KSI will need ‘two or three’ bouts before ‘the ultimate fight’ against YouTube rival Jake Paul, his trainer Viddal Riley admitted.
Riley has cornered close friend KSI – real name Olajide William Olatunji – for his two fights.
The second was a rematch win over Jake’s brother Logan in November.
It has set KSI up with a grudge match against younger brother Jake, who is 2-0 in his own pro career and set to fight ex-UFC welterweight Ben Askren next.
With the American far more active in the ring, coach and 4-0 cruiserweight Riley revealed he wants KSI to have a few warm-up fights before risking bragging rights against Jake.
He said on his YouTube channel: “The first rule of battle is to never underestimate your opponent. I won’t underestimate Jake by any means.
“So, why would I send JJ, or advise JJ, to go straight into a fight with Jake when this guy’s sparring all the time, he’s fighting often.
“It wouldn’t make sense. So what we’re looking at realistically guys, JJ’s going to want to have 2-3 fights before stepping in the ring against Jake.
“Because, he needs that to enhance and hone his skills, to be ready for the ultimate fight that is left in this YouTube thing, which is Jake Paul.
“Why would I let him go straight into a fight with Jake?”
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Jake, 24, beat KSI’s brother ‘Deji’ in an exhibition bout in 2018, the night KSI, 27, and Logan, 25, drew.
A year later KSI won the rematch by split-decision after Logan received a two-point deduction.
Since then, Jake has had two wins as a pro, both by knockout, against fellow YouTuber ‘AnEsonGib’ – who Riley trained – and ex-NBA star Nate Robinson.
And he faces retired MMA fighter Askren on April 17 – making it a trio of bouts since KSI was last in the ring.
Riley, 23, warned by the time he has prepared KSI to settle the score with Jake, it will likely be the end of 2022.
He said: “So, JJ has two-three fights, let’s say these are not bunched together, there’s a couple of months in between each fight, including the camp.
“This fight won’t even happen until earliest, and obviously the pandemic, earliest the last few months of 2022.
“Because he needs to get in there again and he needs to get used to how it feels to be a boxer.”
