YouTube star Alex Stein’s much-anticipated boxing bout with TikTok sensation Mo Deen has been called off due to a contentious incident that took place during the press conference.
The two social media influencers were set to face each other in a Misfits Boxing event this weekend, but the situation quickly escalated when Stein threw what appeared to be hot dogs at his opponent.
During the press conference, Stein stood up, approached Mo Deen, and said, “I brought you a little gift because I know you love hotdogs,” before launching the sausages in his direction. This act clearly agitated Mo Deen, who reacted with fury and attempted to confront Stein on the spot. Security had to intervene to prevent any further escalation.
What made this incident particularly controversial was Mo Deen’s religious beliefs. As a practicing Muslim, he follows the dietary restrictions of Islam, which prohibit the consumption of pork (haram). Stein’s actions were seen as disrespectful and offensive, considering he targeted Mo Deen with a food item that goes against his religious beliefs.
Misfits Boxing promptly responded to the incident and decided to remove Stein from the card. In a letter shared by Stein on his social media, Misfits cited that his actions not only caused an incident between the two but also resulted in damage to the press conference stage. This led to a tarnishing of Misfits Boxing’s reputation and that of its partners.
MIsfits was founded by KSI, who had his own run in with racism. KSI apologized for using a racist slur in a Sidemen video back in April and announced his decision to take a break from social media.
Stein initially tried to downplay the situation by claiming that the sausages he threw were made from turkey, not pork. However, this explanation did not suffice for the event organizers or Mo Deen, who expressed his disappointment over the cancellation on Twitter.
The incident also revealed Stein’s political leanings, as he is known to be a supporter of former President Donald Trump. His controversial actions at the press conference have sparked debates online, with some expressing outrage and others questioning the sincerity of his apology.