KSI and fellow influencer IShowSpeed announced they will stream a live sparring session on YouTube on Dec. 15, coinciding with Jake Paul’s boxing match, with all donations and ad revenue going to the Anthony Walker Foundation.
Jake Paul isn’t the only one making headlines this December. KSI is stepping up too.
In what seems like a calculated move to get under Paul’s skin, KSI dropped some news on Wednesday. He and fellow influencer IShowSpeed are planning a live sparring session on YouTube. The date? Dec. 15.
The timing is far from random. The live event is set to kick off at 11 p.m. ET. That’s right around the time Paul will be strutting out for his boxing match against Andre August in Orlando, Fla. Quite the coincidence, huh?
KSI and IShowSpeed didn’t keep this news to themselves. They broke the news on social media.
But there’s more to this story than just a rivalry. All donations and ad revenue from the live YouTube stream will go to the Anthony Walker Foundation. This charity fights against racism, hate crimes, and discrimination through education and support services.
KSI’s history with the Paul family is a long and complicated one. He’s the one who started the influencer boxing trend with a couple of fights against Jake’s brother, Logan Paul, back in 2018 and 2019. They’ve since made peace and even teamed up as business partners for the Prime energy drink brand. But KSI and Jake? Still at odds, with hints of a potential fight in the air. This latest move by KSI seems like another jab at his rival.
KSI’s most recent fight didn’t go too well. He lost a unanimous decision to Tommy Fury in a match that was widely criticized for its poor quality. It’s the first loss in KSI’s six-fight pro boxing career.
IShowSpeed isn’t just a random pick for KSI’s sparring partner. He’s a big deal on YouTube, with nearly 22 million subscribers on the platform. He’s the one who challenged KSI to a sparring match, and KSI agreed. But there was one condition: it had to be on the same date as Paul vs. August.