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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Donagh Corby

Joe Fournier ranks KSI above Jake Paul in YouTube boxing ahead of grudge fight

KSI's upcoming opponent Joe Fournier believes that his rival is the best fighter to come out of the influencer boxing space, ahead of rivals like Jake Paul.

The 9-0 boxer, who once held WBA international gold, will face his fellow Brit on May 13 at the OVO Arena, Wembley in the biggest test of the 29-year-old's boxing career. There is no love lost between the duo, with KSI frequently referring to his rival's extravagant outfits as "fake", and their last press conference got physical when Fournier pushed his opponent during their face-off.

But in a new video for the Misfits Boxing YouTube channel, the pair went face-to-face, with Fournier showing a surprising amount of respect to KSI. He did laugh off the idea that the social media star would be his toughest test to date but admitted that he feels that he's facing the best YouTube boxer.

"You are the best YouTube boxer," Fournier told his rival as they sat across a table from one another. "I believe so, I'm not disrespecting you because what you've done over the last few years is that you've definitely bridged a gap, so let's say I'm a 10 and you started at zero, you're a seven. You're still not a ten."

KSI did not accept the back-handed compliment lightly, responding: "Yeah but when I get in that ring and hit you and you realise 'oh wait, he's actually a 14,' what then? Have you really been pushing yourself and sparring? You're not even putting your all into this. I'm here putting my all into this. I want to be tested."

KSI and Joe Fournier will fight on May 13 (Getty Images)

Who do you think wins between KSI and Joe Fournier? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Fournier and KSI had a brief back-and-forth, with the 'boxing billionaire' claiming that he has only sparred twice and that he would win within seconds if he were taking the fight seriously. However, he continued to claim that KSI was the top YouTube boxer and that he believes he's facing a tougher test than the likes of Paul.

"The riskiest thing in my life at the moment is the stock market and that's all I'm worried about today, it ain't the man in front of me," Fournier quipped. "He is the best YouTube boxer out there, he is explosive, he is a great rapper, all the things they said on the stage but when it comes to fighting me in a boxing match or any type of fight, we could wrestle, he's never going to beat me."

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