KSI’s promoter and head of “Misfits Boxing,” Mams Taylor, today confirmed a report indicating the KSI vs Swarmz PPV sales after false reports. The August 27 Misfits X DAZN show at The O2 Arena, featuring two KSI fights including KSI vs Swarmz, sold 445,000 Pay-per-view (PPV) units.
The crossover event was available on PPV in the UK, Ireland, Canada, and the United States. The PPV buys came from these four countries, with the event being live on regular DAZN in the rest of the world. It can be reasonably assumed that most of the buys originated from the US and the UK, with a more significant portion from the UK.
This confirmation followed contradicting reports from “The Mirror” announcing the fight sold 230,000 pay-per-view buys. DAZN’s Joe Markowski previously claimed that 90% of buys came from new subscribers, which represented a significant success if the 445,000 number was accurate, as it would mean almost 400,000 new subscriptions were purchased for DAZN from this event, given that subscribers were required to purchase the event.
DAZN now faced the task of retaining this new wave of subscribers, and they were set to make the first of these efforts with Hasim Rahman Jr vs Vitor Belfort on October 15, with a rumored Misfits X DAZN card to follow on November 19 in the United States. Both of these events were slated to be available on the DAZN subscription and NOT DAZN PPV.
At the time, DAZN had only conducted one PPV boxing event in the US, which was the Canelo Bivol fight in May, stated by promoter Eddie Hearn to have done over 600,000 buys. The KSI vs Swarmz event marked DAZN’s PPV debut in the UK. Based on these PPV figures, DAZN would have likely added over 200,000 subscribers in the UK due to the success of KSI vs Swarmz.
The Genesis of Misfits Boxing and KSI’s Return
Misfits Boxing, founded in 2022 by English internet personality KSI, alongside Mams Taylor, Kalle Sauerland, and Nisse Sauerland, emerged as a prominent promotion focused on the burgeoning crossover boxing phenomenon. Their events, branded as the “MF & DAZN: X Series,” aimed to bring social media personalities and content creators into the boxing ring, creating a unique blend of sport and spectacle. The August 27, 2022, event, officially titled MF & DAZN: X Series 001, marked Misfits Boxing’s inaugural show.
The main attraction of the night was the highly anticipated return of KSI, whose boxing record before this event stood at 1-0 professionally, with an overall record of 2-0-1 including white-collar bouts (a stoppage win over Joe Weller and a draw followed by a split decision victory against Logan Paul). KSI was initially scheduled to face fellow YouTuber Alex Wassabi, but Wassabi was forced to withdraw due to a concussion just weeks before the event. This led to British rapper Swarmz stepping in as a last-minute replacement, taking the fight on only two weeks’ notice and without any prior boxing experience. Adding to the intrigue, KSI announced he would fight twice on the same night, with his second opponent being Mexican professional boxer Luis Alcaraz Pineda, who held a record of 2-5.
Fight Night: Outcomes and Performances
The event at The O2 Arena delivered on its promise of action. In the first of KSI’s two bouts, he faced Swarmz. From the opening bell, KSI asserted his dominance, dropping Swarmz with a right hand in the first round. Although Swarmz managed to beat the count and survive the round, he struggled to offer any significant offense. In the second round, KSI continued his onslaught, landing a chopping left hook that sent Swarmz to the canvas again. The referee promptly stopped the bout, awarding KSI a TKO victory just 28 seconds into the second round. A victorious KSI told DAZN, “I was like cool, get him out and now I’m ready for my next one.”
Later that night, KSI returned to the ring to face Luis Alcaraz Pineda. Despite Pineda being a professional boxer, KSI once again proved too powerful, securing a third-round knockout victory. This win also saw KSI claim the inaugural MFB cruiserweight title, further solidifying his position in the crossover boxing scene. The undercard also featured several other influencer boxing matches, including Deji defeating Fousey via third-round TKO, Sam Hyde stopping IAMTHMPSN in the third round, and Salt Papi securing a first-round knockout against Andy Warski.
Aftermath and Future Implications
The success of MF & DAZN: X Series 001, particularly its impressive PPV numbers, underscored the significant market for crossover boxing events. DAZN’s strategy of attracting new subscribers through these events, with 90% of buys reportedly coming from new sign-ups, proved effective in expanding its audience.
Following this event, Misfits Boxing continued to grow its “X Series.” The rumored October 15 event featuring Hasim Rahman Jr. vs Vitor Belfort was initially planned for Sheffield, England. However, the bout was later postponed and moved to November 19, 2022, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, becoming part of MF & DAZN: X Series 003. Unfortunately, Vitor Belfort withdrew from the fight after testing positive for COVID-19. Hasim Rahman Jr. ultimately faced former NFL player and UFC fighter Greg Hardy on that card, losing via unanimous decision. Rahman Jr. had previously lost to Kenzie Morrison for the WBC-USNBC heavyweight title in April 2022. The main event of MF & DAZN: X Series 003 saw Deen the Great defeat Walid Sharks via third-round TKO for the vacant MFB lightweight title.
KSI himself continued his boxing journey, further building his record under the Misfits banner. In January 2023, he defeated FaZe Temperrr via first-round knockout, retaining his MFB cruiserweight title. His May 2023 fight against professional boxer Joe Fournier, which he initially won by second-round knockout, was later controversially overturned to a No Contest due to an illegal elbow strike. KSI’s first professional loss came in October 2023 against Tommy Fury, whom he lost to via majority decision.
Swarmz also continued his boxing career after his debut against KSI. He secured a first-round TKO victory over Ryan Taylor in January 2023 at X Series 004. However, he subsequently lost to Deji Olatunji via unanimous decision at X Series 007 in May 2023, and suffered a first-round knockout loss to Ed Matthews at X Series 10 in October 2023. Most recently, in November 2024, Swarmz lost a unanimous decision to Luis Alcaraz Pineda at X Series 019. The Misfits Boxing promotion has continued to expand, introducing its “MF Pro” division in June 2024 to sign decorated amateur boxers, indicating a strategic move to integrate more traditional boxing talent alongside its influencer-led events.
