As expected, sparks flew on Saturday when YouTube megastars Olajide ‘KSI’ Olatunji and Logan Paul convened for a presser ahead of their highly-anticipated boxing match in August. The two creators were joined by their younger brothers — Deji Olatunji and Jake Paul — who will also be fighting one another as part of the August 25 matchup at the Manchester Arena.
All four creators traded barbs at the preview event, which took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and was hosted by heavyweight boxer Shannon Briggs. Things even got briefly physical when KSI donned a blonde wig in a pointed jab at Paul, leading Paul to rip it off and attempt to grab KSI’s trademark bandana — whereupon KSI charged at Paul. Briggs separated the duo from coming to blows, as friends and supporters stormed the stage.
The presser was streamed on both creator’s YouTube channels, with KSI’s stream garnering 5.3 million views and Paul’s garnering 3.8 million views. Edited compilations later posted by Logan Paul and Jake Paul on their respective channels amassed 6.3 million views (below) and 2.4 million views. The Daily Dot reports that Saturday’s streams maxed at 300,000 concurrent viewers. Tickets go on sale this week, Briggs said, adding that organizers expect 100 million viewers across the globe to be tuning in.
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Ahead of the press conference on Saturday, KSI and Paul also reportedly came face-to-face at a Hollywood nightclub, per TMZ, where Paul joked that “your head is the size of a watermelon.” KSI retorted, “Your mom’s going to get it, your daddy’s going to get it.”
