- Former footballer Danny Simpson began his Misfits Boxing career on Saturday
- He agreed to give away his Premier League medal if he lost to Danny Aarons
- But the fight was declared a split draw after four rounds at Dublin’s 3Arena
Former footballer Danny Simpson began his Misfits Boxing career with a split draw against YouTuber Danny Aarons in the headline fight in Dublin on Saturday night.
Although there was no official title up for grabs, Simpson had put his Premier League winner’s medal on the line, while Aarons had staked his Gold YouTube Subscriber plaque.
Simpson – who played for Man United, Antwerp, Sunderland, Ipswich, Blackburn, Newcastle, QPR, Leicester, Huddersfield, Bristol City and Macclesfield before retiring from football in July – had only started training for this fight five weeks ago.
Aarons was also making his Misfits Boxing debut on Saturday but the 22-year-old – despite being 15 years younger than Simpson – looked like the marginally more experienced fighter, having been training for closer to six months.
The Essex-born streamer also had more support from the crowd, who thoroughly enjoyed a fight in which a knockout always felt like a possibility as both men deployed a gung-ho approach from the start.
Former Premier League footballer Danny Simpson began his Misfits Boxing career in Dublin
His opponent was 22-year-old YouTuber Danny Aarons, who was also making his Misfits debut
Both fighters swung freely during four rounds of chaotic boxing in front of an excited crowd
But both fighters managed to stay upright for the duration of the contest, despite Simpson wobbling briefly in the fourth and final round.
Simpson was holding on by the end and both men seemed pretty happy to hear the bell, which was followed by a respectful hug.
But when the result was announced, Simpson was visibly disappointed and he later said that he thought he had ‘nicked it’.
Simpson also paid credit to his opponent for contributing to a ‘f***ing great match’
One judge scored the fight 38-38, while the other two cards read 39-37, one in Simpson’s favour and the other for Aarons.
One judge scored the fight 39-37 in Simpson’s favour, one had Aarons ahead 39-37 and the other called it a 38-38 draw
Simpson was not happy when it was announced that the fight had been declared a split draw
Misfits Boxing is a product owned and operated by KSI, who performed a song on Saturday
Simpson spoke to Mail Sport ahead of Saturday’s fight when he opened up about the whirlwind chain of events that led him from summer holidays to the boxing ring.
‘Everything happens for a reason,’ Simpson declared. Admitting to a carefree summer filled with Euros celebrations and stag parties,’ he confessed: ‘You know, you’re having fun, but are you really having fun?’
A call from boxing promoter Mams Taylor presented Simpson – who won the Premier League with Leicester in 2016 – with a new challenge.
Simpson recalled: ‘At the time, I was probably enjoying myself in the summer a bit much. But now, in the last three or four weeks, this has been fun. Mams Taylor rang me and asked me, do I think I could do this in four or five weeks? And I love challenges.’
