After a 6-year-long sabbatical from the ring, Mohammed Faisal, aka Fes Batista, is marking his return to boxing. This time around, he flips the tag from being a professional boxer to an influencer boxer. His aide in this transformation- KSI. 

In his short-lived pro-career, the English fighter clashed against Lawrence Purifoy twice (2015 and 2018), winning both those fights. Having trained under the tutelage of legendary boxer and ace trainer Roy Jones Jr., Fes was poised to be the next big name in English boxing. However, owing to health issues and the Covid-19 pandemic, he never entered the ring again. Now, he is taking the leap again with help from Misfits Boxing to fight Ben Williams. Ahead of the crucial matchup, he wrote an endearing note about the man that made his return to the ring possible.

KSI’s song fueled Fes Batista’s Dreams

A day before he enters the ring, the 32-year-old took to X, to express his gratitude to ‘JJ’. Posting an image of the British YouTuber, Fes wrote, “I work for THIS guy! When my boxing career came crashing down I was depressed. KSI released a song called NOT OVER YET! That gave me fuel and hope…he then opened a company called @MisfitsBoxing and now here I am teaming up with him! DREAMS CAN COME TRUE! @MF_DAZNXSeries.” 

Speaking to Mirror Fighting, he remarked, “I had people in my ear saying, ‘You’re spending all of this money but nothing is happening for you’. KSI then released his song ‘Not Over Yet’ and I love that song because it’s got some very good lyrics. A couple of months after that, he released Misfits. I was looking at what their concept was. Influencers, people with good stories and that are entertaining.”

Released in 2023, “Not Over Yet” is a song by KSI ft. Tom Grennan speaks to the ability of a person to bounce back from adversity. Its relevance in Fes’ life is prominent. His return to the ring comes after having led a life marred by hardships. Through it all, resilient to the core, he fought through, emerging as the world’s “First Influencer Boxer.”

First Influencer Boxer- Fes Batista

In his formative days, Fes was a victim of bullying. “I was convinced that I was disgusting because of the colour of my skin. I was that disgusted in myself that I wanted to kill myself,” he told Mirror. Hearing his story, the WBC roped him in to bring about a change. The body appointed him as the head of anti-bullying, and today he celebrates 12 years of doing that.

His association with KSI’s promotions company, the helm of influencer boxing, does not, however, make him an influencer boxer in accordance with today’s definition of the term. He noted, “I was influencing even before my first pro fight. I’ve been doing anti-bullying work for the World Boxing Council since 2012.”

Also Read: Boxing Update: KSI’s Misfits Boxing Promoters’ Licenses Declared Suspended For Violation of Rules and Regulations

Today, after spearheading massive change, he awaits the gong. It will usher in a new era in his boxing career that he’s been patient about for a while. “It was looking good, and I got in contact with them. Now I’ve been with Misfits since around February last year. We were just waiting for the right fight. I’ve always trained. I would go over to Roy Jones and stay with him for several months. I’ve certainly got enough skills to handle myself in the ring,” stated Fes.

What do you think of Fes Batista’s journey so far? Let us know in the comments section below.

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