Jake Paul is willing to fight YouTube rival KSI next year providing he is willing to "volunteer for his own death".
Paul and KSI - real name JJ Olatunji - have been rivals for several years ever since the British star took on Paul's brother in two instalments of their social media rivalry which began back in 2018. After a two-year hiatus from the ring, KSI returned with two victories in one night last month to begin rekindling chances of the pair finally doing battle.
In the build-up to KSI's outings, the pair agreed to a winner-takes-all bout at Wembley Stadium next year which is the closest they have come to finally settling the scores. And Paul remains open to the contest but is aware he could now see a whole host of new call-outs as his career progresses.
“This opens the floodgates to a lot of competition, a lot of call outs, a lot bigger fights. It’s exciting," he told MMA Fighting when discussing a potential showdown with KSI. “However, if someone’s talking s***, at the end of the day, and I can step in there and knock them out and make a ton of money, like you said it’s prize fighting, so if KSI wants to volunteer for his own death, I’m not going to be the one to tell him no.
“He fought ‘two guys in one night.’ It was the cheesiest, stupidest thing. It was such a waste of everyone’s time and money. “I have a responsibility to my fans to put on really big fights that are wars with really good matchups and that’s what I’m going to continue to do. My level of opposition will just continue to raise.
“That’s what I’ve done throughout my career, in each fight it gets harder and harder and harder and I encounter a new test and that’s what I have to do. No one’s going to tune into my fights if I’m fighting someone they think I’m just going to beat. I don’t want to put on fights like that.”
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Paul will next take on the challenge of UFC legend Anderson Silva in Arizona on October 29, which will arguably be the toughest test of his career to date. If he gets through the Brazilian there could be a range of different options to pursue including a crossover bout with Nate Diaz or a rescheduled date with Tommy Fury.
However KSI has revealed there is many fights he also wants to make before he touches gloves with his fellow content creator. “Legit, there’s so many people I need to go through before I get to Jake,” he said. “Jake is definitely the main goal but soon come. Just getting my work in, getting my rounds in."
