Influencer boxing has become one of the most heated topics in modern combat sports. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that social media stars like KSI and Jake Paul have taken the world by storm, blending their skills with audience interaction. They’ve earned massive fan support, sure. But the respect as boxers or athletes hasn’t quite reached everyone. Darren Till’s recent comments touched on that very point.
During his interview with Seconds Out, ‘The Gorilla’, who has found a new niche for himself in KSI’s Misfits boxing, admitted that the influencer boxing industry could be part of his future. However, he also surprised many by saying he might not be the biggest draw. “I don’t think I am the biggest fish,” he said, downplaying his status while giving credit to KSI and Jake Paul: “Maybe, you know, I think Jake and KSI are still the two biggest fish.” That remark notably snubbed Tommy Fury. While it may seem like Till finally acknowledged the star power of the influencers, there’s more to it.
Till went on to say, “They are not really competition for me,” arguing that Luke Rockhold, as a former UFC champion, holds more merit than influencer boxers he doesn’t see as real rivals. The Englishman still took a dig at them, adding, “Some of these influencers, mate, come on. They just let them cause all the drama on my undercards.” While fans may be waiting for a clear-cut reply, Michael ‘Venom’ Page, who’s set to fight Jared Cannonier at UFC 319 on August 16, offered a different take. He revealed that KSI went toe-to-toe with fighters from his London Shootfighters gym.
In an interview with Fred Talks Fighting on YouTube, when asked about being in camp with KSI, ‘Venom’ admitted, “For me, I give anybody respect, especially in our gym. Our gym is a very tough gym to be in. Alexis pulls no punches with anybody. So if I can respect anybody that can be here. I don’t care what background you come from or what reputation you have outside of the gym. You get respect if you can push through the type of work that we push through and stay in it, and he(KSI) has done exactly that. So, you have to give him his respect, man! And a lovely person as well.”
MF & DAZN SERIES 001 – Fight Night Youtube personality KSI and rapper Swarmz during their Two Fights in One Night cruiserweight boxing bout. London The O2 UK Copyright: xJohnxBarryx JB2_5024
Well, that’s something noteworthy! KSI, who, according to CelebrityNetWorth, has a net worth of about $100 million, still continues to be invested in boxing, despite being partially retired. So, the fact that he’s willing to step in and go rounds with some of the UK and world’s elite MMA fighters does take a bit of sting out of Till’s claim. Who knows? ‘JJ’ might even bring real competition if they ever meet inside the ring.
That said, Darren Till has a big task ahead, which is defeating Luke Rockhold in their Misfits bout for the inaugural MFB Bridgerweight Title. A win here could open the door to other exciting matchups, possibly even involving a fighter from the same card with whom he’s already traded words. So, let’s dive into that.
Darren Till and Dillon Danis exchange heated words online
Darren Till and Dillon Danis have both been preparing for their respective title bouts at the MF & DAZN X Series 22. They’ve also been trading heat with their opponents. But this time, the two decided to take things up a notch and get a little more personal with each other. And it escalated fast!
‘The Gorilla’ posted a video on X showing himself doing cardio ahead of his bout with Luke Rockhold. Dillon Danis jumped in with a mocking reply: “You need to be training technique, etc.” He followed up with, “You’re not doing a ski competition. This was your downfall in the UFC, jeez man.” It didn’t take long for Till to fire back even harder.
The former UFC fighter shot back, “You wouldn’t know a downfall in the UFC cos you couldn’t make it there. #BellatorBum #SuicideWatchSinceLoganBeatYouUp [LAUGHS],” taking a harsh dig at Danis’ Bellator career and referencing his suicidal thoughts after losing to Logan Paul in their heated boxing match.
With the world of influencer boxing constantly stirring up these intense exchanges! It raises the question: how would fighters like KSI or Jake Paul fare against prime MMA or UFC talent? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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