It’s a story of two careers that began in parallel. Seven years ago, in Manchester, YouTubers Jake Paul and KSI stood side-by-side with their brothers, announcing their entry into the world of boxing. Now, as we step into the second quarter of 2025, their paths have taken dramatically different turns.

Organizing major events, promoting rising talent, and calling out elite fighters, Jake Paul has evolved into one of the sport’s most prominent influencer voices. Meanwhile, KSI’s journey, once marked by promise and hype, appears to be stalling. His momentum has faded, and he now seems to be contemplating retirement from the sport altogether.

During a recent episode on his channel, KSI hinted that his days in the ring may be numbered. His last fight was the high-profile bout against Tyson Fury‘s brother, Tommy Fury. Since then, his name has been linked to possible matchups against Amir Khan, Slim Albaher, and Anthony Taylor, among others. But none of those fights materialized.

More recently, after the proposed bout with footballer Wayne Bridge collapsed, plans for a showdown with Dillon Danis also fell through due to illness. If KSI steps away now, fans may be the ones who lose the most. The long-anticipated influencer super fight between Jake Paul and KSI could remain nothing more than a dream.

Reflecting on the Danis situation, KSI offered an emotional, unfiltered account of his recent struggles. After pushing through an intense training camp while sick, he was forced to accept that he couldn’t continue. “I broke down, man. You know I’m there crying, bro, and you know, in my room, just crying because, like I said, I felt like I just let everyone down,” KSI stated.

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Is KSI’s boxing journey nearing the final bell?

What triggered his anger further was commentary from Wade Plemons, whose remarks struck a nerve. “I know how the internet works,” he said. “I know how this game goes. If I tried to fight and managed to get into the ring and had a sh*t performance, no one would care that I was ill; no one would care that I was sick.”

The YouTuber-influencer’s boxing journey has been laden with hurdles. “My boxing career since I’ve come back has just been problem after problem after problem and just being unlucky over and over and over and over again, and it’s a shame,” KSI stated. So where does that lead to? He was clueless: “Where am I in terms of boxing? I don’t know. I don’t know if I am going to retire. I don’t know, you know. Am I going to fight again? I don’t know.”

With KSI’s future uncertain, the long-teased bout with Jake Paul may remain a fantasy. Over the years, the two have exchanged callouts, social media jabs, and even a ‘final offer.’ Last year, KSI proposed a fight in May 2025 at 185 pounds. “Take it or leave it,” he declared.

But April is already here, and Jake Paul appears to be preparing for his next high-profile fight. If KSI doesn’t return to the ring soon, the influencer boxing world may have to accept that its biggest potential matchup will never materialize.

What do you think? Should KSI hang up the gloves, or does he still have some boxing left in him?