YOUTUBE boxing star Deji has undergone an incredible TWO STONE weight loss thanks to a rigorous strength and conditioning regime.
The social media influencer weighed 14st 6lb the night he was beaten by TikToker Vinnie Hacker in July 2021 after being stopped on his feet.
But in August, at his fourth attempt, Deji finally won his first fight by beating American Fousey and did so after weighing 12st 2lb.
His transformation was evident not only in his body but also his skills as he dispatched of Fousey in three rounds, flooring him in the process.
And it has somehow landed him an unthinkable eight-round exhibition bout against boxing legend Floyd Mayweather on Sunday.
One of the men behind Deji’s stunning turnaround is S&C coach Leon Wills, who also works with his brother KSI and 6-0 pro boxer Viddal Riley.
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And Wills, ahead of Deji’s fight with Mayweather in Dubai, admits it was not plane sailing when he linked up with the unconfident YouTuber.
Wills told SunSport: “When I first got him, I thought, ‘I don’t know if this guys up for it, I dunno if he’s got the drive or the motivation.’
“I didn’t know if he’d be able to swim in the deep waters that I was going to take him to, so that was the issue.
“But he knew that I was rating him, so he knew he had to give it his all and more than what he wanted to give it just to satisfy me.”
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Wills started working with Deji, 25, in the last month before his eventual win over Fousey, 32, on KSI’s undercard.
It came following three consecutive losses, to the likes of Jake Paul, 25, and Alex Wassabi, 32, where fitness was perhaps his biggest downfall.
Wills said: “I wanted to make sure he had the engine and the mindset because when you come off three losses you’re down in the dumps.
“So I had to build him up mentally and rewire his mind basically, that was the main goal.
“I was going to his house, watching extra study with him, watching boxing, doing drills, repetition, repetition, repetition.”
When Wills got his hands on Deji, he realised it was time for tough love and revealed the secret to their success was simply hard work.
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He said: “Deji has to do the non-negotiables. The push-ups, the abs, the runs. And then doing his boxing, it all builds up.
“With Deji, because he doesn’t come from an athletic background, he’s just been a YouTuber, on his computer sitting at home, I have to give him a more vigorous schedule than others athletes.
“With Viddal I can easily do three-four S&C sessions a week, with Deji it’s got to be five-six S&C sessions just to break the mould of what he’s had.
“I have to push him through a lot, it’s hard but it’s more of a mental thing now.”
In just Wills’ second fight with Deji, he prepares him to share the ring with one of boxing’s greatest alongside head trainer Daley Perales.
They travel to Dubai ahead of an exhibition with Mayweather, 45, at the Coca-Cola Arena knowing they have nothing to lose.
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Wills said: “This is just an exhibition, it’s not a title fight.
“Deji will be the least experienced boxer to ever share the ring with a world champion, let alone Floyd.
“So for Deji it’s just a learning curve, go in there try new things, just learn, enjoy the moment and when you get out of here, go back into your YouTube boxing realm.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
