KSI believes Jake Paul will successfully dispatch Tommy Fury this weekend, and then it’s off to the races for an end-of-year fight between the two.
On February 26, Paul faces Fury in a long-awaited grudge match battle, which is taking place in Saudi Arabia. Heading into it, Paul believes Fury to be an easier test than some of his previous opponents and has deemed the fight a “must knock out” fight for himself.
While KSI thinks Fury won’t be an easy out for Paul, he does agree that ultimately “The Problem Child” will stop “TNT.”
“I think he wins,” KSI said on The MMA Hour. “I don’t think it will be easy.
“I think Tommy has a very good jab, a very good jab, and I think his right hand is very obvious. He’s got a nice wide stance, and he’s a little bit of a counter-puncher. Jake is a counter-puncher. He just loves the overhand right. That’s it, that’s his punch. And when his opponent is slowing down, he loves combos. The problem with Jake — Jake hates people who put a pace on him. He doesn’t know how to deal with it. I feel like with Tommy, Tommy isn’t the guy to put the pace on him.
“Tommy, with his jab, because it’s so good and so technical, it’s so easy to counter. It’s so easy to use that jab to your advantage. I feel like, especially with Tommy, he always gets hit with that right hand, and I don’t think he has a chin like that. Also, Tommy has never been on a big stage like that. I think his legs will go a little, the pressure will get to him, and I truly believe that Jake will win by KO in the final rounds.”
Paul and KSI are the two most notable figures in the burgeoning “Influencer Boxing” scene, and coincidentally have been embroiled in a feud for the past several years. Though KSI is business partners with Paul’s older brother Logan Paul, the YouTuber is dead set on squaring off with Jake in the ring — not to build his own boxing career, but to complete it.
“Every time I would see Jake win a fight, it just angered me,” KSI said. “Because I’m there like, he’s not that good! He’s not as good as everyone thinks he is. For me, personally, I think he’s a fraud. I think he’s a fraud and I’m the guy to expose him.
“But at the time I had to just focus on music, while this is all going on. Then I was like, ‘You know what? Screw it. I’m going to come back into boxing, I’m going to slow down the music, come through, destroy Jake, and even though I’m doing everything else ... I’m still going to come in boxing, knock him out, and go back to doing what I was doing before.’”
And apparently that time is not far off. KSI and Paul have been in talks to finally settle their issues at the end of the year, with KSI saying they’ve already booked Cardiff Stadium for December. And should everything go according to plan, there’s one more wrinkle to add, upping the stakes even further: A winner-takes-all prize structure.
“So the fighter purses are winner-takes-all, 100 percent.” KSI said.
“Honestly, couldn’t care. Whether it’s $10 million, $20 million, don’t give a f***. I’m just there to destroy him. Money is not what drives me. Everyone knows this. I always say legacy. That’s all. Whenever I’m training and it gets tough or I’m in hell, I’m there like, ‘Legacy,’ and that’s what gets me through it. I’m not there like, ‘I need to make more money.’ Money comes anyway if you’re successful in your field.”
When and if he dispatches Paul, that will be it for KSI. Because despite the fact that Paul will be ranked by the WBC if he beats Fury this weekend, KSI is under no delusions about competing against true top level boxers.
“Apparently, he’s going to be ranked on the WBC if he beats Tommy Fury, which is ridiculous, by the way,” KSI said. “Tommy Fury? You beat Tommy Fury and then you become a ranked cruiserweight? With Lawrence Okolie? [Richard] Riakporhe? These people?! Have you seen these guys? They’re giants! It’s outrageous. But it’s also kind of helped me because when I fight him, he’s ranked whatever on the WBC, I come through, starch him, and then I’ll be ranked and I’ll be like, ‘See ya!’ [Laughs]. Then I’m done.
“I ain’t fighting Riakporhe. I ain’t fighting all these cruiserweights. They’re killers! Hell no.”
Get the latest gear
Loading comments...