KSI will fight two opponents in one night this weekend, including professional fighter
YouTube-turned-recording artist KSI will face not one, but TWO opponents during Saturday night's highly-anticipated card at the O2 Arena, London.
The 29-year-old, who is also the co-owner of Prime Hydration, XIX Vodka and restaurant chain Sides, has given himself arguably his toughest task to date on his return to the ring.
After this month's bout with original opponent Alex Wassabi was scrapped after the American pulled out through injury, Olatunji announced that rapper Swarmz would be drafted to replace the injured Wassabi.
.@KSI looking 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 ahead of #KSISwarmz
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) August 24, 2022
🎥 @MisfitsBoxing pic.twitter.com/DuFxGWEEsQ
It was a decision that was slated by fans. Even KSI admitted it was a "rare L" in a recent YouTube video, but the popular Brit wanted to make a point.
Days after the Swarmz fight was announced, he confirmed a second match-up of the night against professional Bulgarian fighter Ivan Nikolov, who holds a record of 3-16-0.
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Nikolov, however, was soon removed from the card after he was found to have 'neo-Nazi tattoos and and white supremacist beliefs', according to The Sun.
"I replaced my second opponent because… he’s a white supremacist," KSI said. “Ivan isn’t my opponent anymore. He has been removed.
“The matchmaker also got fired for allowing this to happen in the first place. But yes, my new opponent is Luis Alcarez Pineda.
“He has a better record to be honest, 2-5, so he hasn’t lost as many times as Ivan. He’s Mexican, younger as well, 23.”
KSI's new boxing opponent, Ivan Nikolov, responds to backlash over his tattoo that literally says "white power" pic.twitter.com/X2h5J15hXt
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) August 17, 2022
Pineda has recorded two unaminous decision wins over Pablo Poom Leal and Jose Adolfo Caro in his professional career to date, but Saturday's bout against Olatunji in the MF & DAZN X Series would be the biggest win of his life to date.
Speaking at his open workout this week, KSI opened up on his decision to take two fights on the same night.
"Honestly, I felt like me just fighting Swarmz wasn't enough," he said.
"Like I came through and I was like 'I want to get rid of the ring rust', this is my first fight in three years, over 1,000 days so I was like 'you know what? It's time to really test myself'
"I'm pushing myself to the limit and seeing what I can do, seeing how far I can go."
He also spoke about his "main goal" of fighting fellow YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
"I want to f*** him up, essentially. But in order to do that I need to be constantly testing myself, pushing myself and seeing how far I can go.
"I feel like even fighting two people in one night is a perfect way to do that. No-one else has done it that I know in recent years, especially in YouTube boxing.
"I thought 'hey, I've got good stamina, I'm ready, I feel confident in general and in myself, so let's get it."
KSI added: "With Swarmz it's going to be either a knockout or TKO. I think the referee is going to save him, I want it to be in round one because obviously I've got two fights that I want to get over and done with.
"But it really depends on how hard he works and how much he tries to push me. He won't be able to survive, I will drown him and he will collapse in that ring.
"Then my second opponent is a pro boxer so he's going to be a bit more tricky. But I've got a few certain moves that I want to do on him, practice things and try a few things out and essentially get some good work and really get that ring rust out."
Jack Kenmare