KSI reveals new opponent after Ivan Nikolov tattoo controversy
After Ivan Nikolov faced backlash for a “white power” tattoo on his abdomen, KSI announced his replacement opponent for the ‘2 fights in 1 night’ PPV event.
KSI was set to fight up-and-coming influencer boxer Alex Wassabi during a pay-per-view event on August 27. However, after Wassabi reportedly suffered a concussion, he was forced to find a new opponent.
Dodging a challenge from Jake Paul, KSI announced he would take on UK-based rapper Swarmz. Fans expected an underwhelming bout, but that was before he announced he would be competing in two fights on the same night.
Following his face-off with Swarmz, KSI was slated to fight pro boxer Ivan Nikolov. However, when fans discovered a large “white power” tattoo stretching across Nikolov’s stomach, a wave of backlash resulted in KSI dropping the pro boxer from his card.
KSI announced Nikolov’s replacement fighter
Although Nikolov was no longer a part of the event, KSI wasn’t going to back down from the ‘two fights in one night’ challenge. On August 20, he announced on Twitter that his new second opponent will be Luis Alcaraz Pineda.
Pineda is a boxer from Mexico who fights in the Super Lightweight division. He’s participated in seven bouts since 2017 with a record of 2-5. Coming off of four straight losses – the last being in March of this year – and weighing considerably less makes him quite the underdog.
KSI’s card has undergone some substantial changes since the event was announced earlier this year. But with a week to go before the fights, he is locked in to fight two opponents on the same night.