In August of last year, the world bore witness to a boxing match nobody had asked for, but one we all still kinda wanted to see anyway.
YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul finally put their egos and reputations on the line - and in a heated match where most of the audience wanted to see both participants get knocked out simultaneously, they were both declared victorious in a draw.
At the event's close, the pair announced that they will have a rematch, with KSI declaring he "didn't care where it was".
In fact, following the bout, both men tweeted out respectively, each one stating how they believed they should have been declared the sole victor:
But now it seems like this rematch is finally going to happen, as Logan Paul shared a video to his Instagram account yesterday, showing him sparring with several opponents, baiting KSI in the caption.
In fact, Paul knocked one opponent to the ground with a very stiff looking right:
Logan shared the footage with the caption: "I'm a jokes guy but don't sleep on the bad mothaf***a inside me... here's some unreleased sparring footage from last August i got a nasty hunger to damage the next man who's got big enough balls to step in the ring with me... KSI is doing everything he can to dodge this fight & tbh i don't blame him. im collecting skulls this winter ill even fight you @jakepaul, idgaf [sic]"
That's right, Logan even called out his brother, Jake Paul, for a fight. Man is mad on power.
However, it was KSI's heated response to the video that has got people talking. KSI commented on the post, saying: "I'm not dodging you. I'm fighting you. Case closed. You ain't gonna be able to hold onto me for dear life this time. Trust me."
No matter what you think of their boxing skills, these two sure know how to entertain.
Last Saturday, Logan Paul and KSI - two veritable YouTube heavyweights - took to the boxing ring in order to see who was the bigger guy in real life.
The fight was much-anticipated, with fans of both stars hyping it up on social media for the weeks leading up to the match. Unfortunately, it all ended rather anticlimactically in a draw, but neither of the vloggers seemed too upset by it. And why would they? They each made an absolute killing out of ticket sales and sponsorship from the event.
Because of this, some fans have speculated that the match was a fix, and that KSI and Paul had agreed beforehand to end in a stalemate. That way, they'd make a killing out of it and have a chance to earn even more money during a rematch (which is currently scheduled for early 2019).
In a video put out on his channel, the 23-year-old said:
"Some people thought the fight was rigged. From the bottom of my heart, suck my a**.
"KSI and I put our hearts on the line, everything we had... we were warriors out there. Beating the s*** out of each other. We all worked so hard... for anyone to say that was fake – f*** you man."
He then went on to claim that reports about how much money he and his opponent had made were grossly exaggerated.
"Between all the expenses, on God, I am not just saying this, I am not 100% sure that I came out positive on this event. That means I’m not sure I made money on the event.
"The cost, unlike in normal boxing and pay-per-view events was not $100, it was $10. There was no official major sponsors, there were no Al Haymon cheques coming in, this was a couple of YouTubers doing this for your entertainment. Yes, we were trying to make money but I think we severely miscalculated the expenses. Examples including: 30 per cent of the revenue goes to YouTube, then I split the remainder with team KSI, then I split that with Jake [his brother] accordingly, then another 30 per cent goes to my management, lawyers, agents, everyone involved with my team.
"We paid for venues, our full time boxing coach, we flew everyone out to Manchester and provided them with lodging for like two weeks... I could go on and on and on."
However, Paul has undeniably profited from this in many ways. While he might not have earned quite as much money as originally thought, he has already caught the attention of the UFC, and it's almost certain that this match massively raised his public profile as a celebrity.
As always, then, Paul has found a way of getting himself involved in a spot of controversy. This time, it could be completely false, but - you have to admit - it does seem at least a little suspicious that neither Paul nor KSI were able to establish a win for themselves.
I guess we'll have to wait for the rematch to see how it really pans out.
For someone who is far better known for his YouTube hits than those landed in the squared circle, Logan Paul sure is confident in his abilities ahead of his much anticipated (?) rematch with fellow YouTuber - and now fellow professional boxer - KSI.
Check out Logan Paul flooring an opponent in sparring with a straight right hand:
That's right: KSI vs Logan Paul II, the rematch of an incredibly popular amateur scrap between the two internet personalities, has been professionally sanctioned. The six round contest will form the main event of a packed card with fighters of true professional pedigree such as Brit Billy Joe Saunders and exciting young American Devin Haney showcasing their talents at STAPLES Center, Los Angeles on November 10.
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Paul and KSI will fight professionally for the first time in the bout, with no headguards and using 10oz gloves, and promoter Eddie Hearn reckons that this all but guarantees a knockout come fight night. "With no headguards, I have to be honest with you, someone is getting knocked out in LA on November 9," he told a vociferous crowd at last night's press conference in London.
The partisan audience of thousands at a chaotic press conference - the size and scale of which is unprecedented outside of world title fights - roared their approval of KSI's promise to "finish" Paul, while booing the American every time he spoke.
“On the night, all your boxing ability is going to go out of the window.
“My biggest strength is my strength. You cannot knock me out.”
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The undercard will feature one of the most exciting young boxers in the world, Devin Haney, who torched the previously undefeated Zaur Abdullaev in his last bout on September 13. Abdullaev had been considered a potential banana skin for Haney (23-0, 15 KO), and represented a step up in class from his previous fights, but the young American dispatched his opponent in emphatic style.
Meanwhile, Eddie Hearn has suggested that WBO Super Middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders' bout could be shown on Sky Sports Main Event, though the exact structure of the evening is as yet not totally clear.
As for Logan Paul, he already seems to have his sights set on the future, and a move to the UFC, after the upcoming KSI bout. Speaking at the London press conference, he is reported as saying;
"I will have progressed too much to ever fight another celebrity or YouTuber after this. I am sparring professional fighters and I am beating them badly, that does so much for my confidence.
"I relied on my athleticism to carry me through the first fight and it almost worked; but now I am a boxer, I am literally a professional fighter and I feel like it. I would honestly love to fight in the UFC; I want [president] Dana White to put me in the Octagon."
Quite how or why this would come about is unclear, but with Conor McGregor's fans desperate for the Crumlin-born fighter to return to the UFC and fight legitimate opponents, it seems incredibly unlikely that such a bout would ever take place.
Last weekend, disgraced YouTuber Logan Paul swapped out his video camera for a pair of boxing gloves as he took on fellow vlogger KSI in a match that was watched by millions worldwide. The two internet stars battled it out for the sake of pride and glory but, ultimately, neither of them walked away victorious, as the match ended in a draw after six rounds.
It would be wrong to say that either of them lost, however, as both Paul and KSI made a huge amount of money from the stunt, and they've each gained a new level of fame to boot.
Now, he's recognised as a dumb kid who can also hold his own in a boxing match - and at least one former UFC fighter thinks that he could potentially have a career as a professional.
Brendan Schaub, a retired Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight, suggested earlier this week on his Below The Belt podcast that both Paul and KSI were better promoters for the UFC, and that, if the fighting organisation had any sense, they would be paying close attention to the YouTubers' tactics.
What's more, he also said that he "guaranteed" there would be "a spark of interest in signing Logan Paul to the UFC", purely because of how well it would do for their ratings.
Word of this apparently travelled back to Paul, who has now responded to Schaub's statements.
"The thought of securing a fight in the @UFC is exciting... could finally use my wrestling background," he wrote on Twitter. "But I hear some other celebrities/athletes want to catch these hands first?"
So it sounds like he's keen to participate - but he also wants to hone his fighting skills a little further, first.
Fans seemed keen to see Paul step up to the challenge, too, with one person commenting: "Legit would be excited to see you enter the octagon. Not because you’re Logan Paul but to see if you can adapt and grow into that field. If it happens, congrats man."
However, others doubted that the YouTuber has what it takes to actually compete, and pointed out that his match only attained the success it did because both Paul and KSI were already known celebrities prior to the fight. "Throw Justin Bieber in a ring to box a One Direction guy, hype it w/ trash talk & you get a similar result," another commenter said. "Celebrity sells itself."
While it may be the case that Paul was able to make a killing on the fight due to his pre-existing level of fame, it's also probably true that a lot of people paid to watch just so that they could see the 23-year-old get punched in the head a few times. And if that's what the UFC needs to sell a few more viewerships, perhaps Schaub is right: Paul should sign up.
Earlier today it was reported that KSI had defeated fellow YouTuber Logan Paul at the Staples Center in Los Angeles following a long-standing rivalry between the pair.
KSI emerged victorious in a split decision, with the judges scoring the match 55-56, 57-54 and 56-55 to the Brit.
The YouTube personalities first fought in Manchester last year but a majority draw was declared after six rounds - and so there was a lot riding on the highly anticipated rematch.
In the build-up to the rematch, Logan Paul shared footage of his preparation for it:
"At the end of the day, I've been in this sport for a year now and, I probably shouldn't be saying this, but all this s*** is f****** rigged. You see people wining and dining each other, people at the Staples Center. Who was at the Staples Center last night with KSI? Joe Markowski. This sport is rigged, that's for sure."
He added: "The short amount of time I've been here, I've heard multiple stories about people paying stuff off, choosing fights, what time people sign contracts. It's not an excuse, I'm just saying."
Logan Paul had previously spoken about far he was willing to go in order to secure a victory, revealing that his coaches forbid him from having sex: "My coaches forbid me from having sex before my fight. they said I need to 'build my batch.' What’s a batch? Put quite simply, pent up ejaculate: my octane, if you will. Enough to sink a battleship."
And just like his brother, Logan is not taking the judges' score lying down. Following his defeat, in fact, he announced his decision to "contest the commission", the Mirror reports.
"I thought it was a legitimate knockdown," Paul said. "I didn't get a warning. I got two points taken away from me and that's the reason I lost tonight. I would love to contest the commission because I think I should have got a warning. I don't think it was fair at all."
KSI has defeated Logan Paul by judges' decision in their YouTube rematch. The judges scored the bout 55-56 57-54 56-55 in favor of the Brit who looked beat in the fourth round but managed to recover remarkably to win it on enemy soil.
After months of trash talking, both Paul, 24, and KSI, 26, made their professional boxing debuts at the Staples Center in LA, in a six-round cruiserweight contest.
Going into the fight, the most prominent difference between the two was the huge six-pound weight differential in favor of Paul. KSI weighed in at 193 lbs, but Paul was tipping the scales at 199 lbs.
First out was Logan Paul, who, despite being the hometown fighter, was welcomed by a chorus of boos throughout the Staples Center. Paul was dressed in a custom-made hoodie with the American flag, and his Maverick brand logo on his chest.
KSI entered the ring to Rick Ross, dressed in a red gown and a black and red mask - this was arguably the more subdued entrance of the two.
The first round saw KSI swinging wildly, but unable to connect with Paul, who maintained his cool throughout the three minutes and controlled the round.
The second round saw the pair trade blows fairly evenly, with Paul using his jab well to keep KSI at a comfortable distance. From the early rounds, it appeared that Paul is the better boxer technically, and that KSI was at risk of blowing himself out with far too many missed shots.
Things looked a lot more even in the third round, with KSI hitting more of his shots, which sent an evasive Paul stumbling to the mat twice.
An intense round four saw Paul land a clean one-two on KSI, followed by a clean uppercut that sent a dazed KSI down! The referee has scored a knockdown, but deducted two points because Paul hit KSI while he was down. KSI was forced to take a 30-second timeout to compose himself.
Round five was a feeling out process. KSI's confidence was clearly rocked from the uppercut in the previous round, and it seemed both men were saving everything for the final round.
In round six, neither man was able to hit that knock out blow, and but thanks to flurries of offense from KSI, Paul was outdone, and KSI earned a victory from the judges.
In KSI's corner was his trainer, the unbeaten cruiserweight Viddal Riley, and uncle and ex-trainer of former Floyd Mayweather, Jeff Mayweather.
In Logan's corner was the energetic former two-time heavyweight world champion Shannon Briggs, who is known for his catchphrase "Let's go, champ", who had been training the 24-year-old.
The personalities, who boast over 40 million subscribers between them, both became professional boxers in the lead up to the fight - each going through medicals and getting professional fighter's license, the BBC reports.
I think it's safe to say that the match of the night went to Brit Billy Joe Saunders, who retained his WBO super-middleweight title against Argentina's Marcelo Esteban Coceres with an 11th round K.O.
Saunders lept off his stool like a man possessed at the start of the 11th round, and proceeded to knock down Coceres three times before the referee stepped in to call the contest off.
Also on the undercard, Devin Haney defended his WBC lightweight title against Alfredo Santiago. Ever since Haney was able to knock Santiago off his feet in the fifth round, the reigning champ had his challenger scrambling for the bell in every subsequent round.
Amazingly, however, Santiago was able to survive the full 12 rounds, but there was just no doubt Haney was going to retain the belt by a unanimous decision - albeit, to the sound of jeers from the disappointed crowd.
In the post-match interview, Haney did mention that a dislocated shoulder prevented him from giving it his all: "I felt like I could have done better. In one of the rounds, I dislocated my right shoulder. But I was a true champion and carried on and got the win."
And finally, Nikita Ababiy took on Jonathan Batista in a four-round contest. However, this match lasted just one round when a dazed Batista was disqualified for lashing out at Ababiy following the round one bell. This match was a mess from the start.
In the build-up to their rematch, both the American Paul and the Brit KSI shared their preparations for the match:
Hours before the match, popstar Justing Bieber - who is no stranger to setting records on YouTube himself - revealed that he was backing Paul for the fight. Bieber told Sky Sports: “I don’t have any predictions but I hope that he wins.
"I don’t really know KSI and I guess I’m just a fan of Logan. It’s really cool I think it’s where it’s all going.”
But Brit KSI seemed incredibly patriotic prior to the fight, promising to win "for the UK":
Logan Paul even went as far as to reveal that his coaches forbid him from having sex: "My coaches forbid me from having sex before my fight. they said I need to “build my batch.” What’s a batch? Put quite simply, pent up ejaculate: my octane, if you will. Enough to sink a battleship."
Back in February 2018, KSI earned the crown of YouTube Boxing Champion after his victory against Joe Weller at London's Copper Box Arena. Following the match, KSI cut a promo, calling out the Paul family:
"If any YouTuber wants it, you can come get it. Jake Paul, Logan Paul, any of the Pauls, I don't care."
Their first boxing match took place on August 25, 2018, and ended in a majority draw, with the judges scoring the fight 57-58 in favor of KSI and the other two scoring it a 57-57, 57-57 draw.
The pair faced off in the sold-out Manchester Arena, charging fans in attendance roughly $100 for admission and $10 for viewers at home to stream. Per The Mirror, each took home half of an estimated $192 million (£150 million) purse, not including sponsorship deals.
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As The Sun reports, over 800,000 accounts (believed to be 60 million people) streamed the fight through a YouTube pay-per-view service. It was billed as the "biggest event in internet history".
Following the fight, KSI took to Twitter to comment on the bout, saying that he should have won:
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