KSI's rematch with Logan Paul sold two-million pay-per-views - which places it in the top five highest selling-fights in history.
YouTube stars KSI - real name JJ Olatunji - and Paul shared a rivalry which sparked the rise of influencer boxing, and dragged a new audience into the sport. The pair first met in a white-collar clash which gripped both the UK and the US, but ended in a draw with a rematch immediately planned.
A second event between the pair was even bigger with the pair electing to fight in the professional ranks, and the sequel was promoted by Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn and streaming service DAZN. Hearn has recently confirmed the YouTube meeting is one of the most successful events he has ever staged on pay-per-view.
"It was a massive learning experience for me, "Hearn revealed when talking about the sequel between KSI and Paul three years ago. "The live press conference had about six or seven million people watching it and the pay-per-view buys around the world were huge and it is a different kind of world that started to engage with us.
"I think it did about two million pay-per-view buys across the UK, America and around the world and these two were fantastic at engaging an audience." KSI was given the nod in the second fight winning via a narrow split-decision which put an end to their rivalry.
With two-million pay-per-view buys this would rank the event at fifth place behind boxing legend Floyd Mayweather's four fights with Conor McGregor, Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya. The revenue from the event was also huge expecting to have raked in around £150million with both fighters pocketing seven-figure paydays after the success of the show.
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Despite the rivalry being ended, a whole number of fresh YouTube rivalries are starting to rise including a long-term feud between KSI and Paul's brother Jake. The success of the event has continued a remarkable series of fights including Paul who shared the ring with boxing legend Mayweather in an event which sold around one-million pay-per-views.
Although KSI has now become enemies with his former opponent's sibling, the pair themselves have since settled their differences, and have launched a new energy drink business together which has also seen huge growth. Paul has since reflected on their epic two-fight rivalry and believes KSI saved his career.
"I want to be able to say one day that KSI saved my career, but I made him a billionaire," he said on the Flagrant podcast. "The beef was f***ed. We hated each other and that's why Prime has an innate sense of relatability and hope that you can make friends and connect. I can take an L but there's learning in that and I learned that KSI and I were like, f*** the beef, we're the same person just across the pond. In a weird way, we're really alike."
