KSI revealed his sparring partners were offered £5,000 to try and knock him out – as he opened up on his loss to Tommy Fury.
The YouTube, music and crossover boxing star was controversially beaten on the cards by Fury in Manchester.
KSI hired a legal team to appeal the result and confirmed he would take some time away from the sport.
Now, he has spoken out in an interview on Logan Paul’s podcast in the wake of his first boxing defeat.
KSI said: “I felt like I won the fight, man. It was weird, I felt like Tommy was surprised he just didn’t expect me to move the way I was moving.
“There were quite a few people who were hoping I would lose or get knocked out, like boxing purists, and they saw that first round and were like, ‘Oh no. It’s going to happen, oh my God.’
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“Throughout the rounds I felt like I was doing well, getting the big shots off, obviously a lot of back of the head shots.”
Fury, 24, was docked a point for punches to the back of the head but was still awarded the victory on the cards.
KSI, 30, has left his fighting future up in the air despite a grudge match with Jake Paul, 26, looming large.
Jake’s brother Logan, 28, probed KSI on his coaching paying sparring partners to try and KO him.
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And KSI responded: “Yeah, a five grand bonus.
“Yeah man, it was pretty ridiculous! I heard it only near the end of the camp, so they didn’t tell me obviously.
“I was like, ‘Jesus Christ, no wonder they’re trying to knock my head off!'”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk