KSI can be added to the list of YouTubers Tommy Fury has beaten after he was awarded a controversial majority decision win by the judges in Manchester on Saturday night.
The two stars locked horns at the AO Arena after months of trading verbal insults and barbs before some heated exchanges at press conferences, but it was Fury who emerged victorious.
KSI was hoping he could pull off a shock victory after watching fellow YouTuber Jake Paul send TNT crashing to the canvas during their bout in February. But, just like Paul, KSI failed to overcome the professional boxer.
However, it wasn’t the sensational knockout victory Fury was hoping for. Instead, he went the distance with KSI, had a point deducted and won the bout via majority decision with the scorecards reading 57-57, 57-56, 57-56.
KSI was furious with the decision after the fight. He said: ‘Robbery, it’s a robbery. You weren’t landing, look at your face. Look at you. I’m the YouTuber and you’re the boxer, you have to win.’
Despite the points deduction, Fury was still handed a narrow points win via majority decision
KSI became the second YouTuber to lose to Fury this year after Jake Paul
The decision was a controversial one in a fight that involved plenty of clinching
Fury was deducted a point in the second round for punching around the back of the head
Meanwhile, Fury responded: ‘Listen, he’s an awkward man. At the end of the day I got the victory. We are 10-0. I haven’t spoken to him. A lot went in the build-up. I’m done with this cross-over s***. Any of the Pauls want it, I welcome it with open arms’.
A jubilant Fury was joined in the ring by his older brother and world heavyweight champion Tyson afterwards, who was in a celebratory mood after seeing his sibling win by the slimmest of margins.
As expected, KSI came flying out of the corner in the first round. Fury met the YouTuber-turned-boxer in the middle of the ring before attempting to connect with a left jab.
KSI did well to catch Fury with a shot of his own, sending TNT stumbling backwards. But, the social media star failed to follow up, giving Fury time to re-establish his balance and continue fighting on the front foot.
KSI was disgusted with the decision, labelling it a ‘robbery’ and vowing to appeal
His anger came after a scrappy fight that saw both men struggle to land significant shots
Tyson Fury was at ringside and celebrated with his brother after he got the nod from the judges
It was a reality check for Fury – who was shouted at by his father John in the corner. After that, Fury continued to come forwards and throw multiple punches before the end of the round.
If the first round was a reality check, the second was a nightmare for Fury as he was deducted a point for punching around the back of the head, leaving himself with plenty to do in the remaining four rounds.
Fury’s jab was the standout punch in his win over Paul earlier this year, but he could not unsettle KSI with it this time as the fight increasingly became scrappy.
With both men tiring, it was difficult to separate them as they struggled to land anything of note.
Realistically, KSI should have been given an official warning for holding throughout the fight. But, the referee on the night failed to call the YouTuber-turned-boxer out.
Having lost a point, Fury needed to seize the initiative to turn the fight in his favour. He failed to do that decisively, with the clash plagued by clinches and holding rather than either man connecting with significant shots.
Both men tired as the fight went on, as Fury struggled to establish the jab that worked so well against Paul
Despite having a point deducted, Fury still got the win, while KSI was left dejected
KSI and Fury stood nervously in the ring waiting for the final decision from legendary announcer Michael Buffer, and when the first card was read out as a draw that only ramped up the tension.
But the other two cards had Fury winning by a single point. Fury celebrated wildly, while KSI was left disgusted and inconsolable after tasting defeat for the first time in his boxing career.
The result was deemed a controversial one as KSI landed more punches than Fury in rounds one, two and five. KSI also landed more significant strikes in those rounds and had a higher hit percentage.
Fury did admit he was disappointed with his performance after the fight. But, insisted he will put on a better display next time out before calling Conor McGregor out.