Anthony Taylor attacks Matty Floyd after eye-injury no-contest mars Misfits Boxing title fight

Anthony Taylor’s light heavyweight title defence at Misfits Boxing’s Eddie Hall vs. Tommy Fury event in Manchester descended into chaos on Saturday, ending in a controversial no-contest before Taylor rushed across the ring to physically attack opponent Matty Floyd.

The bout was waved off in the fifth round after Taylor retreated and loudly complained of an eye injury. A Floyd jab appeared to stun Taylor moments before he stopped competing and protested to officials. The fight was subsequently ruled a no-contest, leaving Taylor’s title intact but his performance deeply unsatisfying.

Immediately after the stoppage, a furious Taylor charged at Floyd and had to be restrained by security personnel and cornermen. He continued in visible distress, lying on the mat for a period before being helped out of the ring.

According to ringside commentary, Taylor alleged that Floyd had Icy Hot — a topical pain-relief cream — on his gloves, which he claimed had aggravated his eyes. Neither Floyd’s camp nor officials publicly confirmed or denied the allegation at the time of the bout’s conclusion.

The contest had already been tense before the dramatic finish, with Taylor shoving Floyd at the end of one of the earlier rounds. The no-contest means Taylor fails to record his first victory since 2024, though he retains the light heavyweight title by default.

The incident adds another layer of controversy to the Misfits Boxing card, which was headlined by the heavyweight clash between strongman Eddie Hall and unbeaten professional Tommy Fury in Manchester, England.