Egypt Criss knocked out by Jade Jones in two-round Misfits Boxing debut
egypt criss left the ring on the wrong end of a decisive debut moment as Jade Jones began her boxing career with a stoppage win in Derby. Thursday at 3: 00 p. m. ET, Jones — a double Olympic taekwondo champion for Wales — ended the bout in the second round at Misfits Duel 2 at Vaillant Live.
Jade Jones’ debut win leaves Egypt Criss stopped in round two
The most immediate consequence was for egypt criss, who was knocked out after Jones landed three successive left hooks that floored her opponent. The bout took place in Derby, and it marked Jones’ first boxing contest after a long taekwondo career.
In a separate account of the finish, Jones knocked Criss down with a trio of left hands that sent the American crashing face-first to the canvas. The sequence began with a left hook that rattled Criss, and the finishing punches followed as Criss continued forward.
The fight was staged under the Misfits Duel banner, and the contest was classified as an exhibition. Still, the ending provided a clear result: Jones needed only two rounds to secure a knockout victory in her first outing in the sport.
Misfits Duel 2 at Vaillant Live in Derby staged Jones’ career switch
The event itself — Misfits Duel 2 at Vaillant Live — served as the platform for Jones to formally trade elite taekwondo competition for boxing. After two decades in taekwondo, Jones switched sports at the start of last year, describing the move as a need for a fresh challenge while setting a target of becoming a world champion in two sports.
Jones, 32 and from Flint, prepared for the transition by training with former professional boxer Stephen “Swifty” Smith at Liverpool’s 4 Corners Gym. Her taekwondo résumé includes Olympic gold medals at London 2012 and Rio 2016, achievements that framed the significance of her first steps in the ring.
One description of Jones’ taekwondo persona also carried into her boxing debut: she has been known as “The Headhunter” from her competitive Tae Kwon Do days. In Derby, that reputation was tied directly to the fight-ending sequence, which was built around repeated left-hand hooks.
Lauren Price and other cross-sport paths shape the backdrop for Jade Jones
Jones’ switch is not presented as happening in isolation. She has taken inspiration from former room-mate Lauren Price, a unified world boxing champion who played football for Wales in addition to being a kickboxer and taekwondo player before moving into boxing.
That connection underscores the broader appeal of boxing to athletes with elite credentials in other disciplines, including Olympic-level experience. For Jones, the Derby result immediately places her first boxing appearance alongside a stated ambition to succeed at the highest level in a second sport.
For now, the confirmed outcome is the one that sets the direction: Jade Jones’ boxing debut ended in a second-round knockout over egypt criss at Misfits Duel 2 in Derby.
