YouTube star KSI is set to return to the boxing ring this weekend to fight fellow influencer Faze Temperrr, who stepped in as a late replacement for undefeated Bellator fighter Dillon Danis after he pulled out of their scheduled bout earlier this month.
However, KSI has had plenty of different people calling him out and he claimed during the event’s press conference in December that Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney is among the growing list of names that want to fight him. “It’s funny, and I hope he doesn’t get annoyed that I’m saying this, but Wayne Rooney hit me up saying ‘oh we should fight’,” KSI revealed.
“I said ‘no’. I just don’t want to do that. If Wayne Rooney is down, I think it would be good to have him in the [influencer boxing] space.”
Rooney is a big fan of boxing and was ringside for Tyson Fury’s recent WBC title defence against Derek Chisora, with his presence prompting the Gypsy King to ask him to spar. “Wayne Rooney is a proper legend,” Fury told talkSPORT.
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“I grew up watching him as a youngster for England and United. So, that’s an amazing speech from him. He’s a massive boxing fan, he comes from a boxing family as well.
“So, hopefully, we can have a little spar in the future sometime. I do need someone smaller to prepare for Usyk. Wayne, if you’re listening, get on the blower, son!”
Rooney was infamously dropped in 2015 by fellow footballer Phil Bardsley after the pair sparred in his kitchen having shared a few drinks. Reflecting on the incident, Rooney told boxing promoter Eddie Hearn on his BBC podcast ‘No Passion, No Point’: “Growing up, I remember my dad used to give us the gloves in the house.
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“It is something I have always loved doing. The night with Bardo, we got home and we put the gloves on. It is something that we do quite regularly – but that one got out! After I went down, the video stops but I wasn’t knocked out.
“We got up and carried on. I remember when we finished and the two of us sat there. My nose had gone and Bardo had blooding pouring out of his mouth. We were both looking at each other, saying: ‘what are we doing?’ But Bardo is the same. He has brought up in Manchester the same way I have in Liverpool. We both love boxing.”