Jake Paul may have to shed over one stone in weight if he wants to meet KSI's demands for a highly-anticipated grudge match. The YouTube stars turned boxers have been rivals for years, but have yet to settle their differences in the ring.
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The Weight Disagreement
The latest sticking point in negotiations between the two camps is the issue of weight. Paul has been campaigning at 185lb, but his last fight against Andre August was at the 200lb limit. On the other hand, KSI's last fight against Tommy Fury was at a catchweight of 183lb, but he believes his best fighting weight is 175lb at light-heavyweight.
This leaves KSI's manager, Mams Taylor, insisting that the two fighters meet in the middle and box at 180lb, which is over a stone away from Paul's current weight.
A Fair and Uncomfortable Compromise
Taylor believes that both fighters have a lot to lose, so the weight compromise must be fair and uncomfortable for both. He compares it to the art of negotiating in meditation, where both parties may not feel great about the deal, but also not feel bad.
He states, "And if they’re both prepared to do that then I think we’ll have a fight."
The Weight Issue and the Potential Fight
KSI's manager acknowledges that the weight issue could prevent the mega-fight from happening. Jake Paul has expressed his willingness to fight at 180lb, while KSI's most comfortable weight is 175lb. Taylor believes that if KSI were a full-time professional boxer, his optimal performance weight would be 168lb.
Taylor admits, "So I don’t know if that fight ever happens just because of the weight issues."
Past Weight Demands
KSI was forced to concede to Tommy Fury's demands for a catchweight of 183lb in their fight, which resulted in a controversial decision. Taylor is not keen on making the same mistake twice and having his star fighter compete outside his best weight.
He says, "I don’t think that’s a good idea and I wasn’t in favor of that for Tommy, to be honest."
Breakdown in Relationship
Another obstacle to overcome is the breakdown in the relationship between Mams Taylor and Jake Paul's business partner, Nakisa Bidarian. Taylor plans to hand over negotiations to his Misfists Boxing right-hand man, promoter Kalle Sauerland.
Taylor explains, "I really want that fight to happen, I think the people want it to happen, and I certainly don’t want to be a catalyst for a reason for it not. I think Nakisa and I are like oil and water when it comes to business. So sometimes you just can’t get along with people."
With weight and relationship issues on the table, it remains to be seen if Jake Paul and KSI will ever step into the ring together.
