Influencer Boxing has always been a controversial topic when it comes to combat sports fans. It’s either loved, or hated, with not much in-between. Now, nearly 10 years in, is the influencer boxing phase finally disappearing? It’s very possible after one of the games most recognizable figures has stepped away from the ring.
Influencer boxing, first coined “YouTuber Boxing” really started in 2017 when two big-time British YouTubers, Joe Weller and Theo Baker, went head to head in a gym setting. But, it suddenly boosted in popularity after the winner of that bout, Joe Weller, called out the biggest U.K. YouTuber on the planet, KSI, to a fight. This fight was not a gym fight, though. KSI accepted, and the two sold out Copper Box Arena in London, England on February 3, 2018. That night is what took the boxing scene by storm, and suddenly, YouTube boxing became a huge deal on social media.
With KSI’s win over Joe Weller, he called out Logan Paul, which eventually brought us KSI vs. Logan Paul, and Jake Paul vs. Deji, in a brotherly-battle showdown that really allowed influencer boxing to take off to heights that many didn’t think were achievable. But now, in 2026, is influencer boxing dead? Logan Paul and Deji didn’t commit as much as their brothers did, and they’ve ventured off into other projects. Jake Paul is less of an influencer boxer, and more traditional, as he’s fighting the likes of Anthony Joshua and Mike Tyson, now. And for KSI, well, it seems to be retirement.
KSI recently sat down with The Ranveer Show after not stepping in the ring since 2023, to reveal that he is done from the sport of Boxing. KSI noted in the interview that after trying and trying to fight Jake Paul, the goal post continued to be moved, and now he’s just done. “I didn’t even gain much from the material stuff. 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. I’ve been offered $3o 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. I tried. My main goal when I got into the boxing ring again was to fight Jake Paul and build Misfits. Build Misfits, try to fight Jake Paul time and time and time again, it’s just excuse after excuse after excuse. Instead of Tommy Fury, I was there ready to fight Jake Paul. I was ready, I was there, let’s go, and instead he fought Nate Diaz. Then at that point, I had to fight Tommy Fury. I think I tried to build up again to try and fight Jake again, and then he was just getting heavier and heavier and heavier trying to move the goal posts when it comes to weight. Then it got to the point where it was like, what am I doing? I’m done.”
KSI, along with Mams Taylor, started Misfits Boxing as a home for influencers to box and be paid fairly while doing it. And though the brand saw massive success early, and still does, it has also began to sway away from “influencer” and into just “boxing” as the company has now had events headlined by traditional boxers, as well as MMA fighters, such as former UFC veterans Darren still and Luke Rockhold.
The whole dream for KSI was to never become a traditional boxer, but instead, to avenge his brother from Jake Paul. After all, Jake Paul defeated Deji, and KSI defeated Logan Paul, the natural progression was to see KSI and Jake finally duke it out. Every YouTube boxing fan clamored for that fight, but it never came to fruition and seemingly never will. So with that, KSI is done. Logan Paul is done. Deji is most likely done. And Jake Paul is more traditional than influencer these days. So, what’s next?
Well, it seems like the world of Influencer boxing is moving on to other things. KSI is back to content creating, streaming is getting bigger and bigger, and fans are less involved with boxing, now that the biggest names in the influencer world are going down other paths. Was it fun while it lasted? Yes, absolutely. But, all good things must come to an end.
Will Misfits Boxing still thrive? Probably. But, I see it leaning more towards traditional boxing, and a place where older MMA fighters and boxers collide, as well as up and coming kids who are taking boxing seriously, get their first big break. If you’re a fan of boxing, this may be great news. But, for influencer fans, it seems like KSI was the final nail in the coffin. Some may still try, but they’ll never replicate that original excitement that YouTuber boxing brought. For the traditional boxing fans, it looks like your dreams are coming true. Influencer boxing is a dying breed.
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