KSI and Joe Fournier clocked in comfortably underneath the cruiserweight limit at Friday evening’s weigh-in before sharing an intense stare-off as they prepare to top the MF+DAZN: X Series 007 bill on Saturday night.
YouTuber-turned boxer KSI, 29, tipped the scales at 177lbs as he showed off his ripped physique ahead of his toughest test yet inside the squared circle, while opponent Fournier, 40, came in at 179lbs.
A chaotic weigh-in followed Thursday’s equally circus-esque press conference, in which KSI threw $1000 in dollar bills at his opponent, then shoving him before the face-off and butting heads during.
Exchanging words as they faced up following the weigh-in, the pair told each other that they were being knocked out on Saturday night. Fournier called KSI ‘weak’, while the YouTuber told his opponent that he would soon become known as the person who was knocked out by KSI.
‘He’s afraid, but he’s going to get smacked up tomorrow in front of all his little fans,’ Fournier said after the pair had faced off.
KSI showed off his ripped physique as he weighed in two pounds lighter than Joe Fournier
Fournier woere sunglasses on the scales and looked in good shape as he came in at 179lbs
KSI and Joe Fournier went head-to-head after they weighed in ahead of tomorrow’s fight
‘He’s getting put to sleep in front of his fans, in front of 15,000 of his little fans,’ he added.
Meanwhile, asked if he had expected the fight week to grow quite so acrimonious, KSI told DAZN that he ‘expects everything’ before reaffirming his belief of what he will do to Fournier on Saturday evening.
‘I expect everything and it don’t even matter. Tomorrow, I am going to show the world a different KSI,’ he said. ‘Constantly evolving, constantly getting bigger, stronger and better. Joe Fournier cannot knock me out. It cannot happen. I am going to go over and take his soul.’
Fournier, a 9-0 professional who has shared the ring with mate David Haye, albeit an exhibition, has routinely insisted he hasn’t taken the impending fight seriously. Yet, on the evidence of Friday’s weigh-in, that was clearly smoke and mirrors.
KSI has remained supremely confident throughout fight-week, however, and once again vowed to stop the multi-millionaire English businessman inside the six-round distance, with his eyes still firmly set on a bout against Tommy Fury or Jake Paul.
The weigh-in followed the chaotic press conference on Thursday which saw the pair clash
KSI has his eyes firmly set on dealing with Fournier to set up a bout with Jake Paul or Tommy Fury
Paul, of course, has his own mega-fight in the diary, with a bout against UFC star Nate Diaz scheduled for August 5 in Dallas, America, as ‘The Problem Child’ looks to bounce back from his disappointing points defeat to Fury in February.
All eyes are on KSI this weekend, however, as ‘The Nightmare’ looks to build on his first-round win over fellow social media star FaZe Temperrr in January. The Brit is unbeaten after six fights to date, though sharing a draw with Logan Paul in their first fight back in 2018.
Beforehand, KSI had stopped fellow YouTuber Joe Weller in his debut, after beating Logan Paul, Swarmz, Luis Alcaraz Pineda and finally Faze Temperrr. Meanwhile, Fournier, though 9-0, has fought just once professionally since December 2016.
A win for KSI at the OVO Arena Wembley, London, would resemble, in truth, his first win of genuine note. And the 29-year-old, speaking to Mail Sport ahead of the bout, insisted he’s more than capable of rising to the challenge.
‘I’m so ready,’ he said. ‘Every time, with these fight camps, I’m ready, because I always get pushed to the limit. My trainers make me work, make me spar hard, make me train hard.
‘My cardio is always at the highest level, and I just know every time I’m in the ring I’m prepared for anything possible. I’m excited.
Fournier has previously had an exhibition bout with former world heavyweight champion David Haye (above), and is 9-0 as a professional
‘Joe Fournier, a 9-0 pro, he’s got the boxing experience, but I know once I get in that ring I’ll show the world my skills, my level, and then we’ll find the next test.’
KSI also had a stern message for Fournier, insisting a stoppage is coming. ‘Round four,’ he said, predicting when the knockout will come. ‘He’s not going to make it very easy.
‘Defensively I think he’ll be pretty clued up. But eventually I’ll break him down, and round four I’ll get the knockout.
‘The final punch could be whatever I want: right hook, left hook, straight right. I could come in with an overhand, even switch it up and go southpaw, whatever I want.’
