Despite the pushback by hardcore fans, YouTubers and other celebrities in boxing are here to stay.
Due to the unique nature of the fights, influencers have helped bring more eyes to boxing than ever before. The numbers never lie, and the steady stream of sold-out shows and massive streaming statistics prove this is far more than a fad. Of course, that influx stirs up the raging and polarizing debate regarding Jake Paul, KSI, and many others.
Another touchy topic: pound-for-pound rankings.
For as long as they've existed, nobody can seem to agree, and 2023 is no different. Is Terence Crawford or Naoya Inoue the best in the world? What about Oleksandr Usyk? Given that nobody can agree about the official belt holders, it stands to reason that figuring out who reigns supreme among the YouTubers-turned-boxers is a near-impossible challenge.
Challenge accepted.
MORE: The Sporting News: Boxing pound-for-pound list
The Sporting News presents its YouTube boxing rankings, where we rate the top influencers in boxing. We polled our global team of boxing writers and editors, traded notes, and exchanged angry Slacks and DMs until we settled on our final 10.
The criteria for the list was based on the following:
- Overall record | "What have you done for me lately?"
- Popularity in and out of the ring
- Drawing ability
What did we get right? What did we get wrong? Follow the conversation via @SN_fights on Twitter and Instagram, and let us know!
10. King Kenny
- Record: 4-3
In 2022, King Kenny took on two FaZe’s. He would lose to FaZe Temperrr via unanimous decision before dropping a controversial majority decision to FaZe Sensei later that year.
Real name Kenny Ojuederie, he beat DK Money via knockout and lost to Ashley Tebi Rak-Su to open 2023. He then rebounded with wins against My Mate Nate a month later and Whindersson Nunes three months later.
Kenny lost momentum in October against Anthony Taylor, but he wouldn't let that stop him.
King Kenny has over 2.15 million YouTube subscribers and 270.9K followers on TikTok. His drawing power could make him a big name in boxing as time goes on.
Next Fight: No fight scheduled
MORE: Logan Paul WWE and boxing rumors, updates
9. FaZe Temperrr
- Record: 3-2
Known as "The Sniper," Temperrr has traded wins and losses over the years. He won his first fight in 2022 against King Kenny, was knocked out by Slim Albaher, stopped Overtflow, and lost to KSI in January as a replacement opponent. He's back in the win column after beating Ginty in September via TKO.
Temperrr has over 2 million YouTube subscribers, 1.6 million Instagram followers, and 190.9K followers on TikTok.
Next Fight: No fight scheduled
8. Walid Sharks
- Record: 3-2-1
Iraqi YouTuber Walid Sharks started his career fighting Adam Saleh to a draw in 2021. After getting dropped by Deen the Great, he won three in a row against Darius Frazier and Ayye Pap (twice). While his momentum ended following a thrilling loss in the rematch against Deen in October 2023, Sharks is still someone to watch.
Sharks has over 147K subscribers on YouTube, 443K on Instagram, and 581K on TikTok.
Next Fight: No fight scheduled
MORE: Which brother is better at boxing: Jake or Logan Paul?
7. Salt Papi
- Record: 3-2
High on this list previously, recent losses have Salt Papi falling down the rankings.
One of the things Salt Papi has been known for is his charisma and that has been put into overdrive since he joined the boxing scene. The U.K. southpaw beat Halal Ham in 2022 via unanimous decision. A few months later, he gifted fans with one of the greatest knockouts in influencer boxing history when he knocked out Andy Warski in 29 seconds.
Papi followed that up with a knockout win over Josh Brueckner in January 2023. However, he has since lost two in a row against Anthony Taylor and Slim Albaher. The Slim fight in October saw a slimmer Papi suffer severe damage.
He has over 592K subscribers on YouTube, 829K on Instagram, and 63.2K on Twitter/X. While it's back to the drawing board, Salt Papi's colorful personality and impressive skills could see him return to the top of the rankings in no time.
Next Fight: No fight scheduled
6. Logan Paul
- Record: 1-1-2
Yes, Logan Paul has only won one fight, but when it comes to influencer rankings, that doesn't entirely diminish his impact.
The brother of Jake Paul helped make the influencer boxing movement popular by facing KSI in an amateur fight. Taking over the Manchester Arena, the two fought to a draw.
When they met again as professionals, Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing promoted the card at the Staples Center. KSI beat Paul via split decision, but the loser's stock rose due to the event's impact, and the idea of YouTuber boxing blew up to what it is today.
While his brother has had a successful pro career, Logan can take credit for the fact that he went the distance with boxing Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather when they fought in a non-scored affair in Miami.
Paul returned to action in 2023, beating MMA fighter and rival Dillon Danis via DQ. Paul's comeback saw him dominate Danis from the opening bell, landing clean blows against the man who harassed his fiancée for months.
MORE: Why did Logan Paul spend $3.5 million on fake Pokemon cards?
One of the original YouTube influencers on this list, Paul has over 24 million subscribers on his YouTube page. He also hosts a podcast called IMPAULSIVE. Paul has over 6 million followers on Twitter/X, 26.9 million on Instagram, and 16 million on Facebook.
At this moment, Paul has focused on competing in pro wrestling, signing with WWE recently. However, boxing will still be there for him, leaving his placement on the list justified.
Next Fight: No fight scheduled
5. AnEsonGib
- Record: 6-1
The “Seven Figure Gibber” won his first two amateur bouts against MaxPlays and Jay Swingler before being knocked out by Jake Paul in 2020. That was the beginning of Paul's rise, but Gib didn't quit. At the first Social Gloves event in 2021, AnEsonGib beat Tayler Holder. Initially a draw, the result was overturned and AnEsonGib ended up with the win.
Blaming Austin McBroom for the draw, AnEsonGib got a chance to fight him at the next Social Gloves event. When the two finally faced off, AnEsonGib came back from multiple knockdowns and took out McBroom. McBroom went down again in the rematch, proving AnEsonGib's win wasn't a fluke. The latter's last fight was a win over Jarvis in July, which was part of the Kingpyn Boxing Tournament.
AnEsonGib has over 980K Instagram followers and 2.3 million subscribers on YouTube.
Next Fight: No fight scheduled
4. Deen The Great
Record: 5-0
When this pound-for-pound list was first created, Dean the Great was an honorable mention at 2-0. The YouTuber with over 321K subscribers (302.9K on TikTok) has become a top player within influencer boxing.
Deen started his career by beating Evil Hero in 2022. He then beat Walid Sharks, Pully Arif, and YuddyGangTV. The American had his most impressive win when he beat Sharks in a rematch in October 2023. Deen and Sharks landed vicious blows, with the former coming out on top. He’s someone to follow as the MF X DAZN: X Series continues.
MORE: The Sporting News ranks the world's top 12 featherweights
Next Fight: No fight scheduled
3. Slim Albaher
- Record: 7-0
The Sporting News cannot deny Slim Albaher's place as one of the top YouTubers in boxing. He began his career by beating Fousey, N&A, and 3bidaan, but it wasn't until he faced FaZe Temperrr in 2022 that he got some respect. With Blueface taken out of a fight against Temperrr, Slim was right there to take advantage, knocking him out in the second round.
Slim followed it up with a unanimous decision win over Ryan Taylor in October 2022 and a win against Tom Zanetti in January 2023. He knocked out Salt Papi in his last fight, shocking fans all over.
Slim has over 647K YouTube subscribers and 348K followers on Instagram. Creeping up the rankings, Slim is someone to keep an eye on.
Next Fight: No fight scheduled
2. KSI
- Record: 5-1-1 with one no-contest
KSI's fight against Joe Weller inside a sold-out Copper Box Arena was a starting point for YouTube boxing. But was an amateur fight against Logan Paul that swayed Matchroom Boxing Eddie Hearn into making their rematch when both men met as professionals. Main evening at the Staples Center in 2019, the influencer boxing revolution took off following that clash.
While he didn’t fight for two years after, KSI’s name still loomed large in boxing. Everything came together with the MF & DAZN: X Series, a collaboration with Misfits Boxing and DAZN. The first event was KSI vs. rapper Swarmz and boxer Luis Alcaraz Pineda. KSI beat them both via knockout. That show took place in a sold-out O2 Arena, an accomplishment in its own right. While FaZe Temperrr was a replacement fighter in his next bout (standing in for Dillon Danis), KSI still looked impressive, knocking him out in the first round.
MORE: What does KSI stand for and how did he get famous?
KSI's biggest fight to date was against Tommy Fury, the half-brother of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. While he lost via a close unanimous decision, KSI held his own against the boxer and he plans to appeal the verdict.
Thanks to boxing, YouTube, and music, KSI has one of the top social media followings in the world. KSI has over 40 million YouTube subscribers, a combination of his regular and music pages. He also has 8.9 million followers on Twitter/X, 13.2 million followers on Instagram, 5 million on Facebook, and 11.7 million on TikTok.
Next Fight: No fight scheduled, but is rumored to be facing Jake Paul.
1. Jake Paul
- Record: 8-1
You could not rank YouTube boxers without including one of the most successful influencers in the world.
Jake Paul may have lost momentum after losing to Tommy Fury in January 2023, but that does not diminish his achievements. Paul has knocked out Deji and AnEsonGib, two YouTubers who have been on this list previously. He has also taken out former NBA star Nate Robinson, former Bellator champion Ben Askren, and former UFC champion Tyron Woodley twice. In October 2022, "The Problem Child" beat Anderson Silva, one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time who had also moonlighted as a pro boxer.
Following multiple attempts to get the fight made, Paul faced and lost to Fury in February 2023, though he was given credit for a knockdown in the final round. While disenchanted by his first loss, he bounced back in August to defeat MMA fighter Nate Diaz. He also knocked out Andre August in December 2023, proving he can beat a legitimate boxing.
MORE: How much money has Jake Paul made in his career?
Paul has helped bring a new audience to boxing thanks to Most Valuable Promotions, working with Showtime, ESPN, and DAZN. As a promoter, Paul also helped increase Amanda Serrano’s profile, resulting in a 2022 Fight of the Year against Katie Taylor.
Due to his creative social media posts, Jake Paul's following has dramatically increased over time. His YouTube page has over 20 million subscribers. He also has 5 million Facebook followers, 4.6 million Twitter/X followers, over 25 million Instagram followers, and 17.3 million TikTok followers.
Next Fight: TBA