We preview the KSI vs. Fournier bout and take a look at the growing popularity of celebrity boxing.
This Saturday, KSI vs. Fournier. English YouTube and music sensation KSI will continue his foray into professional boxing when he takes on tycoon Joe Fournier at OVO Arena Wembley in London.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the KSI vs. Fournier bout:
KSI vs. Fournier: Date and Start Time
The fight is scheduled to take place this Saturday, May 13 at MF & DAZN: X Series 007.
The undercard starts at 7 p.m. BST (2 p.m. EST), with the main event ring walks and introductions scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. BST (4:30 p.m. EST). Of course, with boxing this time is subject to change according to the lengths of the undercard bouts.
How Can I Watch the KSI vs. Fournier Fight?
The KSI vs. Fournier fight and undercard will be broadcast live on DAZN pay-per-view around the world.
The price for the event will be $19.99 in the United States and Canada.
DAZN is available on the web at www.DAZN.com, and available via numerous TV and steaming devices including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Xbox One, and PlayStation 5.
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Background to KSI vs. Fournier
KSI, who turns 30 this summer, has been involved in competitive boxing since the start of 2018 when he defeated fellow YouTube personality Joe Weller. He gained true notoriety following a pair of fights with Logan Paul (a draw and a majority decision in KSI’s favor).
Meanwhile, Joe Fournier amassed his fortune via the fitness business before getting into the nightclub industry. In between, he carved out a professional boxing career of his own, amassing an 8-0 record (with one no-contest) in 2015 and 2016.
Fournier returns for a fight against Colombian entertainer Reykon in 2021 – a first-round victory – but suffered his first loss in an exhibition against former world champion David Haye in November of that year. The exhibition result did not count on Fournier’s official record.
KSI vs. Fournier came to be when Fournier posted an Instagram video back in October calling out KSI and the Paul brothers for “not fighting real boxers.” In January, the pair verbally agreed to the bout after KSI defeated FaZe Temperrr at MF & DAZN: X Series 004.
KSI vs. Fournier: Odds and Breakdown
When the fight was originally announced, KSI was approximately a 2:1 favorite.
Those odds grew substantially, going as high as KSI -600 before settling in at their current level.
FIGHT ODDS
| FAVORITE | UNDERDOG |
| KSI (-375) | Joe Fournier (+275) |
What appears to be a simple question of youth vs. experience is a little more involved. True, Fournier has nine professional fights under his belt to only one for KSI. However, all but one of Fournier’s fights happened in 2016 or earlier, and he’s now 40 years old.
Still, for the odds to fluctuate so drastically implies that numerous bettors are taking strong positions on both KSI’s potential and Fournier’s experience. It’s a short bout (six rounds) so fatigue shouldn’t be as much of a factor.
Given Jake Paul’s recent loss to Tommy Fury, there’s an opportunity here for KSI to claim the (very unofficial) title of “best celebrity boxer” with a victory. However, Fournier made the original call-out for this fight, so there’s no lack of motivation on his end either.
Fournier is believed to have the advantage in power, with KSI given the edge in agility and quickness. You’d have to think a longer bout is in KSI’s favor, and that’s what we’ll go with for a prediction.
Prediction: KSI by unanimous decision.
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Are Celebrity Boxing Matches Like KSI vs. Fournier the Future of the Sport?
The KSI vs. Fournier bout is just the latest in a growing collection of celebrity boxing matches that are now beginning to cross over into the “mainstream” of the sport.
Jake Paul, for example, participated in a news conference this week ahead of his August 5 fight with Nate Diaz. While not a boxer, Diaz is an accomplished professional MMA fighter. A victory or even a strong showing from Jake Paul would represent a major step forward in credibility for celebrity or ‘influencer’ fighters.
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On the other hand, Jake’s older brother, Logan Paul, is currently honing his craft part-time in the WWE, where he recently had a match at WrestleMania 39 with former world champion Seth Rollins.
Two different avenues, to be sure, but the common element is influencers pursuing opportunities in the world of combat sports and entertainment as a means to legitimize themselves in the eyes of their millions of followers.
The loyalty of these followers can be the source of many of these disputes or ‘beefs’ that emerge between influencers. And for years, how have people settled disputes? By fighting! In these cases, influencers know fans will pay to see their respective heroes duke it out for bragging rights, admiration… and plenty of money.
So while celebrity or influencer boxing isn’t going anywhere, the likely path is that eventually an influencer – hyped up on excitement after a victory – will go a little too far and call out an established professional boxer. That’s unlikely to end well for the celebrity or influence, and while both are professional forms of the sport that instance will establish a firm line between “influencer boxing” and “championship boxing.”
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