Less than two days after the showdown with KSI, Wayne Bridge has decided to take a step back from the pair's planned fight.
The duo signed up to compete on March 29 and had their first WWE-style showdown at the Misfits Boxing show in Manchester on Saturday evening. The 44-year-old football sensation came from ringside to challenge his YouTuber rival and looked stunned as he faced off.
But within seconds, KSI had limited himself to mocking Bridge over a personal issue that had arisen between his wife and former teammate John Terry during his playing days. And now Bridge has chosen to skip the controversial fight altogether.
KSI vs Wayne Bridge was canceled after two days
On Saturday night, Darren Till made an explosive entrance into the Misfits Boxing world when he viciously knocked out Anthony Taylor in the main event. He was due to face Tommy Fury, but the Love Islander pulled out over fears he would be kicked out if the fight escaped ex-UFC star Till.
But before the main event, perhaps the biggest news story of the night came when promotion boss KSI announced his own return to the ring just before the main event. He endured a painfully cringe skit before settling on Premier League winner Wayne Bridge as his next opponent.
The pair faced off and immediately KSI took to mocking Bridge over an alleged affair his ex-wife had with his Chelsea and England teammate John Terry. The veracity of the rumor is unclear years later, but it was clear enough to offend the football star as he withdrew from the fight on March 29.
Wayne Bridge's full statement as he withdraws from the KSI fight
“I'm sure many of you saw what happened Saturday night at the Misfits Boxing event,” Bridge wrote in a lengthy statement on his Instagram Story. “First of all, I think it is important that I explain why I accept the fight. I always like to challenge myself.
“This felt like a good opportunity to compete against an interesting opponent on a big stage. I have always loved boxing as part of my daily training routine. I was fully prepared to train hard and have fun. Of course I expected some criticism, but I feel like what was said on Saturday crossed a line.
Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images
“These are very personal comments that impact mine and other families involved in the situation. I am a family man first and my priority is to protect them. My opponent is someone that many children around the world look up to, including my children.
“I hope he will look back on this differently one day. Personally, I don't want to be involved in these exchanges. I will no longer fight on March 29th. I'm still looking forward to my next big challenge and there are some exciting things in store for 2025.
“Thank you for all the love. The support was overwhelming. I want my friends and family to know how special they are. Deep down I know this is the right thing to do.”
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