did I expect at the age of 28 to sit you down and ask you to coach me for my first fight with no personal knowledge of being in the ring.”

She admitted that the task wasn’t easy. Training camp crammed years of experience into months. However, she continued with, “Don’t get me wrong I am no professional, I am not even close but I fought with heart, strength, discipline, and belief that you passed onto me. I’ll never forget sharing this moment with you thank you for always being my biggest supporter, my role model, and my coach in and out of the ring.”

Her words didn’t just resonate with fans. They sparked reactions from inside the fight world, too. Carla Jade, undefeated Misfits champion and self-proclaimed “Queen of Misfits Boxing,” replied, “I love this so much”. UFC veteran Molly McCann added her own simple but telling note with, “Lovely that x.”

And really, who could disagree? Tony Sims isn’t just any dad. He’s one of Britain’s most respected trainers, a man whose résumé includes guiding Anthony Joshua and Conor Benn. Yet for this fight, he couldn’t stand in Demi’s corner, reportedly due to his British Boxing Board of Control license. Instead, he watched as Darren Barker, a former world champion, called the shots ringside.

However, from Demi’s jab that snapped Nadeshi Hopkins’ head back in round one, to the left hooks that echoed in round two, the father-daughter connection was written in every punch. But the Misfits 22 event featured another heartwarming story as a UFC veteran finally snapped a losing streak that began all the way back in 2020!

Tony Ferguson reveals his “joy” as he finally breaks his brutal losing streak at Misfits Boxing 22

Tony Ferguson once lived in the bright lights of UFC title contention. He was considered ‘The Boogeyman’ of the lightweight division, whose unorthodox style made him a nightmare for opponents. But then came the slide. Eight straight defeats, five of them stoppages, dragged ‘El Cucuy’ into the shadows. Some wondered if the story was over after his exit from the UFC.

At Misfits Boxing 22, Ferguson finally broke free from years of heartbreak, stopping influencer ‘Salt Papi’ on the main card. For the first time since June 2019, Ferguson stood victorious!

Speaking to ‘Seconds Out’ afterwards, the 41-year-old confessed, “It was nothing but joy and just enjoying the moment for a split second because you’re talking about years of not being happy. Not because of the loss, just because of not being happy. This is something that I always wanted to do: throw on some boxing gloves and just throw some leather. Tonight was the perfect example of that, and get rid of the nerves and get that first victory out of the way.”

So what’s next for the veteran? Retirement isn’t even in his vocabulary. Instead, Ferguson is eager to build momentum under the Misfits banner as he further shared, “I have no pressure on me now. I left it all inside that ring. I’m going to go back to the drawing board, listen to my coaches and figure sh— out.”

And so, Misfits Boxing 22 reminded us that boxing isn’t just about belts or records. For Demi Sims, it was about honoring the man who shaped her, carrying her father’s passion into her own moment under the lights. For Tony Ferguson, it was about rediscovering himself, proving that even after years of setbacks, joy can still be found between the ropes.