KSI: how the YouTube millionaire, who beat Logan Paul in a celebrity boxing rematch, made his name

Fourteen months after YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul first stepped into the boxing ring, KSI emerged the victor in their second bout.

KSI, a 26-year-old British YouTube star, faced off against controversial American vlogger Logan Paul once again in a YouTube celebrity boxing match last Saturday.

The pair battled it out at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, which holds 21,000 people. The bout was a rematch following their first fight in August last year in Manchester, England – which KSI won by an extremely thin margin.

YouTube boxing matches are a hot new trend, kick-started by KSI. Although the British vlogger first made his name playing video games on YouTube, he has pioneered boxing events as a way to whip up famous YouTubers’ huge followings. The real-life matches could generate millions of dollars in ticket, merchandise and streaming sales.

KSI, real name Olajide “JJ” William Olatunji, went from a suburban London upbringing to becoming one of the biggest YouTube stars in the world. He was born in London, after his parents moved to the UK from Nigeria. “They would work their a**** off,” he told British tabloid The Sun in an interview.

He eventually moved with his parents out to the suburbs of nearby Watford and went to a fee-paying school. It now costs £20,000 (US$25,700) a year to send a child to the “posh” Berkhamsted School.

Despite the expensive education, KSI said he discovered YouTube in his early teens and ended up failing his A-Levels.

“Back then, people would be like: ‘What are you doing? You’re such a weirdo. Why are you making videos online?’” he told The Sun.

He created his first YouTube channel in 2008 aged 14, the now-defunct “JideJunior”. Almost all the channel’s videos feature KSI playing football video game Fifa 08, a theme that would continue in his main YouTube channel.

Eventually, JJ would adopt the name “KSI”, which stands for “knowledge, strength, integrity”.

In 2010, KSI created his main channel and began posting gameplay footage from Fifa 11. He began to amass a large following, and after just two years he was making enough money from YouTube ads and sponsorship to drop out of school.

KSI teamed up with six other YouTube gamers to form a group of creators called The Sidemen. “A sideman is basically someone’s b**** who just follows them around,” said fellow Sidemen member Miniminter in an FAQ. “I was basically JJ’s b**** that followed him around.”

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The Sidemen brand and channel mostly revolved around the YouTubers playing video games and charity football matches with each other. The Sidemen would go on to live together in various plush houses in London. Their latest is a mansion at an undisclosed location in South London. It’s thought that’s where KSI lives.

Out of all the Sidemen members, KSI has the biggest following with 20.5 million subscribers. He’s a young millionaire, with estimated annual earnings of up to £1.5 million (US$1.9 million), according to social media analytics firm SocialBlade. Asked about his wealth by TV presenter Piers Morgan, he said: “I’m doing all right.”

KSI also branched out into music, posting “diss” tracks insulting other YouTubers – including his fellow Sidemen. The drama keeps viewers hooked.

KSI has had some controversy. He was banned from a 2012 event run by video game website Eurogamer after making sexist remarks to attendees; event sponsor Microsoft subsequently dropped ties with him. KSI later apologised for his behaviour.

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But it is KSI’s pioneering of a new genre of crossover – the YouTube boxing match – that has been most notable. His first fight was against Joe Weller, a YouTube creator on the same talent network (OP Talent).

The YouTube boxing match involves two famous personalities fighting each other just like a real match. KSI fought Weller in London’s Copper Box Arena in 2017 and won the fight.

His most high-profile fight to date was against Logan Paul in August last year at the 20,000 capacity Manchester Arena.

The two whipped up anticipation for their latest fight in a bad-tempered press conference in London, in which KSI hurled insults at Paul’s girlfriend and family.

The second match held last Saturday in Los Angeles took place in a more professional setting. Neither of the fighters wore headgear, and both were drug-tested.

The match was extremely close, but KSI won. Two out of three judges ruled KSI the winner: one scored it 56-55, another 57-54. The third ruled in Paul’s favour at 56-55.

KSI said he’s successful because he creates new trends.

“When it came to diss tracks I found my way into that,” he told Esquire. “Now with boxing, I’ve created a new trend. I’ve always adapted well, and that’s what’s led to my success.”