YouTube star KSI has backtracked on his claim that he could beat Thor Bjornsson in a boxing match after branding the strongman "slow".
The social media sensation is working towards an August return to the ring, and was asked during an episode of the Sidecast if he feels he could beat former world's strongest man winner Bjornsson. Both he and the Icelander have boxed before, winning decisions in their bouts with Logan Paul and Eddie Hall respectively.
He responded by saying that while he understands getting caught could mean an early night, he believes he would be too fast for Bjornsson. "Yes, bro, he'd be slow." KSI explained. "You have to be fast, in and out in and out. It's one of those things because he's slow, while he's recharging to strike you can hit him."
Later in the episode, he did retract his statement, saying that he feels it would be "long", a colloquial term for particularly difficult and frustrating. "I take back my statement, I don't think I'd beat Thor, I think he'd actually be long, it'd be a very long day - Thor I'm sorry."
And in a new YouTube video, he reiterated that point, declaring that Bjornsson would in fact win a prospective match-up, given his 140lb weight advantage as well as a 9-inch height differential and six-inch reach difference. He said: "I've already said on Sidecast that I take it back, okay? F***ing hell.
"No-one shows that bit, no-one shows the part of me understanding the actual idea of fighting Thor and realising that he's just too big for me. He just weighs too much, I would never be able to be at Titanweight. Like f***ing hell, me being at 100kg [220lb] was ridiculous, I felt like s***. So he's what, 150-160kg? Nah bro."
Would you watch a fight between KSI and Thor Bjornsson? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
The rapper does stand by his assessment that he would have the speed advantage over Bjornsson, but admits it wouldn't be enough. "I wouldn't do much," he added. "Yes, I'd be faster than him and yes, maybe I'd be able to hit him more. But all he needs to do is hit me once, or maybe just lean on me and it's long, it's a long day for me.
"I want nothing to do with Thor, not one thing, I do not want anything to do with it. Maybe one day we could do, like, an exhibition for charity and it'd be a fun thing, but nah, nothing serious."
Bjornsson had replied on Instagram, but didn't seem to weigh in either way on how the fight would go. "Interesting," Bjornsson mused in a post to his followers on social media. "I wonder if he truly believes he can beat me or if he’s just fooling around. What do you guys think?"
