KSI turns down replacing Mike Tyson in July, insists on December clash with Jake Paul

KSI isn’t here to be a Mike Tyson replacement.

Following the news that Tyson’s July 20 boxing match with Jake Paul had been postponed due to the heavyweight legend having health issues, Paul suggested on social media that his fellow influencer and longtime rival KSI step in for Tyson.

“KSI’s coach saying he is over 200 pounds right now?” Paul wrote. “So no weight excuses… Let’s run it for July 20 and then Paul vs. Tyson in October/November.”

According to KSI, he is unavailable to fight in July as he has a fight scheduled for August.

“I’ve already got a fight lined up in August,” KSI replied on social media. “Instead of fighting an [old-age pensioner] at the end of the year (no one wants to see this), fight me in December instead.”

The two continued to go back and forth via tweets, with Paul mocking KSI for not agreeing to the July 20 date and suggesting that they meet in a boxing match at 200 pounds in February instead.

KSI countered that they instead compete at 185 pounds and insisted on a December date.

Paul then wrote that his bout with KSI could be a double bill in February, with Paul’s brother Logan Paul taking on KSI’s brother Deji.

Logan, currently working as a professional wrestler with WWE, has a long history with KSI. Formerly rivals, but now friends and business partners, Logan and KSI were pioneers of the now-widespread influencer boxing trend, having previously fought each other in 2018 and 2019. The first bout, an amateur contest, ended in a majority draw, while their second meeting sanctioned as a pro bout was won by KSI via split decision.