KSI admits knockout of Joe Fournier is ‘tarnished’

The YouTuber dropped the 40-year-old ex-boxer in Round 2, but replays showed that an accidental elbow had finished the fight

KSI has admitted that his win against Joe Fournier on Saturday was ‘tarnished’ by the accidental elbow that caused the knockout.

The YouTuber, 29, dropped Fournier in Round 2, leaving the 40-year-old ex-boxer unable to beat the referee’s count. However, replays showed that Fournier had been floored by an accidental elbow, rather than a punch.

After the exhibition bout at London’s Wembley Arena, Fournier vowed to officially contest the result, while YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul called for KSI to be disqualified. KSI (real name Olajide Olatunji) has since offered his own thoughts on the matter.

“I worked very hard for this fight and had an intense and gruelling camp,” he wrote on social media on Sunday (14 May). “There’s no better feeling than being in that ring and having my hand raised in front of my loyal and amazing fans who I appreciate so much.

“Unfortunately the victory, which was inevitable no matter what, is tarnished and I hate that. It sucks!

“After landing my overhand he was pretty much out on his feet, and I went for a short right hook as Joe clinched me and fell into me. I landed that hook and my glove made contact but appears to have been followed by unintentional contact with my forearm.

“I’m gutted that it’s not as clean a win as I wanted and it feels like it diminishes my hard work with my trainers. Either way, I hope you enjoyed the show and appreciate the support. Sorry to all the fans disappointed with it. No one is more so than me.”

Meanwhile, Paul took exception to KSI’s description of events.

The American, 26, wrote on Twitter: “Why you lying still? No part of your glove made contact with Joe’s face on that elbow. That was not a hook. That was straight up a right elbow to the jawbone. Good form but wrong sport.

“Your whole promotion is sham. Bad look for the sport of boxing. Your ‘commission’ [the Professional Boxing Association] should hold itself to a higher standard. I hope England Boxing starts to oversee this product and makes it safer for everyone.”

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