In a dramatic return to the ring, Tony Ferguson has made headlines by securing a controversial victory in his boxing debut. He faced off against influencer boxer Salt Papi in the co-main event at Misfits Boxing 22, and while Ferguson is back in the win column, the manner of his victory has sparked debate.

Ferguson, the former interim UFC lightweight champion, showed resilience after dropping the first two rounds against Papi, who showcased his superior boxing experience. In the first stanza, Ferguson came out aggressive, but it was Papi who efficiently countered and landed significant punches, winning the round convincingly.

The second round saw Ferguson gain a bit of momentum, discovering his rhythm and landing some strikes, though Papi still dominated with more impactful shots. It was only in the third round that the tide turned dramatically as Ferguson began to assert his power, relentlessly hammering Papi with a flurry of punches.

The fight reached a climax when Ferguson unleashed approximately 15 unanswered punches, prompting the referee to step in and call for a stoppage. However, many spectators felt that this intervention was premature given that Papi had started to show signs of fatigue but was still on his feet.

With this victory, Ferguson has finally snapped an astonishing eight-fight losing streak, marking his first win since June 2019, when he defeated Donald Cerrone at UFC 238. As discussions swirl about the validity of the stoppage, one thing is clear: Ferguson's boxing journey is just getting started, and fans are eager to see where he goes from here.