MF & DAZN: X Series 10 – The Prime Card

Date	14 October 2023
Venue	Manchester Arena, Manchester, England
Title(s) on the line	MFB cruiserweight championship
Tale of the tape
Boxer KSI Tommy Fury Nickname The Nightmare TNT Hometown Watford, England Manchester, England Pre-fight record 4–0–0–1 (3 KOs)[a] 9–0 (4 KOs) Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1] 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2] Weight 181.3 lb (82 kg) 182.6 lb (83 kg) Style Orthodox Orthodox Recognition MFB cruiserweight champion WBC Diriyah champion
Result
Fury defeated KSI via Majority Decision.[3] (57–57 Fury, 57–57 Fury, 57–57 Fury)

MF & DAZN: X Series 10 – The Prime Card featuring KSI vs Tommy Fury, billed as Judgement Day, was a cruiserweight professional crossover boxing match contested between English YouTuber KSI and English professional boxer Tommy Fury for the MFB cruiserweight title. The bout took place at Manchester Arena in Manchester, England on 14 October 2023.^[4]

American YouTuber Logan Paul and American mixed martial artist Dillon Danis also headlined the event, billed as a double main event.^[5]

Background and build-up

KSI (left) and Tommy Fury (right)

In November 2019, YouTuber KSI won his professional boxing debut after defeating fellow YouTuber Logan Paul via split decision at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.^[6] Professional boxer Tommy Fury decided to call out KSI to a bout, but KSI declined.^[7]

In February 2023, KSI’s long time rival Jake Paul lost to Fury via split decision in Saudi Arabia.^[8] Paul and Fury were expected to have an immediate rematch, however plans changed after Paul announced he will be facing mixed martial artist Nate Diaz on 5 August, thus Fury exclaimed his interests in pursuing a bout with KSI or TikToker Salt Papi in the future.^[9][10] On 13 May, KSI fought businessman and professional boxer Joe Fournier as the headliner to MF & DAZN: X Series 007 and originally won via a controversial knockout, but afterward this was overruled and judged a no contest, because of an elbow strike.^[11] Shortly after, KSI and Fury shared a stare down after the pair verbally agreeing to face each other next.^[12]

On 22 July, during the broadcast of X Series 008, it was announced that X Series 009 will take place on 14 October.^[13] On 28 July, it was announced that KSI and Logan Paul would both be headlining X Series 10 – The Prime Card as a double main event, with opponents to be announced shortly after, on 14 October at Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.^[14] On 30 July, it was announced that KSI would be facing Fury.^[4] On 8 August, it was announced that Paul would face American mixed martial artist Dillon Danis.^[5]

Press conference

The launch press conference took place on 22 August at Wembley Arena in London.^[15] Paul brought out a cake for Danis’ 30th birthday, which depicted him knocked out while Danis made comments to Paul’s fiancée Nina Agdal.^[16] Fury’s father, John Fury, destroyed the set by launching the tables into the crowd and nearly causing a riot.^[17] After the press conference, Paul and American streamer JiDion got into an argument.^[18]

The final press conference took place on 12 October in Manchester. Paul brought out Chris Hansen and jokingly mocked that he was “going to catch a predator.”^[19] Paul and Danis then got into a brawl which resulted in Danis throwing a microphone at Paul’s face which led him to be escorted out.^[20] Danis and Mike Perry, the backup fighter that was brought to Manchester in case Danis were to withdraw, had a face off.^[21]

Weigh in

KSI (top left), Fury (top right), Paul (bottom left) and Danis (bottom right)

The weigh in took place 13 October at the Manchester Central Convention Complex in Manchester.^[22] Prior to the ceremonial weigh in, Danis accused Paul of missing his contractual weight by weigh in an hour late.^[23] The Professional Boxing Association (PBA), whom are the commission, confirmed on Twitter that Paul did not weigh in an hour late as the weigh in window started at 10:00am BST finishing 1:00pm BST.^{[‡ 1]}

Paul weighed in at 194.4 Ibs while Danis wighed in at 195 Ibs, reaching the maximum limit in their catchweight agreement. KSI weighed in at 183.3 and Fury weighed in at 182.6 Ibs.^[24]

Undercard

On the undercard, American YouTuber Deen the Great and Iraqi Golden Gloves champion Walid Sharks will rematch for the MFB lightweight title after Great defeated Sharks via 3rd round technical knockout on X Series 003.^[25] English YouTuber King Kenny and American mixed martial artist Anthony Taylor will face each other for the vacant MFB light heavyweight title.^[26] Filipino TikToker Salt Papi and American YouTuber Slim Albaher will face each other for the vacant MFB middleweight title.^[27]

Also on the undercard, Brazilian comedian Whindersson Nunes and Thai YouTuber My Mate Nate will face each other.^[28] A tag team bout will take place between “Wassabi Lmao,” which features American and Singaporean YouTubers Alex Wassabi and NichLmao, against “Los Pineda Coladas,” which features American YouTuber BDave and Mexican professional boxer Luis Alcaraz Pineda.^[29]

On the preliminary card, American reality television star Chase DeMoor and English graphic designer Tempo Arts will face each other for the vacant MFB heavyweight title. English OnlyFans models Astrid Wett and Alexia Grace will face each other for the MFB women’s flyweight title. English singer S-X and English rapper DTG will face each other.^[30] English rapper Swarmz and English TikToker Ed Matthews will face each other.^[31]

Fight card

^[b]

Fight summary

Paul vs Danis

Paul walks out first to “Many Men (Wish Death)” by 50 Cent alongside his brother Jake Paul. Danis then walks out to “Freed from Desire” by Gala. After both men were in the ring, The Star-Spangled Banner was sung, with the majority of the crowd booing.^[32]

The 1st round starts and Paul enters in an orthodox stance while Danis enters in a southpaw stance. Danis immediately has his guard up while Paul starts jabbing. In the 2nd round, Danis has his guard up once again, while Paul continually hits Danis with jabs. Paul also lands a right hand that sends Danis to the ropes. Paul continually swings while Danis has his gaurd up. In the 3rd round, Danis has yet to throw any significant shots while Paul continues to do so. Danis then rolls onto his back, inviting Paul into his guard. This resulted in the crowd booing while the referee makes Danis stand up. In the 4th round, Paul is waiting for Danis to throw so he can counter. The crowd began to boo once again after the pair were talking to each other. In the 5th round, Paul begins to showboat while Danis allows it to happen.^[32] In the final round, Danis clinches Paul and attempts a guillotine choke which results in Paul slip out and throws a punch a Danis’ head. Danis begins to chase Paul in the ring before security enter and a brawl takes place in the ring with Jake Paul involved.^[33]

Paul won the bout via disqualification on Danis’ part for attempting to preform a guillotine choke and calls out Rey Mysterio for the WWE United States Championship, setting up a match at WWE Crown Jewel.^[34]

On 16 October, Danis announced on his Twitter account that he would be appealing the result to the Professional Boxing Association claiming Paul committed “multiple offenses”.^[35]

KSI vs Fury

Fury made his ring walk to “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. KSI then walked out to his 2015 single “Lamborghini” while riding in a Lamborghini Gallardo.^[36] English rapper Giggs then appeared and preformed “Talkin the Hardest.”^[3] After both men were in the ring, God Save the King was sung.^[36]

The 1st round starts and both KSI and Fury come out in an orthodox stance. KSI bounces up and down, mimicking the style of Michael ‘Venom’ Page, and both fighters starts to clinch. In the 2nd round, Fury was deducted a point for continually hitting KSI on the back of his head. In the 3rd round, the referee spoke to KSI and Fury reminding them of the rules. In the 4th round, Fury lands a jab right at the start, which led to KSI immediately clinching. The 5th round featured more clinching while Fury began to slow down. In the final round, KSI and Fury indicated more clinching. Fury landed a right hook as KSI atempted to duck.^[36]

Fury won the bout via majority decision, scoring 57-56, 57-56, 57-57.^[3] After the bout, Irish mixed martial artist Conor McGregor expressed his interest in having a bout with KSI on Twitter.^[37]

Majority decision controversy

During the post fight interview, KSI lashed out at Fury, and insisted that the result was a “robbery.”^[38] Many agreed with KSI, including English sports promoter Eddie Hearn, who was in attendance.^[39] KSI intends to appeal the decision to the Professional Boxing Association.^[40]

On 15 October, the results were corrected from majority decision to a unanimous decision victory to Fury due to judge Rafael Ramos, whom had previously scored the bout 57-57 on the scorecard, which was mathematically incorrect.^[41]

Fight details

Weight

On 30 June 2023, KSI uploaded a video onto his YouTube channel stating that Tommy Fury is demanding the fight takes place at 185 Ibs despite both parties verbally agreeing to 180 Ibs with no rehydration clause and gave Fury a deadline to sign the contract by 3 July at 6:00pm BST.^{[‡ 2][42]} On 1 July, Fury responded with an Instagram story stating that the fight will only take place at 185 Ibs and if KSI doesn’t agree, he will rematch Jake Paul in October.^[43] KSI then responded on Twitter accepting to fight at 185 Ibs however requested that they weigh in on the morning of the fight.^{[‡ 3]} On 3 July, Kalle and Nisse Sauerland, promoters of Misfits Boxing, had confirmed that both parties had agreed on the weight.^[44] On 30 July, Misfits Boxing co-owner Mams Taylor confirmed in a Twitter Space that both parties had agreed to 183 Ibs.^{[‡ 4]}

Sanctioning

The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) will not be sanctioning the event. The Professional Boxing Association (PBA), who sanctioned all of KSI’s previous bouts on Misfits Boxing, will be the government body thus resulting in the event originally being documented as an exhibition with professional ruling.^[45] However, On 27 September, KSI vs Fury was listed on BoxRec as a professional bout with the rest of the undercard listed as a “MF–professional” bout.^[46]

Broadcasting

The event will be broadcast on pay-per-view on DAZN at GBP £19.99 for the UK and USD $54.99 for the US while in France, the event will be broadcast on YouTube PPV for 14.99 EUR.^[47] In the UK and Ireland, the event will also be broadcast in cinemas after it was announced that Unique X had partnered up with DAZN on 6 October.^[48] On 12 October, it was announced that the event will be broadcast on ESPN+ in the US.^[49]

Notes

^Note 1 For MFB cruiserweight title
^Note 2 Professional bout
^Note 3 Danis’ professional debut
^Note 4 For vacant MFB middleweight title
^Note 5 For MFB lightweight title
^Note 6 For vacant MFB light heavyweight title
^Note 7 Nunes’ and Nate’s professional debut
^Note 8 For vacant MFB middleweight tag team titles
^Note 9 Tag team match
^Note 10 Matthews’ professional debut
^Note 11 For vacant MFB heavyweight title
^Note 12 For MFB women’s lightweight title
^Note 13 Grace’s professional debut
^Note 14 S-X’s professional debut

References

Primary sources

In the text these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡):