YouTube star Sam Hyde is plotting to make his boxing debut this summer after signing with Happy Punch Promotions.
The American comedian was deemed too big of a "business risk" to appear on next month's Creator Clash event, despite being called out for a fight by fellow social media sensation Harley Morenstein. Hyde is one of the most divisive figures on YouTube, and is known for his unique brand of comedy that pushes the sensibilities of most viewers.
But that hasn't stopped Happy Punch from adding him to their roster, with plans in place for him to step in the ring within the next few months. The Rhode Island native has been training with Morenstein in preparation for his fight with Arin Joseph Hanson, known on YouTube as Egoraptor, having begun taking part in the sport with friends a few years ago.
YouTube stars Yusef 'Fousey' Erakat and Daniel 'Keemstar' Keem have launched their promotion to help get other influencers fights. Hyde says he was approached by Keem via Twitter, and had quickly agreed to a deal.
"We just got on Twitter there and it worked out," he told Mirror Fighting of his signing. "It went swimmingly, it went fluidly, we had a little conversation there were no hiccups." He has called out political streamer Hasan Piker for a fight, but as yet has been unable to entice him into an engagement. "It depends if we can get this weasel Hasan Piker out of his hiding spot," he said in a violent callout.
"We've got to get him crawling out of the woodwork, he has all these big muscles; what are the muscles for Hasan? You want to be the tough guy? Some left wing tough guy? What's the f***ing point if you can't stand up for yourself? You p****. I've talked to people who talk to you, you do nothing. You are a f***ing p****, do something. Come take me out. Please put me out of my misery you f***!"
Hyde has claimed in the past to be "blacklisted" from the entertainment business after his comedy troupe Million Dollar Extreme's show 'World Peace' was cancelled by Adult Swim in 2016. He is alleged to have ties to the alt-right and claims that Piker, one of the most popular political streamers on Twitch, doesn't want to offer him a platform by engaging in fight talks.
"The last remaining excuse he has, according to the people I've spoken to, the channels that are open, is 'oh I can't platform that guy'," Hyde explained. "So all I have to do is get a bigger platform, and that's what I hope to do this summer, get a big platform and call him out.
"We had $2million of cryptocurrency ready to go for whatever charity he wants to come fight me. If he fought me back when I made this offer, whatever the bitcoin price was, he had $2m ready to go that could go to any charity he wants and he didn't even say anything about it. He can't do it, he won't do it, he's a p****; bottom line."
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Hyde has shown off his boxing skills in a number of YouTube videos, although with varying levels of seriousness. He sparred with the Creator Clash's promoter and main event fighter Ian 'IDubbbz' Washburn during a documentary last year, and has posted videos that he insists are "f***ing around with his boys".
He claims to have only started training in a way that would prepare him for competition "about a month ago". "I was just f***ing around with my boys in the backyard," he added.
Hyde famously veils almost his entire persona in a layer of irony, but has insisted that his debut will showcase "something extremely shocking and disturbing." He has teased an appearance on a card this July in Dublin, which will be promoted by the people behind March's Showstar Boxing event.
"I think fans can expect some serious fruitcake s***," he teased. "Some mental oddities, some borderline gymnastic s*** and something extremely shocking and disturbing.
"I wouldn't want to watch it, I'll be too upset with myself. I won't be watching that s*** back, I have no idea what I'm going to f***ing do. I know I'm not going to want to watch it back."
