JOEY ESSEX was almost hospitalised after sparring with Conor Benn – but still backs his pal against Ryan Garcia.
Essex – a legend of British reality TV – is the nephew of Benn’s coach Tony Sims and a regular face in their Romford gym.
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The Only Way is Essex icon is a Misfits Boxing star himself now having spent years training with Sims’ stable.
But ruthless Benn – who faces Garcia on Saturday night – refused to take it easy on the boxing beginner during a particularly savage body spar.
And it left Essex’s liver so battered he almost checked into hospital.
He said on SunSport’s No Glove Lost episode on YouTube: “I rang my uncle Tony and after the sparring, I did think I had to go hospital.
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“I said to him out of breath I think I’m gonna like p**s blood or whatever. No, he said to me you might p**s blood. Right.
“I had to go to an event after. I sparred Conor, but you’d think he’d go easy. But he don’t go easy!
“He takes every person the same way. I mean he didn’t go too crazy, but he nearly put me in hospital.”
Essex won his debut in Misfits – home to celebrity-style crossover bouts – last August and returns for his second bout in October.
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Garcia vs Benn – all the info
Ryan Garcia will make the first defence of his WBC welterweight title against British superstar Conor Benn THIS Saturday.
The blockbuster Las Vegas event is under the arm of Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing promotion.
Garcia, 28, captured his first world title in February by securing a dominant unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios.
Benn, 29, is challenging for a world title for the first time in his professional career.
His sole professional defeat came against domestic rival Chris Eubank Jr in April 2025, a loss he quickly avenged with a dominant unanimous decision victory in their November 2025 rematch.
Benn enters the biggest bout of his life following a decisive points win over former world champion Regis Prograis in April, which marked his debut under Zuffa Boxing.
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Meanwhile Benn, 29, challenges Garcia, 28, for the American’s WBC welterweight world title in Las Vegas.
He travels Stateside as an underdog against the superstar champion – but he has Essex backing his corner.
Joey said: “Ryan Garcia is a perfect person to fight in Conor’s situation for sure.
“Ryan’s probably the biggest say social media star in boxing, I would say, personally. There’s no other bigger person doing it like him.
“He’s on Kick, he’s streaming, he’s just always doing his boxing on his speed ball and all that.
“And also I do think like when Conor talked a lot about heart, I do believe that Conor’s heart is way bigger than Ryan’s.
“Ryan has technically quit like before, do you know what I mean? So, I think Conor’s got it, personally. And not just cause he’s my mate.”