Tommy Fury v KSI: Does crossover boxing 'damage integrity' of the sport?

"Fair play to them, take the money and run but it's damaging the integrity of the sport."

Talent, years of dedication, and a strong work ethic have traditionally been the three essential elements for achieving world champion status in boxing.

Today, however, a new type of boxing has emerged - one that prioritises the size of your social media following above all else.

Over the past six years, social media megastars such as KSI, Logan Paul and Jake Paul have entered the world of boxing, bringing unprecedented attention with them.

On Saturday, the biggest night in crossover boxing history will take place at the AO Arena in Manchester as KSI takes on Tommy Fury.

It is being marketed as a pro boxing fight by KSI, a legitimate match-up, but the bout is over six rounds and is not sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control, who oversee pro boxing in the UK.

KSI, real name Olajide Olatunji, does not hold a pro boxing licence in the UK and the contests overseen by his Misfits organisation have raised questions about governance, standards of behaviour and whether they are encroaching on the pro boxing space.

• KSI-Fury news conference marred by brawls and personal insults

• KSI regrets ugly scenes at Fury news conference

"These guys are making an absolute mockery of boxing. It shouldn't be called boxing, it needs to be called play-fighting," Carl Froch, a four-time world champion, said.

As we gear up for the enormous event, is there valid reason for the apprehension? Or should we view crossover boxing as a positive for the sport?

Fury, who first found fame on reality TV dating show Love Island, is set to earn another lucrative payday in his second fight having fought Jake Paul in a pro fight in February which was licensed.

Only his brother Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will earn more as British boxers this year.

But one of the talking points surrounding Saturday's main event is the legitimacy, with strong criticism aimed at the standard of boxing.

Froch feels it is "bad for boxing, adding: "Nothing against Tommy Fury, but I don't think he's good enough to win a British title in a real professional boxing ring, yet he can go and fight Jake Paul and earn millions of pounds.

"Now, he's going to fight KSI and earn even more in fights that are really area level, British level at best."

KSI-Fury takes place one week after a fight of the year contender between Britons Leigh Wood and Josh Warrington.

Wood, who retained the WBA featherweight title with a stunning knockout, is bemused with the concept of social media personalities competing in boxing.

"[I was] not getting any opportunities, couldn't even get an area title fight and honestly there's days when I would by crying to pursue my dream," Wood said.

"Now, you've got kids who are just doing a few videos online and getting thrown into a fight.

"It needs to be governed, boxing needs to stand up and say, 'look you go and do your own thing and stay out of our sport'."

KSI is a YouTuber turned boxer, who has found a new revenue of income and intrigue by picking up boxing.

While Fury says continuing to compete in crossover fights would ultimately "damage his brand" as a pro boxer, KSI is unconcerned with criticism.

"I couldn't care less if I'm being honest, the numbers just speak for themselves," he said.

"I get some people are against this new, fresh look at boxing. You've got a younger audience that are really intrigued, but it's still the same thing as boxing. We're just focusing more on the entertainment side."

'Drags boxing through the mud'

Tommy Fury describes his fight with KSI as a "circus"

Controversy is never far away at a Misfits or crossover event. At Thursday's news conference, KSI was heard mockingly asking John Fury, Tommy's father, if he was "coming out" and if he was hitting on him.

The board has urged Misfits to come under its governance which would mean the fighters to adhere to a standard of behaviour.

Discriminatory remarks and physical altercations at events like that on Thursday where bottles were repeatedly thrown, would leave a fighter facing fines and reprimands.

But Misfits promotional partners Wasserman Boxing decided instead to go with the Professional Boxing Association (PBA). KSI insisted after the ugly scenes at the news conference that Misfits can and has in the past reprimanded fighters for bad behaviour.

Away from the board's remit, Misfits is able to stage tag-team fights and produce gimmick fights such as when two YouTubers, one aged 48, weighed in at a combined 56st for a fight. PBA provides health and safety checks for each fight.

In the co-main event on Saturday, Dillon Danis faces WWE star Logan Paul. The fight has been sold entirely off the back of controversy, with Danis issued with a restraining order by Paul's fiancée for posting explicit images online.

A brawl broke out between them on Thursday, leaving Paul with a cut on his face.

"It's a good job this isn't happening in real boxing because the fight wouldn't take place," promoter Eddie Hearn said of Danis v Paul.

At Wednesday's open workout, KSI spat his gum at John Fury, in response to a bottle being thrown at him.

Warrington, a two-time world champion, agrees the fights are more pantomime than competitive.

"I have supported it since it's been in its pomp over the last few years, I've even argued with boxing purists that it brings new eyes, a new audience, a fresh set of fans to the sport," Warrington said.

"But as it's going on I'm siding with those who are against it, it's like the sport's being dragged through the mud, it's been made a mockery of.

"The press conference, the weigh ins, the palaver that goes on with cakes getting chucked at each other and different kind of fashions, fans are not really even treated to the fight, what they should be tuning in to."

Can crossover boxing and real boxing co-exist?

Fury is 9-0 in his pro career while KSI does not hold a pro lience in the UK

The influencer boxing phenomenon lifted off in 2018 when KSI and Logan Paul competed in an unsanctioned fight that reshaped the sports and entertainment scene as we know it.

It generated a reported 1.3m pay-per-view buys worldwide, making it the largest non-professional amateur boxing match of all time. DAZN are hopeful Fury v KSI might surpass 1m PPV buys.

"There's new life coming through in boxing, with me, Logan Paul and other influencers coming through," KSI says.

"It's bringing a different audience to boxing."

Fury will arguably be in two of the biggest fights of the year after fighting Paul in his last bout, despite a host of brilliant boxing contests like Errol Spence Jr v Terence Crawford already taking place in 2023.

"I think that fight [with Paul] was bigger than 95% of world title fights," he said.

"Me and Jake Paul was just as big as Crawford and Spence. [It had] completely different eyes on it but [it was] still as big."

Hearn, who stepped away from crossover boxing after initially promoting KSI v Logan Paul 2, believes a line should be drawn between the two "codes".

Behind the scenes, Wasserman insists the events are sports entertainment and not to be confused with pro boxing.

"It's not real boxing but it's still boxing, and it creates a huge interest with the audience when the fights are big as some of them are," Hearn said.

"Not every fight is big, but KSI v Tommy Fury is a monster, but they are two different codes, one is entertainment, one is sport and I think they can co-exist together."