Influencer boxing has come to London. At 7 PM British time (2 PM ET) on August 27, the O2 Arena will host a star-studded series of fights. Confirmed participants include KSI, Deji, FaZe Temperrr, King Kenny, and several other creators. For those who can’t make the trip across the pond, the event will also be streamed live via DAZN.
The clash is part of the Misfits Boxing and DAZN X Series, which pits entertainers, athletes, and influencers against one another in the ring. DAZN, known for streaming sporting events, has made itself a pretty penny by establishing itself as an influencer boxing hub. The platform’s 2019 broadcast of KSI’s second battle against Logan Paul helped it boost its viewership by 98% year-over-year.
The August 27 fight night will be priced as a premium pay-per-view event. To watch it, DAZN users will need to purchase a subscription ($19.99 per month) and pay a one-time fee of $9.99.
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That’s not cheap, but if you like your combat sports to be filled with drama, you’ll get your money’s worth. KSI (real name Olajide Olatunji), who played a pivotal role in the rise of the influencer boxing trend, will up the ante in London. His plan is to fight two matches — one against British rapper Swarmz and another against professional cruiserweight Luis Alcaraz Pineda — in a single night.
The combatants in a controversial March 2022 bout will also return to the ring, though they won’t face one another. The initial winner of that fight, vlogger King Kenny, had his victory overturned on appeal. Now he’ll look for a measure of revenge against martial artist FaZe Sensei. The fight has extra meaning for Kenny, since FaZe Clan founder Tommy “Temperrr” Oliveira was the man who won the aforementioned appeal. Temperrr’s next opponent, vlogger Slim Albaher, will take him on in between KSI’s two-fights-in-one-night.
The press conference that served as a preface to the August 27 event can be rewatched on Albaher’s YouTube channel:
The card also includes a duel between KSI’s brother Deji and outspoken creator Fousey, and a TikToker showdown between Deen The Great and Evil Hero. YouTuber Alex Wassabi was initially supposed to take on KSI in the main card, but he pulled out, much to his opponent’s chagrin.
Even without Mr. Wassabi on the docket, the Misfits Boxing event promises to provide plenty of creator-on-creator action. If you plan on tuning in, bring some popcorn. Based on these combatants’ previous fights, things are about the get contentious.
