‘Styles make fights’: KSI believes he could beat Jake Paul in boxing match

The Briton has already beaten Paul’s older brother Logan

Alex Pattle
Combat Sports Correspondent
Wednesday 12 January 2022 08:17 EST
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KSI vs Logan Paul London press conference

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KSI has explained why he thinks he could beat fellow YouTuber Jake Paul in a boxing match, stressing that “styles make fights”.

KSI, real name JJ Olatunji, fought Paul’s older brother Logan to a draw in an amateur bout in 2018, before beating the American via split decision in a professional contest in 2019.

Prior to his first fight against Logan Paul, KSI beat fellow British YouTuber Joe Weller via technical knockout. That amateur bout marked KSI’s first – and only other – time competing.

Since his loss to KSI, Logan Paul has fought just once, going all eight rounds with boxing icon Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition contest last summer. Jake Paul, meanwhile, stopped KSI’s younger brother Deji in an amateur bout on the undercard of KSI vs Logan Paul I. Since then, the 24-year-old has turned professional and gone 5-0.

Across those five fights, Paul has knocked out fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib, ex-NBA player Nate Robinson, former MMA champion Ben Askren, and former UFC champion Tyron Woodley. The knockout of Woodley came in Paul’s most recent outing, in December, after the YouTube star outpointed the 39-year-old in August.

Despite Paul gaining much more in-ring experience than KSI in recent years, the Briton has said he believes he can beat the American.

KSI (left) during his second fight with Logan Paul
KSI (left) during his second fight with Logan Paul (Getty Images)

Speaking on Logan Paul’s podcast, KSI said of Jake Paul: “I still f*****g hate him, I think he’s a c***.

“Obviously he’s smashed, he’s killed it with what he’s done. Fair f*****g play, it’s pretty good.

“The way he knocked out Woodley, stupid. People are saying it’s fake; it’s not fake. He cleaned him out and it was a great shot.

“Everyone’s always going: ‘Okay, shut the f*** up, KSI. You haven’t been in the ring for so long, you aren’t going to be able to beat Jake Paul.’

“But then I go: ‘Styles make fights.’ If you find a certain person that Jake is just horrible against, [even if] he’s less experienced, he’s still going to beat Jake because he knows what works against him.”

KSI’s absence from the boxing ring is in part down to his focus on his YouTube and music careers, but the 28-year-old said he is keen to fight again.

Jake Paul (right) knocked out Tyron Woodley in December
Jake Paul (right) knocked out Tyron Woodley in December (AFP via Getty Images)

“I’ve told my manager and everyone around me, all my team, that I want to fight. Everyone is always going to be like: ‘You’re ducking [Jake Paul] by making yourself busy.’

“It’s not like that. When I try to find time, things always find a way, then it’s hard for me just to say: ‘I can’t do that now.’

“It irks me to see Jake just destroying everyone and winning, people constantly being like: ‘Wow, JJ, you p****, look what Jake’s doing.’

“That’s why it’s so annoying. People don’t think it gets to me; it f*****g gets to me. It’s annoying that I just have to deal with this and people telling me b******t all the time.”

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