YouTuber KSI has issued an apology for the contentious incidents that occurred during a press conference with his upcoming boxing opponent, Tommy Fury. The content creator expressed regret for his part in the heated exchange that took place before their scheduled fight on Saturday 14 October 2023.

Tensions escalated with both KSI and Fury engaged in a heated verbal exchange, with the YouTuber KSI directing a homophobic taunt at John Fury, Tommy’s father, who has been trading insults with him for quite some time now.

The much-anticipated fight between KSI, whose real name is Olajide Olayinka, and Fury, a 24-year-old professional boxer and former Love Island star, is scheduled to take place as a six-round cruiserweight fight at the AO Arena in Manchester. It’s worth mentioning that this event is not sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control, and that KSI does not hold a professional license in the UK. This fight will be the YouTuber’s sixth, though not all have been officially sanctioned.

Reflecting on his recent actions, KSI acknowledged that there were moments he wished he could change, both from his career and during the fight build-up, but he emphasised his commitment to learning from his mistakes and improving. The creator noted that being a public figure came with its share of ups and downs, but added that he aims to set a positive example for his audience.

“There’s so many things I wish I didn’t do, but it’s just life. When I make a mistake, I learn from it and I improve,” KSI noted.

Fury, the younger brother of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, boasts an undefeated record in his professional career, having won all nine of his previous fights. The safety and health standards for this event are overseen by the Professional Boxing Association.

The press conference leading up to the fight was marked by further controversy, including a brawl between YouTuber Logan Paul and mixed martial arts fighter Dillon Danis—the pair fighting on the undercard. Bottles were thrown onto the stage, resulting in injuries. KSI’s promotional company, Misfits, has indicated that it may take action to maintain the integrity of boxing events.

The fighters will meet in the ring on the 14 October, with the first event set to kick off at 7pm and the main fight due to begin at 10pm.

In the meantime, KSI has expressed his determination to “silence his doubters” against Fury: “I came back to boxing to show the world the crazy levels I’m at. I’ve shown through obliterating all my past opponents that I am the best in this scene.”

The fight can be watched live on the streaming service DAZN through its pay-per-view option. For Sky Q and Sky+ HD customers, subscribing to the DAZN 1 HD channel is the best way to access pay-per-view events.

Despite the event being highly popular, ticket availability was limited, with prices ranging from £40 to £2,000. The fighters are required to meet a contracted weight of 183lbs for this bout, with no rehydration clause in place, meaning there are no restrictions on how much weight they can regain after the weigh-in. The weight disagreement between the two fighters was initially a point of contention but was eventually resolved.

Both KSI and Fury have expressed their determination to secure victory, with the content creator looking to silence his critics and Fury aiming to end the trend of YouTube boxing and focus his time on a career in professional boxing.