MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JUNE 10: Charlie Stacks (“Big Stacks”) ends up with a nose bleed after a confrontation during the Beauty versus The Beast workouts at New Century Hall on June 10, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)
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Former soccer players are finding their way into the boxing ring or some form of combat sports. The latest is James Collins, a former Premier League defender set for his heavyweight boxing debut against a man known as UK’s Hardest Man aka Big Stacks. This is Misfits Boxing’s next main event and here’s everything you need to know. Let’s talk boxing.
Collins vs. Big Stacks Key Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, October 10, 2026 |
| Venue | Copper Box Arena, London, 7,500 capacity |
| Card headliner | Joey Essex vs. Dapper Laughs |
| Estimated ring walk | Around 9 p.m. local; official times not released |
| Weight class | Heavyweight |
| Collins | 43, former Wales international, 51 caps, boxing debut |
| Big Stacks | Charlie Cox, social media figure, 1-1 in Misfits |
| Replacing | Thomas Skinner, withdrew without a stated reason |
| Also on the card | Plinio Cruz vs. Chase DeMoor |
| Promotion | Misfits Boxing |
The fight is October 10 at the Copper Box Arena in London, a 7,500-seat venue, on a card headlined by Joey Essex against Dapper Laughs. Official ring-walk times haven’t been published; previous Misfits events put a bout in this slot around 9 p.m. local. Big Stacks is Charlie Cox, who debuted this summer against Armz Korleone and stopped Jordan McCann in Newcastle this month. Collins, on his own turnout: “Would love it West Ham heavy in there on the night.”
Collins is a bit of a folk hero for West Ham, but he also played for Aston Villa, earned 51 caps for Wales and he was also a part of the Welsh squad that made it to the semifinals of Euro 2016. He was a professional footballer for 20 years before retiring in 2020. After dabbling in boxing and training, he is ready to step in as the short-notice replacement for Thomas Skinner, a reality TV personality who gained notoriety during his time on Apprentice.
All signs point to Big Stacks winning as he has established himself as a solid competitor on the Misfits fight scene, but it would interesting to see Collins surprise some folks with his performance. All things considered, tabbing Collins as the replacement is a decent pivot for Misfits as they had to save the card.
Footballers Who Crossed Over to Misfits
| Fighter | Background | When |
|---|---|---|
| Danny Simpson | Leicester City, Manchester United | August 2024, the first |
| Kenzo Biyong | European youth and developmental sides | Booked for September 2026, withdrew |
| James Collins | West Ham, Aston Villa, Wales | October 10, 2026 |

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