Former Chelsea and England footballer Wayne Bridge has withdrawn from his boxing match with KSI, accusing the YouTuber of ‘crossing a line’.
It was announced last week that 31-year-old KSI, who runs and competes in Misfits Boxing, would fight Bridge, 44, in March. But the bout did not survive for long, with Bridge cancelling the contest after a face-off with KSI on Saturday (18 January).
As the retired footballer faced off with the social-media star, KSI (real name Olajide Olatunji) made several insulting references to Bridge’s history with former teammate John Terry. After Bridge split from Vanessa Perroncel, the mother of his first child, in 2009, Terry allegedly had a relationship with Perroncel.
“You want to go there straight away, do you?” Bridge asked, after KSI brought up the episode. “You wanted it, mate. You can get it. 29 [March], you’ll find out. When the cameras are on, you are all mouth.”
A brawl ensued as KSI pushed Bridge, who on Monday (20 January) announced his withdrawal from the fight.
“I’m sure a lot of you have seen what happened on Saturday night at the Misfits Boxing event,” he wrote in a statement. “Firstly, I think it’s important that I explain my reason for accepting the fight.
“I always like to challenge myself. This felt like a good opportunity to go up against an interesting opponent on a big stage. I have always loved boxing as part of my everyday training routine. I was fully prepared to train hard and have some fun.
“Of course, I expected to face some criticism, but I feel like what was said on Saturday crossed a line. These are deeply personal comments that affect mine and other families involved in the situation. I’m a family man first and my priority is protecting them.
“My opponent is someone that many children look up to around the world, including my kids. I hope one day he will look back on this differently. I personally don’t want to be involved in these exchanges. I will no longer be fighting on March 29.
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“I’m still looking out for my next big challenge and have some exciting things coming up in 2025. Thanks for all the love. The support has been overwhelming. I want my friends and family to know how special they are. Deep down I know this is the right thing to do.”
Bridge, who retired from football in 2014, is now married to Frankie Sandford of the pop group The Saturdays. The couple have two children together.
