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YouTube and YouTubers
LifestyleEntertainment

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

  • KSI, 26, who last week beat fellow YouTube star Logan Paul in a widely followed celebrity boxing rematch, created his first YouTube account at age 14
  • Now boasting over 20 million subscribers, he says his success stems from his ability to adapt

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KSI reacting after defeating Logan Paul in their fight at the Staples Centre on November 9 in Los Angeles. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
Business Insider

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.

Logan Paul (right) lands a punch on KSI during their fight in Los Angeles. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
Logan Paul (right) lands a punch on KSI during their fight in Los Angeles. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

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.

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