FORGET recording video content for their adoring followers, these YouTubers would rather stream fights.
In recent years, boxing has been dominated by social media personalities who are stepping into the ring to add to their fortunes.
While some are fighting each other, others are taking on former UFC stars, ex-basketball players, and even calling out pros like Conor McGregor.
Here are six YouTube stars who have become boxers.
Jake Paul
The most famous out of all the YouTubers when it comes to the sport, Jake has enjoyed an epic rise in boxing.
Boasting a 5-0 record, he has seen off MMA stars Tyron Woodley (twice), Ben Askren and cruelly knocked out ex-NBA hero Nate Robinson.
Jake has repeatedly called out UFC’s Jorge Masvidal for a fight, while he has a continuing beef with Conor McGregor.
It has been reported he has made around £20million so far in his astonishing career.
@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}
Most read in Boxing
.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}
Logan Paul
Jake’s elder brother Logan was the first of the Paul brothers to embrace combat.
Unbelievably, when the pair were on the rise Logan and Jake offered each other out for a fight, although that never materialised.
Logan did fight YouTube rival KSI, though, twice. The first fight ended in a draw, then KSI won a rematch at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, which was streamed by DAZN in the US.
The fight was watched by over 2.25 million live viewers, including over 1.05 million watching pay-per-view and 1.2 million watching illegal streams on Twitch.
KSI
Conqueror of Logan Paul, YouTuber/rapper/boxer KSI, real name JJ Olatunji, isn’t short of confidence.
The British star labelled Jake a “c***” in front of brother Logan, insisting he would be able to beat him in a fight. Whether or not that happens is another thing, with KSI
So far KSI has fought three times, twice against Paul and once against Joe Weller – and is undefeated.
With over 34million subscribers, you can bet if the Londoner was to return to the ring it would draw huge pay-per-view figures, even if he does say he’s retired… for now.
Money Kicks
You wouldn’t normally associate Rashed Belhasa, better known as Money Kicks, with boxing.
No, in fact it’s more common to see him hanging out with sports stars in a zoo that’s part of the heir to a billionaire’s mansion and posting photos on his Instagram.
However, Belhasa is game – and will fight the legend that is Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition bout scheduled to go for eight rounds, if it lasts that long, on February 20 in Dubai.
He’s confident too. He told Sky Sports: “Mayweather is too fast – I need to be close and just go crazy on him!
“I won’t lie to myself. Entering the ring with him is an honour. I will try my best. You never know – any punch can land, and I have heavy hands.”
Joe Weller
Eastbourne YouTuber Weller was the first of his kind to start the trend of social media personalities going into boxing.
He fought internet star Theo Baker in 2017, winning the contest, and called himself the “champion of boxing on YouTube.”
Weller would later lose to KSI, and spar with Jake Paul in LA when he visited.
He has not fought since being knocked out by Paul in the first round of their sparring session.
AnEsonGib
The Saudi-born AnEsonGib, real name Ali Loui Al-Fakhri, fought at amateur level before taking on Jake Paul and losing.
He did enjoy success early on – winning by technical knockout against fellow YouTuber MaxPlaysFifa at the Copper Box Arena in London in 2018, and defeating Jay Swingler of TGFbro by unanimous decision.
Most recently, Gib fought American TikToker Tayler Holder in an exhibition bout at the YouTubers vs. TikTokers event last.
The result was originally announced as a majority draw.
However, following controversy, the result was changed to a UD victory for Gib after a review by the officiating organisation
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk