KSI’s latest YouTube video saw him award a $15,000 payday to one impressive fan, and a contract to fight on his future boxing events said to be worth a further $85,000.
The YouTube star heads up Misfits Boxing, whose next event takes place on August 30 in Manchester headlined by Darren Till vs Luke Rockhold. In his new video, he invited fans to take on increasing levels of opponents, with the winner surviving a round with the British cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley.
It turns out the man that won the whole challenge actually has further ambitions in the MMA world than the boxing ring. And he comes from an impressive team, including hard-hitting UFC star Michael ‘Venom’ Page.
KSI’s $100,000 challenge winner is 18-year-old MMA prodigy
KSI’s new YouTube video is entitled ‘Can You Survive 1 Round With a Pro Boxer for $100,000?’ 10 fans were challenged to go compete in four rounds of boxing sparring.
Within the four rounds of two minutes, levels continued increasing with the prize pot also going up, although if one were stopped, they would leave empty handed. It started with a standard influencer boxer, to a high-level Misfits boxer, on to journeyman Ty Mitchell and then British champion Viddal Riley.
Only one man made it to Riley; 18-year-old London Shootfighters prodigy Kia Jami. The youngster is a grappling ace who has won countless tournaments, but also showed off impressive boxing to survive rounds with Mitchell and Riley who both outsized him by multiple weight categories.
On his Instagram, Jami expressed plans to fight on Misfits before transitioning back into MMA where it appears he has a solid base.
Michael ‘Venom’ Page played key part in KSI’s $100,000 challenge
One man who knows Jami well is UFC middleweight Michael ‘Venom’ Page, who acted as referee for the sparring challenge. He noted to KSI in a behind-the-scenes video that Jami is a renowned grappler who trains at the famous London Shootfighters gym.
KSI actually prepared for his last few fights at London Shoot, but claimed in an interview with Fred Talks Fighting that he wasn’t aware Jami was entering the tournament. He and Page are the two most famous members of the gym, with the UFC star currently preparing to fight at UFC 319.
The Brit will take on Jared Cannonier in a bout that could land him in the top 15 at 185lb. He moved up earlier this year to take on Shara Magomedov, whom he dominated over three rounds in Riyadh.