Wayne Bridge has dropped out of his scheduled boxing fight against YouTuber KSI just two days after it was announced at Saturday's Misfits event in Manchester. The former Chelsea and Manchester City defender signed on for the March 29 bout, but KSI will now have to find a new opponent after his instant withdrawal.

The 31-year-old, whose real name is Olajide Olatunji, fuelled the fight at the weekend when he taunted Bridge about his ex-girlfriend's alleged affair with team-mate John Terry.

He said: "Aren't you the guy that let John Terry smash your ex?" To which Bridge replied: "You want to go there straightaway, do you?"

KSI then joked that the incident was what the 44-year-old "was known for" before getting the crowd to start signing about Vanessa, his former partner.

It ended in a heated scuffle and seemingly set the tone for the build-up to the event in just over two months.

However, Bridge has hit out at KSI's comments, claiming he crossed the line and will, therefore, have to find an alternative fighter.

"I'm sure a lot of you have seen what happened on Saturday night at the Misfits Boxing event," Bridge wrote in a lengthy Instagram 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.

"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."