Bare Knuckle Boxing's Rise From Underground to Mainstream Sport

Bare knuckle boxing has moved from back-alley folklore to arena headliners in less than a decade, driven by former champions willing to trade cushioned gloves for split knuckles and swollen faces.

Victor Ortiz, Joseph Diaz, and Alfredo Angulo will headline Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 56 in Los Angeles on July 18, while Javier Fortuna fights on the International Bare Knuckle Association's U.S. debut card in Miami the same night, promoted by UFC icon Jon Jones. A week later, brothers Fernando Vargas Jr. and Amado Vargas will make their debuts on a BKB show in London. The quartet joins a roster that already includes Paulie Malignaggi, Austin Trout, Jamel Herring, James DeGale, and Lee Selby, as The Ring Magazine reports.

Boxing and MMA Veterans Fuel Bare Knuckle Expansion

Ortiz, who last won a significant fight 15 years ago when he beat Andre Berto for the welterweight title, has competed just three times in professional boxing over the past eight years. "Bare knuckle boxing is dangerous," he told the outlet. "I know it's gonna be a war, and there are going to be fireworks. We're gonna be two bloody individuals, but I will hold my hands up high in victory." The 39-year-old called today's pro boxers a soft generation and said his fire remains.

Mike Perry, who left the UFC in 2021 with a 14-8 MMA record, went 6-0 in bare knuckle before cashing in on boxing and MMA crossover fights. He earned $600,000 for his April 2024 BKFC win against Thiago Alves, who collected $200,000 for getting stopped in the first round. California State Athletic Commission figures show BKFC's Los Angeles event paid $1.369 million in combined guaranteed purses across 12 fights. Eddie Alvarez, Darren Till, Yoel Romero, and Junior Dos Santos are among other MMA names who have joined the bare knuckle ranks.

Andy Foster, executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, said his position shifted after the Association of Boxing Commissions approved unified bare knuckle rules in August 2023. "If you'd asked me 10 years ago about bare knuckle boxing, I was opposed to it. I wasn't a fan. But my thoughts on the subject have evolved," Foster told The Ring. The regulatory approval marked a turning point for a sport once confined to legal limbo, opening doors for sanctioned events in major markets. Promotions including BKFC, BKB, and IBA have since expanded television distribution and international bookings, with July's dual-card weekend marking the latest test of bare knuckle's commercial reach.

Source: ringmagazine.com