Prepare your fainting couches and smelling salts, boxing fans, because 2022 is starting off hot, hot, hot. If a worth-every-penny (?) Luis Ortiz-Charles Martin New Year’s Day PPV somehow weren’t thrilling enough to risk heart palpitations, maybe the pending January 4th announcement of Logan Paul vs KSI 3 will push you over the edge.
Logan Paul is, of course, the Paul brother who went eight rounds with Floyd Mayweather, not the one who recently knocked out Tyrone Woodley. He and KSI first squared off in a wildly successful August 2018 YouTube PPV that was both proof of boxing’s essential, undying, elemental appeal, and a grim harbinger of its popular future.
That fight was an exhibition that ended in a majority draw, and was followed up by an announced rematch on DAZN that led to much public derision and accompanying erotic stimulation for Eddie Hearn. The second fight between the two social media stars was sanctioned as a professional bout in November of 2019, and featured undercard support from Devin Haney, defending his WBC lightweight belt, and Billy Joe Saunders defending the WBO supermiddleweight title.
KSI won the rematch by split decision, and we know that at least some pros tuned in, along with thousands of people who watched online in the reflection of a guy’s glasses. The fight also inspired Wil Esco to submit one of my favorite staff predictions ever, and he wound up more correct than anyone else picking that fight for Bad Left Hook.
KSI insisted at the time there would be no third fight. But, here we are on the cusp of 2022, with a big announcement about “The Final Chapter” coming in just five days. Perhaps they’re just announcing a chili cook-off, a rap battle, or maybe a collaboration to build a Habitat for Humanity house.
Best to brace yourselves for the trilogy fight instead. Hold on to your hearts, and to your wallets!