"I just hope he can back it up" - TikTok star Simple Simon reacts to press conference fight with Ed Matthews

On July 16, TikTok stars Simple Simon and Ed Matthews will settle their rivalry when they meet inside the boxing ring to fight for bragging rights.

Last night, 1,500 fans attended the official press conference for the highly-anticipated TikTok fight card. With many personal insults being thrown in either direction by the two headliners, the war of words continued live on stage.

After Matthews' antics appeared to have frustrated Simon, the older man reacted with a punch to Matthews' head. The 19-year-old responded by throwing a heavy right hand back at Simple Simon.

After the incident occurred, the press conference began to wrap up, and Simon spoke to SecondsOut, where he expressed his emotions:

"He [Matthews] started digging me out saying that I'm using people for clout and I didn't really take much notice of it to be honest, he knew that wasn't gonna get to me. So, he started using my daughter and when people start using my family against me, it's a different story."

Simon later added:

"He's just a cocky little t*** and gives it all the mouth but I just hope he can back it up, I'm not like that at all. If I win, nobody will believe it because I am definitely the underdog but trust me, I am doing everything I can to win this fight. I can f****** take a punch, don't worry about that."

With the TikTok clash quickly approaching, there seems to be no holding back in the pre-fight encounters. The pair have been at each other's throats for many months, and, after seeing each other face-to-face, their feud has intensified.

Watch Simple Simon's full interview below:

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TikTok and YouTube boxing - Bringing more eyes to the legendary sport

Although boxing purists are uneasy about the success of TikTok and YouTube boxing, it looks to attract a new audience to the sport.

The influencer contests are definitely bringing new eyes and audiences to boxing. This was proven when Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn promoted KSI vs. Logan Paul in their rematch.

The YouTube stars marketed the fight emphatically, which resulted in a packed Staples Center. Furthermore, the fight generated a total of 1.3 million pay-per-view buys worldwide. This was done through YouTube and the official fight website combined, including over 800,000 live purchases.

Influencer boxing is proving to bring a bigger audience to the sport, which will benefit it significantly in the future. The best example is Jake Paul, who started with a fight against fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib and has since improved to a record of 5-0 with four KOs, including wins over two former UFC fighters.

Watch KSI vs. Logan Paul 2 below: