Since losing his last bout against Tommy Fury in October 2023, KSI has been at a distance from the ring. Sure, he’s actively involved in boxing through his promotion Misfits Boxing, but apart from that, nothing. No matches, no active rivalries. Which only reinforces critics’ opinions about him avoiding fighting any “real boxers.”  Just a month ago, he was going to return to the boxing scene in a bout against MMA fighter and boxer Dillon Danis. It was rescheduled from their 2023 matchup.

The bout was going to happen on March 29 at the AO Arena in Manchester, England. Sadly, the universe had other plans for the British YouTuber-boxer. Just eight days before the fight, he’d posted a one-and-a-half-minute clip on his X handle. “Me versus Danis is just not going to happen March 29th, man,” the 31-year-old had declared.

“I’ve tried my hardest, but my body has legit just given up. I’ve tried sparring and training. And my body just feels weak. My stamina has fallen off a cliff. Basically, I’m f***ed. I’ve been ill for almost three weeks. And it’s just not gotten better. I feel like I’ve let so many people down.”  So, the fight did not happen.

Some were even questioning his commitment to the sport. Since he was active in other activities, like commentating soccer games around the time. Most of us would’ve thought that this was it. That KSI would never be able to cover up and break those opinions about him. That he’s not a serious boxer. But little did anyone see it coming. The father of modern-day boxing, none other than Turki Alalshikh, has come to The Nightmare‘s rescue!

Turki Alalshikh’s U-turn on ‘influencer boxing’ stance

For those who don’t know, Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, has put together some of the biggest fights fans have been dying to watch. Take Tyson Fury vs. Oleksander Usyk, for example. If fans want to see a bout, no matter the financial obligations, or no matter how tough of a fight it is to put together, Alalshikh would do it. And the Arabian had previously expressed his hate towards influencers entering the boxing landscape.

Even though fans had wanted to watch KSI fight fellow YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, Alalshikh was pretty clear that he’s not interested in such matchups.  “Please, we don’t want any YouTuber fights again. I want fighters, real fighters,” Alalshikh had said in an interview with DAZN. Yet, here we are. Turns out, now he sees KSI to be different from Paul.

And why is that? Well, beyond boxing, Alalshikh is also heavily investing in e-sports. Through posts on his X handle, he’s been supporting Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves lately. Just days ago, he’d taken to the platform to announce, “Think you’ve got what it takes? 🔥 Preorder FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves for a shot at facing KSI. 🎮 One lucky winner. One epic showdown. Let the battle begin 🥊.” 

The game is supported by SNK Corporation and sponsored by Riyadh Season. Alalshikh had also posted a two-minute-long video on X, featuring KSI. They had announced a contest where fans who preordered the game could enter a draw to play against KSI in a one-on-one gaming match. There will likely be two such events. One in London, around late April, and one in New York, around early May. The game could be pre-ordered on the website fatalfury.club. And Ring Magazine has even announced a winner (Kellen McGugan) on their Instagram page.

That said, it’s not that Alalshikh is planning just virtual games for the YouTuber, boxer, influencer. It’s more than that. Now that he’s in the picture, everything seems to be going well for KSI. And his boxing future seems hopeful.

Blockbuster year for KSI’s ring career too, if stars align

Earlier this year, KSI and Alalshikh had met, which sparked speculations about a major boxing event. Since the latter only shows interest in high-stakes bouts, that fans would love watching. He had expressed a desire that KSI fight a “real boxer” in the U.S. Potentially in a high-profile undercard, such as the proposed Alcatraz event. While talks are active, no fight is confirmed yet for KSI. But Alalshikh has been teasing “big surprises” for some time now.

In February 2025, he even jokingly suggested 79-year-old viral boxing coach Frank Gilfeather as an opponent. In the same video where he’d made the gaming announcement with KSI. He mocked Jake Paul’s choice of older fighters, clarifying that he wants KSI to face a proper boxer. Opponents like Amir Khan or Conor McGregor were rumored to be possible opponents, but then there are no reports that confirm a potential matchup.

With all the possible doors open for KSI, fans are also eyeing his fight with Jake Paul. And they know that Alalshikh can make it happen. Though his previous reluctance to be interested in such a match-off makes it hard to dream about the bout just yet. What do you think about KSI’s future this year? Does Alalshikh showing interest in him mean his career is off to a fresh start?