KSI declined Jake Paul’s offer to replace Mike Tyson in a July boxing match due to a prior commitment in August, suggesting they fight in December instead, leading to a back-and-forth on social media about potential future match dates and weight classes.
KSI isn’t here to be a Mike Tyson replacement. Following the news that Tyson’s July 20 boxing match with Jake Paul had been postponed due to health issues, Paul suggested on social media that his fellow influencer and longtime rival KSI step in for Tyson.
“KSI’s coach saying he is over 200 pounds right now?” Paul wrote. “So no weight excuses… Let’s run it for July 20 and then Paul vs. Tyson in October/November.”
According to KSI, he is unavailable to fight in July as he has a fight scheduled for August. “I’ve already got a fight lined up in August,” KSI replied on social media. “Instead of fighting an [old-age pensioner] at the end of the year (no one wants to see this), fight me in December instead.”
The two continued to go back and forth via tweets. Paul mocked KSI for not agreeing to the July 20 date and suggested they meet in a boxing match at 200 pounds in February instead. KSI countered that they should compete at 185 pounds and insisted on a December date.
“I just gave KSI and his forehead the opportunity again for July,” Paul tweeted. “He said he’s fighting in August. Cool. I’m fighting in October/November. February it is, 200 lbs, MSG, NYC. Get it done.”
“You asked for 185 Jake you fraudulent twat,” KSI shot back. “The old folks home has run out of options. This is all just noise. You don’t really want to fight. December, let’s run it at 185. No bullshit. No excuses.”
Paul then proposed a double bill in February. “2 fights in February: Jake Paul vs KSI, Logan Paul vs Deji. Y’all with it?”
Logan, currently working as a professional wrestler with WWE, has a long history with KSI. Formerly rivals, but now friends and business partners, Logan and KSI were pioneers of the now-widespread influencer boxing trend. They fought each other in 2018 and 2019. The first bout, an amateur contest, ended in a majority draw. Their second meeting, sanctioned as a pro bout, was won by KSI via split decision.