The landscape of combat sports has shifted dramatically in recent years, welcoming a new era of crossover boxing where influencers, reality television personalities, and athletes from diverse backgrounds share the ring. Amidst this modern spectacle, London-based fighter Carla Jade has carved out a genuinely remarkable athletic identity. Rather than remaining a peripheral figure in the sport, the 37-year-old has orchestrated a stunning career transformation, moving from her former role as a ring card girl to becoming a legitimate, championship-winning boxer within the Misfits Boxing promotion.
Now, Jade finds herself preparing for the next critical chapter of her career. She is officially scheduled to defend her Misfits women’s lightweight championship against Icelandic social media personality Erika Night. The high-stakes title bout is set for Saturday, October 10, taking place at the iconic Copper Box Arena in London, England. The matchup forms a vital part of a blockbuster Misfits Boxing card that is prominently headlined by reality television star Joey Essex and comedian Daniel “Dapper Laughs” O’Reilly. For combat sports enthusiasts tuning in globally, the entire event is slated to be broadcast live on DAZN, bringing international attention back to London’s thriving combat scene.
For Jade, this upcoming title defense represents far more than just another routine walk to the canvas. It serves as a crucial opportunity to rebound from the first professional defeat of her boxing career. That setback followed a bruising, highly publicized, and challenging matchup against former UFC and BKFC fighter Pearl Gonzalez earlier this year. Eager to prove that her championship reign was no fluke and that she remains the undisputed benchmark of the division, Jade enters the ring against Night with everything to prove.
Jade’s path to the upper echelons of crossover boxing has been defined by steady grit, relentless activity, and a willingness to face dangerous opponents. She initially stamped her authority on the division by capturing the Misfits women’s lightweight championship in May 2024, defeating Nikki Hru in a breakthrough performance that turned heads across the combat sports community. Instead of resting on her laurels, Jade immediately chose the path of a fighting champion, continuously defending her hard-earned position against a revolving door of challengers who brought varying degrees of social media fame and combat sports experience.
The momentum continued to build into early 2025. In January of that year, Jade stepped between the ropes to face Melanie Shah in a high-stakes championship clash that ultimately ended in a hard-fought split-decision draw, highlighting the competitive parity at the top of the weight class. Refusing to let the draw slow her down, Jade returned to active competition later that same year. In August 2025, she secured a definitive unanimous-decision victory over Daryn Harris, showcasing her technical boxing improvements. Just a few months later, in December 2025, she faced former Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship title challenger Taylor Starling. In what proved to be one of the toughest tests of her career, Jade edged out a split-decision victory.
The victory over Starling was particularly significant for Jade’s legacy in the promotion. Overcoming an opponent with high-level bare-knuckle experience solidified Jade’s status not merely as a celebrity boxer, but as a seasoned striker capable of dealing with legitimate fighting pedigree. Those gritty performances firmly established her as a regular, reliable, and elite presence in the Misfits Boxing women’s division, earning her the respect of fans and promoters alike.
However, the relentless nature of combat sports means that champions must continually face the toughest challenges available. For Jade, that ultimate test arrived on March 7, 2026, when she squared off against veteran combat sports star Pearl Gonzalez in a high-profile Misfits championship contest. Gonzalez entered the matchup boasting a wealth of high-level experience acquired inside the Octagon with the UFC and the bare-knuckle rings of BKFC. That deep combat background injected a vastly different dynamic into the matchup compared to many of Jade’s previous crossover boxing appearances.
The rivalry between the two fighters quickly escalated from professional competition to something deeply personal during fight week. The tension boiled over during a March 5 pre-fight press conference, where Jade openly criticized Gonzalez’s previous career trajectory and choices. Gonzalez, known for her toughness and willingness to engage verbally, fired back with sharp personal insults. The animosity reached its physical peak during their scheduled faceoff, when Jade slapped Gonzalez across the face. Security personnel and promotion officials instantly swarmed the stage to intervene, separating the two athletes before a full-scale brawl could erupt. The chaotic incident immediately went viral, generating immense media attention and skyrocketing public interest ahead of their championship clash.
When the bell finally rang on March 7, inside the ring, Gonzalez’s extensive mixed martial arts and combat experience proved to be the deciding factor. After five hard-fought rounds, the judges rendered a unanimous decision in favor of Gonzalez, handing Jade the first recorded defeat of her professional boxing career.
The loss was undeniably a heavy setback for Jade, who had built immense momentum and a sense of invincibility through her dominant championship run. Yet, the defeat also served as a stark demonstration of the unique risks associated with facing seasoned veterans who have competed across multiple combat sports disciplines. Rather than letting the loss derail her, Jade has used the experience as fuel to recalibrate, refocus, and work toward redemption.
Long before she was trading blows under the bright lights of the Copper Box Arena, Jade’s background in combat sports began in a vastly different capacity. She originally established her presence in the industry as a ring card girl. Transitioning from the presentation side of fight night to stepping inside the ropes as an active competitor provides a remarkably distinctive and inspiring angle to her athletic story. While many media personalities and influencers participate in crossover boxing for a single marquee event, Jade pursued the far more demanding, punishing, and disciplined path of becoming a true fighter.
That bold transition has successfully placed Jade in the global sports spotlight for her genuine athletic performances, technical growth, and high-stakes rivalries, rather than simply her visual presence at ringside. Her career trajectory is a shining reflection of the evolving nature of modern crossover boxing—an ecosystem where individuals from entertainment, digital media, and auxiliary areas of the fight business are given unprecedented platforms to build legitimate, competitive athletic careers.
While the entertainment and media components inherent to Misfits Boxing undeniably help draw massive mainstream attention and eyeballs to these events, Jade’s substantive championship history and her willingness to test herself against seasoned warriors like Taylor Starling and Pearl Gonzalez provide a bedrock of authentic competitive credibility to her narrative.
Now, Jade faces yet another intriguing stylistic test as she prepares to lock horns with Erika Night. Night enters the ring as an Icelandic social media personality who is officially making her promotional debut under the Misfits Boxing banner. Night has successfully cultivated a substantial online following through major digital platforms including Instagram and TikTok, connecting with a younger demographic of fans. Significantly younger than the 37-year-old champion, Night brings the unpredictable energy, youthful athleticism, and digital backing that often characterize the new wave of celebrity combatants.
For Jade, this upcoming women’s lightweight championship bout offers the ideal springboard to put the Pearl Gonzalez defeat firmly in the rearview mirror while reasserting her dominance over the division. It is a chance to prove that championship experience, ring IQ, and professional heartbreak ultimately forge a fighter who is difficult to unseat.
Conversely, for Erika Night, the matchup represents the ultimate baptism by fire. Rather than being handed an easy debut against a novice, Night is presented with an immediate, golden opportunity to challenge an established, battle-tested champion in her very first promotional appearance. Securing a victory against a fighter of Jade’s caliber would instantly launch Night to the very top of the influencer boxing hierarchy.
With Jade eager to return to her winning ways and firmly establish her rule once again, and with Night seeking to make a seismic, unforgettable impression on her debut, their collision is easily one of the most compelling storylines on the October 10 fight card. Jade’s extraordinary journey—from holding cards on the edge of the canvas to wearing the championship gold, surviving heated rivalries, and tasting defeat for the first time—has already defied expectations. Her latest appearance at the Copper Box Arena provides yet another definitive platform to demonstrate that she remains an enduring force in the ever-changing world of crossover boxing.
