Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Ben Davies

KSI pushed by Joe Fournier in heated face-off ahead of YouTube boxing fight

Joe Fournier shoved YouTube boxing rival KSI as the pair came face to face ahead of their boxing fight.

KSI will return to the ring on May 13 at the OVO Wembley Arena when he takes on professional fighter Fournier. The British influencer will face the biggest test of his career against the 'billionaire boxer' who last fought against David Haye, losing on points in an exhibition fight.

The pair had already traded heated verbal barbs via Zoom in a virtual face-off, where the pair even agreed to a bet worth $10 million as the stakes were raised. And in a first meeting face-to-face between the pair, things became extremely heated with Fournier shoving KSI across the stage.

The pair were separated by security with KSI seemingly unfazed by the shove, and were walked away their separate ways with even more needle in their short-term feud. 'The Nightmare' knows the importance of a win given the recent result of his rival Jake Paul when stepping up to face a professional boxer in Tommy Fury.

But he believes he is in town to tread his own path and back up his statement suggesting that he is the leading influencer boxer in the world. He said at the press conference: "When it comes to Jake Paul I don’t like the guy. I know there is a lot of pressure on me now, there is going to be a lot of eyes.

“I want to be the person to make sure it doesn’t. People forget that I am a YouTuber that fell in love with boxing. Reality settled in with Jake Paul and when he got pieced up by Tommy Fury people realised he isn’t that good. People are going to want to know what I can really do in this situation and to see if I can stand with the big boys.

Who are you backing to win - KSI or Joe Fournier? Let us know in the comments section below

"Like I said I truly believe I can and I have pushed myself to the limit and am really training hard. Even when I was in the US I was training and my team have put me through my paces. I have constantly tried to elevate myself and I feel when I get in that ring you will see a different KSI. You will see one that isn't afraid to lose, and one that wants to make sure he comes out victorious.

Fournier himself preceded the physical altercation with violent threats for their ring meeting insisting he wants to meet his rival in the centre of the ring and trade powerful blows. "At the end of the day I am coming to take the guys whole legacy," he added. "I'm here to be the new face of Misfits. I want to have a scrap with the guy. The guy made his career playing FIFA. He beats me at FIFA but this isn't FIFA.

"This is us standing there 18lb, 10oz gloves and he talks about explosive and power but it is all relative. David Haye didn't knock me out so I would like to trade with him and I want it to be a fight that goes down in history. I want him to be the best he can be I don't want me to walk all over him in 40 seconds, like I think is going to happen."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.