KSI has revealed he turned down an eye-watering $30 million offer to fight Jake Paul, confirming he has walked away from boxing for good.
The YouTube star turned boxer, whose real name is Olajide Olatunji, opened up about his decision in an emotional video, stressing that his passion for the sport was never about money.
KSI, who played a key role in bringing influencer boxing into the mainstream through his Misfits promotion, has long been linked to a potential grudge match with Jake Paul.
However, despite years of anticipation and lucrative offers, the British star confirmed that no amount of money could convince him to step back into the ring with his longtime rival.
KSI reveals why he rejected $30m Jake Paul fight
In a recent clip shared on X, KSI explained his reasoning. “My fight with Tommy Fury… all the money I made, I gave it to my trainers. All of it. For me, I don’t do stuff for this,” he began.
“I’ve been offered 20 million to fight Jake Paul, 30 million to fight Jake Paul. These guys can’t give me any amount of money to fight this guy. When it comes to boxing, I’m done.”
His comments marked a major revelation for fans who had expected the long hyped showdown with Paul to eventually materialize.
The two YouTubers helped redefine crossover boxing over the past five years, with KSI’s Misfits platform and Paul’s MVP promotions fueling the influencer boxing scene. But KSI made it clear that, for him, the journey had reached its end, on his terms.
KSI explains why the Jake Paul fight never happened
KSI also spoke about his initial motivation to return to boxing, revealing that his ultimate goal had always been to fight Paul.
“I tried. My main goal when I got into the boxing ring again was to fight Jake Paul and build Misfits. I built Misfits, tried to fight Jake Paul time and time and time again, but there was excuse after excuse after excuse.
“Instead of Tommy Fury, I was there ready to fight Jake Paul. I was ready. I was there. And instead, he fought Nate Diaz. And at that point, I had to fight Tommy Fury,” he continued.
“I tried to build up again, to then try and fight Jake,” added Olatunji. “And then he was just getting heavier and heavier and heavier, trying to move the goalposts when it comes to weight. Then it got to the point where I was like, ‘What am I doing, man?’”
With his boxing ambitions seemingly over, KSI’s focus now turns back to music, business, and expanding his growing entertainment empire.
The Paul fight that once dominated social media headlines might never happen, but for KSI, his legacy as one of the driving forces behind influencer boxing is already secure.
- Read More: Paul Smith believes Jake Paul’s boxing career has ‘run its course’ after Anthony Joshua loss
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