Influencer boxing is heading to Kilkenny, but with personal feuds, explosive accusations and some seriously controversial match-ups, is this event about to become bigger than the fights themselves?
Kilkenny, get ready. Unhinged 003 is bringing a very different kind of Saturday night to The Hub, and the noise around this event is already impossible to ignore.
Forget the traditional boxing build-up. This is influencer boxing, where social media rivalries, public call-outs and personal grudges can matter just as much as what happens between the ropes.
And one name attracting plenty of attention is Shadow Boxer.
Shadow Boxer v Luke Dyson: more than just words?
The online tension between Shadow Boxer and Luke Dyson has added another layer of intrigue to the event.
Dyson has reportedly made some extremely serious public criticisms of Shadow Boxer, including references to his past.
These are not minor insults, and they raise an obvious question: how far can these online confrontations go before somebody decides to take the argument offline?
There is currently no confirmed announcement that Luke Dyson will be fighting at or attending the event, but the public exchanges have certainly given people something to talk about.
If the two end up under the same roof, will it be nothing more than awkward glances and online posturing, or could the atmosphere become considerably more tense?
Should The Hub be preparing for extra security?
Let’s be realistic. When an event is promoted around personalities, rivalries and controversy, organisers need to think beyond the boxing ring.
The Hub is a venue, not a battleground. Spectators should be able to enjoy the evening without worrying about arguments, confrontations or disorder.
With strong personalities and heated online exchanges surrounding the event, questions about security and crowd management are entirely reasonable.
Has additional security been considered? Are organisers prepared for the possibility of tensions between supporters? And is there a clear plan for dealing with any confrontation outside the ring?
These are questions worth asking before the doors open, not after something goes wrong.
The fight card that has people talking
Unhinged 003 is not exactly selling itself as a traditional boxing evening.
The advertised card includes a mixture of personalities and unusual match-ups, including women’s boxing and bouts designed to attract attention well beyond the usual fight audience.
The event’s unconventional entertainment has already divided opinion.
Some will call it entertainment. Others will ask whether influencer boxing is turning the sport into a spectacle where controversy is the real attraction.
And with every event seemingly trying to outdo the last, how far are promoters prepared to go to keep people watching?
Kilkenny: entertainment or a step too far?
There is no denying that influencer boxing attracts attention. People tune in to see personalities they recognise, rivalries they have followed online and match-ups they never expected.
But there is a difference between entertaining controversy and creating an environment where personal hostility becomes part of the attraction.
The Hub and the event organisers will be hoping Saturday night is remembered for what happens in the ring, not outside it. Kilkenny will find out soon enough.
Read more: Danny G as special guest referee? Why Kilkenny’s unhinged influencer fight night badly needs him