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Joshua Oxendine and Mark Irwin will clash to become BYB Extreme‘s first-ever 135-pound champion at BYB 17: Brawl at Rock Hill on May 13th.

The pugilistic proceedings broadcast on combatcast.tv/byb and the show will kick-off at 7 PM EST.

Oxendine spoke to Dylan Bowker of Bare Knuckle News before this historic championship effort. Excerpts from the chat can be found below.

Joshua Oxendine

The last time out was historic because it was the first regulated bare-knuckle event in South Carolina history. Now you get a chance to make more history in the state with the opportunity to become BYB’s first male lightweight champion. Do you enjoy that kind of synergy with the whole thing?

“Yeah, it’s pretty dope. It’s a blessing from God that I was able to fight on the first show in South Carolina history in bare-knuckle. I fought a lot in South Carolina. Then to be able to come back and be BYB’s first lightweight champion, first 135 champion, and then also the first champion in bare-knuckle in South Carolina history. That would be the first.”

Joshua Oxendine continued, “So it would be pretty cool. I’m excited. Not taking it for granted. I’m working hard mentally, physically, and emotionally to make sure I go out there and do what I did my past two events which is knock him out.”

Joshua Oxendine vs Mark Irwin

Mark Irwin commented on the result post of your last fight and said “If he got dropped by that tomato can, just imagine what’s going to happen to this little altar boy when I catch him on the chin?”. Also, described it as easy work and said he was the true lightweight champ. What’s your response to that there?

“You know, he talks too much. So May 13th, he won’t be talking anymore. He’ll be sipping through a straw. So, if you’re really worried about what Mark has to say then you’re kind of bored. You don’t have too much to do during the day because he talks out the side of his neck.”

Joshua Oxendine continued, “So I ain’t really worried about Mark or what he’s talking about because of the fact that he got dropped in his first BKFC fight against an opponent who has I think a 4-15 boxing record. So Cody Jenkins would knock out Mark Irwin. We’ll see, he won’t last long. I’ll finish him faster than I finished Cody Jenkins. So I ain’t really worried about Mark… That was his biggest mistake of his career; signing the contract to fight me.”

BYB 17

Interesting parallels in this one with both of you being 2-0 in bare-knuckle boxing with a pair of stoppages each. What do you think of the X’s and O’s of what Irwin’s good at in the Mighty Trigon and also his resume?

“I’m not looking past Mark, I’m just looking through him. He’s 4-0 just like I’m 4-0. 2-0 in Boxing, 2-0 in bare-knuckle. You know, I just don’t see his game that great (laughs). Like I spar amateurs better than Mark. So I’m not taking him lightly. His mouth is better than his hands, let’s just say that. But like I said, we’ve got to get in there to fight. So I don’t talk a lot like that. I let him run his mouth on social media.”

Joshua Oxendine continued, “I let him post his little videos. But May 13th, he has to get in there with me and when he does his coaches can’t get in there with him. His friends can’t get in there with him. His family can’t get in there with him. It’s just going to be me and him. When he says fight and I hit him, his whole life’s going to completely change.”

BYB 17: Brawl at Rock Hill

I saw you had a post saying when it’s all said and done, you’ll be one of the best bare-knuckle fighters in the world. How much is this fight going to jettison you towards that goal?

“This fight is just; to me, it’s everything for me. Not just because it’s for a title. Not just because, you know, it’s in Rock Hill. I’m going out there to go 3-0 with three finishes. They call me ‘The Preacherman’ because I baptize people. Imma continue to do that and take people out… I don’t do wars. Don’t do five-round wars where we’re bloody. I don’t do none of that. I do knockout of the nights, I do finishes.”

Joshua Oxendine continued, “May 13th, Baby Shark will get finished. I will be 3-0, I will be a world champion, and then sky’s the limit. I’m the face of BYB and imma continue to be the face of BYB. So when it comes May 13th, my hand will get raised, I will have a belt around my waist, and we’ll go have a good night.”

The post Joshua Oxendine: Mark Irwin Will “Be Sipping Through a Straw” After BYB 17 appeared first on Bare Knuckle News.

Mark Irwin and Joshua Oxendine will clash to become BYB Extreme‘s first-ever 135-pound champion at BYB 17: Brawl at Rock Hill on May 13th.

The pugilistic proceedings broadcast on combatcast.tv/byb and the show will kick-off at 7 PM EST.

‘The Shark’ has long felt like he’s among the best bare-knuckle boxers on the planet but this fight provides him with some hardware to further convey that idea.

Irwin spoke to Dylan Bowker of Bare Knuckle News before this historic championship effort. Excerpts from the chat can be found below.

Mark Irwin

What was your temperament when this huge championship bout offer came your way?

“I was extremely excited. You know, it’s been a real up-and-down journey for me. I think I was a little surprised, to be honest. Just coming off of an injury and having been out for almost a year. To be able to come back to the biggest fight possible, a world championship title fight. The inaugural BYB lightweight bare-knuckle boxing championship, it’s a tremendous honor.”

Mark Irwin continued, “I’m extremely excited. I can’t wait to go out there and put on another spectacular, highlight reel, knockout of the year-contending performance and bring that belt back with me to Huntington Beach, California; fight city USA.”

BYB Extreme

Having fought in both BKFC and BYB Extreme, what are some of the differences between competing in the squared circle versus in The Mighty Trigon?

“Yeah, you know it is very different. I’m fortunate that I’ve been able to fight for the two largest promotions in the sport. BKFC, fighting in the squared circle, right, it’s a large circular ring that allows for a lot of movement and footwork. It’s great if you want to use lateral movement. Circle and turn your opponent. You can keep spinning that thing forever, it’s really hard to back somebody up because of the shape of the ring.”

“Whereas in BYB, in the Trigon, which is the world’s smallest combat sports surface, there’s really nowhere to go. So it forces the confrontation, forces the action. If you take three back steps you’re gonna end up on the rope or in the corner. One of the things to consider too about the Mighty Trigon is that because there’s only three corners instead of four, the angles of each corner is substantially more narrow.”

Mark Irwin continued, “Being I think 60 or 66 degrees as opposed to ninety degrees which makes it tougher to get out of if you do end up getting backed up into that corner. So considerations as far as movement, distance, and footwork all need to be taken into account for the different surfaces and shapes of the ring. I love fighting in the Trigon. It is the world’s most dangerous combat sports ring and it really adds to the level of excitement.”

Mark Irwin vs Joshua Oxendine

There are certain similarities between you and Joshua Oxendine with both of you having 2-0 records in bare-knuckle boxing with a pair of stoppages each. What are your thoughts on Oxendine’s BYB Extreme resume leading into this?

“Oxendine, he’s a tough opponent. He’s got a lot of experience but at the end of the day, his skillset is not on par with my skillset. His tools are more limited than my tools. I’m a better boxer, I hit harder. I have a higher fight IQ. I’m tougher, I got more heart, I got bigger balls. I’m better looking, my tattoos are better, I talk better. I do everything better, you know.”

Mark Irwin continued, “Oxendine’s gonna come in, he’s gonna do what he’s gonna do; tough country boy. But at the end of the day, being a tough guy in this sport is going to get you hurt. That’s exactly what’s going to happen to Joshua Oxendine, the altar boy, on May 13th. I’m gonna knock him out viciously, violently, and emphatically.”

Photo via BYB Extreme on Instagram

BYB 17: Brawl at Rock Hill

You see the knockout manifesting in this fight. Is there something you see in his approach that lends itself to that belief or is it more of just realizing what you bring to the table?

“It’s both. I’m an undefeated, award-winning prizefighter with a world-class team around me. With world championship coaches in MMA, boxing, strength and conditioning. My sparring partners are all world-class. My resume speaks for itself. As far as Oxendine is concerned, look he has eight professional losses in his combative sports career.”

Mark Irwin continued, “Nine as far as I’m concerned, six or seven of which are stoppages. He’s a tough kid but he’s dumb. He lacks the skills and quite frankly he lacks heart. He’s been stopped many times, he’s gonna get stopped again, and that’s an inevitable conclusion.”

The post Mark Irwin: Joshua Oxendine “Lacks Heart” and Will “Get Stopped Again” at BYB 17 appeared first on Bare Knuckle News.

Joshua Oxendine and Mark Irwin will clash to become BYB Extreme‘s first-ever 135-pound champion at BYB 17: Brawl at Rock Hill on May 13th.

The pugilistic proceedings broadcast on combatcast.tv/byb and the show will kick-off at 7 PM EST.

Oxendine spoke to Dylan Bowker of Bare Knuckle News before this historic championship effort. Excerpts from the chat can be found below.

Joshua Oxendine

The last time out was historic because it was the first regulated bare-knuckle event in South Carolina history. Now you get a chance to make more history in the state with the opportunity to become BYB’s first male lightweight champion. Do you enjoy that kind of synergy with the whole thing?

“Yeah, it’s pretty dope. It’s a blessing from God that I was able to fight on the first show in South Carolina history in bare-knuckle. I fought a lot in South Carolina. Then to be able to come back and be BYB’s first lightweight champion, first 135 champion, and then also the first champion in bare-knuckle in South Carolina history. That would be the first.”

Joshua Oxendine continued, “So it would be pretty cool. I’m excited. Not taking it for granted. I’m working hard mentally, physically, and emotionally to make sure I go out there and do what I did my past two events which is knock him out.”

Joshua Oxendine vs Mark Irwin

Mark Irwin commented on the result post of your last fight and said “If he got dropped by that tomato can, just imagine what’s going to happen to this little altar boy when I catch him on the chin?”. Also, described it as easy work and said he was the true lightweight champ. What’s your response to that there?

“You know, he talks too much. So May 13th, he won’t be talking anymore. He’ll be sipping through a straw. So, if you’re really worried about what Mark has to say then you’re kind of bored. You don’t have too much to do during the day because he talks out the side of his neck.”

Joshua Oxendine continued, “So I ain’t really worried about Mark or what he’s talking about because of the fact that he got dropped in his first BKFC fight against an opponent who has I think a 4-15 boxing record. So Cody Jenkins would knock out Mark Irwin. We’ll see, he won’t last long. I’ll finish him faster than I finished Cody Jenkins. So I ain’t really worried about Mark… That was his biggest mistake of his career; signing the contract to fight me.”

BYB 17

Interesting parallels in this one with both of you being 2-0 in bare-knuckle boxing with a pair of stoppages each. What do you think of the X’s and O’s of what Irwin’s good at in the Mighty Trigon and also his resume?

“I’m not looking past Mark, I’m just looking through him. He’s 4-0 just like I’m 4-0. 2-0 in Boxing, 2-0 in bare-knuckle. You know, I just don’t see his game that great (laughs). Like I spar amateurs better than Mark. So I’m not taking him lightly. His mouth is better than his hands, let’s just say that. But like I said, we’ve got to get in there to fight. So I don’t talk a lot like that. I let him run his mouth on social media.”

Joshua Oxendine continued, “I let him post his little videos. But May 13th, he has to get in there with me and when he does his coaches can’t get in there with him. His friends can’t get in there with him. His family can’t get in there with him. It’s just going to be me and him. When he says fight and I hit him, his whole life’s going to completely change.”

BYB 17: Brawl at Rock Hill

I saw you had a post saying when it’s all said and done, you’ll be one of the best bare-knuckle fighters in the world. How much is this fight going to jettison you towards that goal?

“This fight is just; to me, it’s everything for me. Not just because it’s for a title. Not just because, you know, it’s in Rock Hill. I’m going out there to go 3-0 with three finishes. They call me ‘The Preacherman’ because I baptize people. Imma continue to do that and take people out… I don’t do wars. Don’t do five-round wars where we’re bloody. I don’t do none of that. I do knockout of the nights, I do finishes.”

Joshua Oxendine continued, “May 13th, Baby Shark will get finished. I will be 3-0, I will be a world champion, and then sky’s the limit. I’m the face of BYB and imma continue to be the face of BYB. So when it comes May 13th, my hand will get raised, I will have a belt around my waist, and we’ll go have a good night.”

The post Joshua Oxendine: Mark Irwin Will “Be Sipping Through a Straw” After BYB 17 appeared first on Bare Knuckle News.

Mark Irwin and Joshua Oxendine will clash to become BYB Extreme‘s first-ever 135-pound champion at BYB 17: Brawl at Rock Hill on May 13th.

The pugilistic proceedings broadcast on combatcast.tv/byb and the show will kick-off at 7 PM EST.

‘The Shark’ has long felt like he’s among the best bare-knuckle boxers on the planet but this fight provides him with some hardware to further convey that idea.

Irwin spoke to Dylan Bowker of Bare Knuckle News before this historic championship effort. Excerpts from the chat can be found below.

Mark Irwin

What was your temperament when this huge championship bout offer came your way?

“I was extremely excited. You know, it’s been a real up-and-down journey for me. I think I was a little surprised, to be honest. Just coming off of an injury and having been out for almost a year. To be able to come back to the biggest fight possible, a world championship title fight. The inaugural BYB lightweight bare-knuckle boxing championship, it’s a tremendous honor.”

Mark Irwin continued, “I’m extremely excited. I can’t wait to go out there and put on another spectacular, highlight reel, knockout of the year-contending performance and bring that belt back with me to Huntington Beach, California; fight city USA.”

BYB Extreme

Having fought in both BKFC and BYB Extreme, what are some of the differences between competing in the squared circle versus in The Mighty Trigon?

“Yeah, you know it is very different. I’m fortunate that I’ve been able to fight for the two largest promotions in the sport. BKFC, fighting in the squared circle, right, it’s a large circular ring that allows for a lot of movement and footwork. It’s great if you want to use lateral movement. Circle and turn your opponent. You can keep spinning that thing forever, it’s really hard to back somebody up because of the shape of the ring.”

“Whereas in BYB, in the Trigon, which is the world’s smallest combat sports surface, there’s really nowhere to go. So it forces the confrontation, forces the action. If you take three back steps you’re gonna end up on the rope or in the corner. One of the things to consider too about the Mighty Trigon is that because there’s only three corners instead of four, the angles of each corner is substantially more narrow.”

Mark Irwin continued, “Being I think 60 or 66 degrees as opposed to ninety degrees which makes it tougher to get out of if you do end up getting backed up into that corner. So considerations as far as movement, distance, and footwork all need to be taken into account for the different surfaces and shapes of the ring. I love fighting in the Trigon. It is the world’s most dangerous combat sports ring and it really adds to the level of excitement.”

Mark Irwin vs Joshua Oxendine

There are certain similarities between you and Joshua Oxendine with both of you having 2-0 records in bare-knuckle boxing with a pair of stoppages each. What are your thoughts on Oxendine’s BYB Extreme resume leading into this?

“Oxendine, he’s a tough opponent. He’s got a lot of experience but at the end of the day, his skillset is not on par with my skillset. His tools are more limited than my tools. I’m a better boxer, I hit harder. I have a higher fight IQ. I’m tougher, I got more heart, I got bigger balls. I’m better looking, my tattoos are better, I talk better. I do everything better, you know.”

Mark Irwin continued, “Oxendine’s gonna come in, he’s gonna do what he’s gonna do; tough country boy. But at the end of the day, being a tough guy in this sport is going to get you hurt. That’s exactly what’s going to happen to Joshua Oxendine, the altar boy, on May 13th. I’m gonna knock him out viciously, violently, and emphatically.”

Photo via BYB Extreme on Instagram

BYB 17: Brawl at Rock Hill

You see the knockout manifesting in this fight. Is there something you see in his approach that lends itself to that belief or is it more of just realizing what you bring to the table?

“It’s both. I’m an undefeated, award-winning prizefighter with a world-class team around me. With world championship coaches in MMA, boxing, strength and conditioning. My sparring partners are all world-class. My resume speaks for itself. As far as Oxendine is concerned, look he has eight professional losses in his combative sports career.”

Mark Irwin continued, “Nine as far as I’m concerned, six or seven of which are stoppages. He’s a tough kid but he’s dumb. He lacks the skills and quite frankly he lacks heart. He’s been stopped many times, he’s gonna get stopped again, and that’s an inevitable conclusion.”

The post Mark Irwin: Joshua Oxendine “Lacks Heart” and Will “Get Stopped Again” at BYB 17 appeared first on Bare Knuckle News.

Chris Camozzi clashes with Dan Spohn at BKFC 41 on April 29th headlined by Luke Rockhold vs Mike Perry.

The fistic fireworks broadcast on the BKFC TV App and Fite TV with the main card kicking off at 9 PM Eastern time.

Chris Camozzi spoke to Dylan Bowker of Bare Knuckle News to touch on his cruiserweight title goals in the company, how this upcoming fight bares a lot of resemblances to the prior BKFC bout, plus a whole lot more. Excerpts from the chat can be found below.

Chris Camozzi

It seems to embolden a little something extra getting to fight in Denver. Can you speak to why that’s the case?

“ Just growing up here. I’ve got a lot of friends, family, and fans here. You know, this is my city. So everybody has gotten to see me. Getting to fight in my city later in my career is always exciting to me. Especially at the big arenas.”

To your point of seeking out a multi-fight arrangement, is that oriented to a BKFC title pursuit or to ensure a consistent schedule competing?

“Both actually. You hit it on the head. Obviously, any promotion I fight for, I want to be champion. That’s why we do this. My last conversation with (David) Feldman when we got this fight worked out was that he would be making me an offer for a multi-fight deal with title pay and all that in there. As long as I do my job and get myself there. So yeah I mean, Lorenzo Hunt’s definitely in my sights… Bare-knuckle title is definitely in my sights.”

BKFC 41

What’s your assessment of the dual division titleholder and #2 pound-for-pound ranked, Hunt?

“Lorenzo Hunt I think right now is the best guy in bare-knuckle because he’s got two belts. He’s got a ton of wins, I think he has one loss. I think that he’s already kind of beat everybody in the division. I’m new here but I’ve been fighting forever. I’ve got a name and everything else that comes with it. So I think putting together another knockout win here should get me that title shot… If I go out there and knock out Dan Spohn right away, of course they’re going to want to see me fight Lorenzo Hunt.”

What’s your familiarity level with the top five ranked cruiserweights in BKFC?

“I’ve seen most of them fight, I believe. I’ve seen (Quentin) Henry fight a couple of times. Who else did you mention? There was one name I didn’t recognize in there. What other two did you mention?… I’m not familiar with Gustavo. Trujillo, is that what you said? Then Houston Alexander yeah I mean, I asked for that fight before. With Houston being in Omaha, I’m in Denver, we’re real close. So I was like let us headline a show there because we can draw in both cities. We’re driving distance.”

BKFC

Who are some of the competitors within you’re weight class you’ve been wanting to test skills with?

“They threw Dan Spohn at me which I was surprised. I didn’t know that he was interested in bare-knuckle. I keep calling out some of these guys that are bare-knuckle veterans and I keep getting the MMA guys, so. I asked for (Quentin) Henry also, I asked for that Anthony Holmes who won the, I don’t know, European belt. I’ve asked for most of the top guys and didn’t get a response.”

Why were you surprised to see Dan Spohn as your opponent here?

“I’ve known him (Dan Spohn) for a while. With guys not being in bare-knuckle yet, you kind of have no idea until they get signed. Just like when they signed (Luke) Rockhold, you know. I think everyone was surprised like oh, man. Just because he wasn’t even talking about it, mentioning it, lobbying for it.”

Chris Camozzi continued, “Same with Dan. I never heard him say the words bare-knuckle ever before. So obviously I’m super familiar with him. When they said his name, I don’t have to look him up or anything. Him and I were just in the PFL tournament together a couple of years ago.”

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

How do you gameplan for someone making their debut in a new combat sport?

“Even in MMA, I don’t gameplan very much. I’ll watch a little bit of tape but I don’t focus too much on my opponent. I always just focus more on me. Sharpening everything I’ve got and coming in as my best self. I think when I’m on my best that nobody will beat me.”

What combat sports skills does Dan Spohn have that can be transferrable to bare-knuckle boxing?

“I would say his MMA career, he was primarily a striker. Mostly boxing. So the transition for him should be pretty similar. I think that he fights a lot like Bubba McDaniel did or does. So with Dan Spohn being a southpaw, Bubba was, I basically have already been training to fight this guy for months on end. My training camp was real similar from Bubba to Dan. I think they have a lot of similar attributes. The size, wanting to throw the check hook off a lot of things.”

Chris Camozzi continued, “Just things that I’m aware of and we’re both southpaw. So I’ve been fortunate, I guess you could say fortunate, that if you look at my career, I’ve actually fought a ton of southpaws. Like a lot of people will go with most of their career and fight like two. I think I fought like twelve. Something like that, there’s a ton of the. So I’m familiar with fighting both stances and fighting that way doesn’t really throw me off. Yeah I guess to sum that question up is just, he’s real similar to Bubba and my plan is the same.”

The post Chris Camozzi on BKFC 41 “Another Knockout Win Here Should Get Me That Title Shot” appeared first on Bare Knuckle News.

Eddie Alvarez tests skills with Chad Mendes at BKFC 41: Perry vs. Rockhold on April 29th.

The fistic fireworks broadcast on the BKFC TV App and Fite TV with the main card kicking off at 9 PM Eastern time.

Alvarez spoke with Dylan Bowker of Bare Knuckle News and excerpts from the pre-fight chat are below.

Eddie Alvarez

This is really one of those fights that just jumps off a poster. What was the temperament when this forum fantasy matchup offer came your way? I imagine you were quite excited.

“Yeah, I like that. You know, Chad’s always been a beast all throughout MMA. Even up until he retired, he still was going against the best guys in the world. So yeah, he’s a lot like myself where he didn’t take on any small-time competition. He fought the best guys in his division, went after them. Whether he came up short or whether he won, he fought the best guys and his path was honest. Well, somewhat honest.”

Eddie Alvarez continued, “So I like his fights, I like his fight style, and even better, I think we match up even better in a bare-knuckle match than we do in MMA. I think it’s more appealing to the fans. Cuts out all the lulls, all the stalling, and we get right down to action.”

Considering your early street fighting days in Kensington, will this be the most capably violent Eddie Alvarez we’ve ever seen?

“Yeah like a lot of people were like hey, so this is your first bare-knuckle fight. Yeah, I guess. The first one I’ve got paid for (laughs). I mean this is how I started my career. This is why like I joined fighting period because I just kind of did really well in street fights. I never lost a street fight in my entire life. I believed that at a certain age, I couldn’t be beat in a fight.”

Eddie Alvarez continued, “From 19 all the way up until I was undefeated 10-0 in MMA. I just; I think I had this delusion, I don’t know what you want to call it, but I just felt like I couldn’t lose in a fight period. Without gloves on my entire life, I hadn’t lost a fight. I’ve lost MMA fights, I’ve lost wrestling matches, but I’ve never lost in a bare-knuckle fight ever in my life.”

BKFC 41

Is the enthusiasm such for bare-knuckle that if you string together some strong wins, maybe a title in BKFC could be a defined goal?

“Why not? (laughs). I say all the time like I don’t really make plans. I said plans are for schemers. I’m not a schemer, so. I never truly planned on fist-fighting for twenty years and we’re going on our second decade pretty soon now. This year, it’ll be twenty years fighting. I started this sport when I was 19 years old. When I was 19, I wouldn’t tell you that I was going to end up fighting for a lifetime. I never damn sure would tell you I’d win all the world titles I have, made a career out of it, and millions of dollars.”

“I stopped making plans a long time ago. I just wake up, put my head down, and work hard. Let the lord make my plans for me. So I couldn’t tell you like I have this plan schemed out and this is what I’m doing, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to fight Chad Mendes April 29th. I have every intention on putting my hand through Chad’s head and then moving on to the next opponent. The bigger and better, bigger money fights. That’s the only intention. That’s the only plan I can give to you right now.”

BKFC

Some of the language that you’re using seems to indicate you’re seeing a finish in this one. Do you have a particular idea of how you see the story of this fight unfurling?

“Anybody who watches Chad and watches myself I mean like if you were to say this fight is going to go to a final bell, I don’t know. Maybe you’ve never watched us fight before. But the sparring that I’m putting in now. I’ve seen what Chad’s worked on, I’ve seen what he’s doing, and what he’s capable of, you’d be a fool to think that this thing is going to go past any more than like six minutes. I think six minutes would be a long time for this fight to go.”

“I think it should get hashed out fairly quickly within the first three rounds. I don’t think if I land a shot on Chad he’s going to be able to stand it. He has hard shots himself. So I’m going to stay in there until my dying breath. I don’t know, I’m a big guy at 165. 165 is my premier weight class.”

Eddie Alvarez continued, “It’s where I’m the largest, I’m the fastest, and that’s my weight class. I don’t know if I could be any better. So it’s going to be difficult not just for Chad. No offense against Chad but against anybody in the world at 165, I’m going to be a really bad, terrible problem to deal with.”

The post Eddie Alvarez: “In There Until My Dying Breath” vs Chad Mendes at BKFC 41 appeared first on Bare Knuckle News.

Josh Copeland and Ben Rothwell clash at BKFC 41: Perry vs. Rockhold on April 29th.

The fistic fireworks broadcast on the BKFC TV App and Fite TV with the main card kicking off at 9 PM Eastern time.

Copeland spoke to Dylan Bowker of Bare Knuckle News before the fight. Excerpts from the chat can be found below.

Josh Copeland

You were initially slated to fight on April 29th against Steve Herelius. When did you get word that Ben Rothwell would be the opponent?

“Well, so they originally gave me Steve weeks ago. I’d probably say eight to ten weeks ago. Then probably about three-four weeks into that, my manager hit me up, asking if I would fight Ben Rothwell. I said absolutely and I’d say that probably went on for about two weeks thinking that I was in on that. Then they wound up going in a different direction of course with (Josh) Watson. So I was back on with Steve.”

Josh Copeland continued, “Then last Tuesday night, my manager Brian Butler hit me up and said hey, Ben Rothwell’s opponent pulled out. What do you think about fighting Ben? I said let’s do it. So he asked where my weight was. I was 255 pounds. I usually like to come in around 245 or 250. But yeah, they said if I want the fight, I got to get up to 270. So instead of dropping another five-ten pounds, I am gaining. So here we go, I’m eating away.”

Is this a can’t pass-up sort of opportunity considering Rothwell’s deep MMA pedigree and how he has become a hotly discussed name in bare-knuckle after his emphatic BKFC debut?

“Correct. Yeah, that’s; to me, I’m 40 years old now. I know I’ve still got some fight left in me but I don’t want to waste my time fighting nobodies. I know that I can compete with some of the best in the world and I do it all the time. I just; yeah, I want to fight some big names and let’s see what I can do.”

BKFC 41

Your BKFC debut was in Denver and this sophomore bare-knuckle bout is in the same arena. How much is that an exciting component for you to be coming back to compete there?

“Yeah, that was huge. I love being able to fight here. It was cool just to see all the fans and all the support I had.”

Josh Copeland continued, “It’s always a catch twenty-two though, right? Don’t get me wrong, you always have pressure on you. No matter where you’re at, people are watching. But being able to fight in your hometown and especially being able to come away with a knockout, it’s just cool for me to be able to give back to all my friends and family. Put on a good show. All the people that have been there from day one supporting me, it’s cool to put smiles on their faces.”

BKFC

How much of your path is oriented to climbing a title contender hierarchy considering you’re taking on a top five ranked heavyweight here versus taking on big tests against known names?

“Still feeling good but I know that my window of opportunity is getting smaller and smaller. So hey, I would love to be able to climb these ranks and go get that belt of course. So that’s the goal and man, I’d just love the opportunity. When I heard that bare-knuckle was coming back to Denver, I reached out to my manager. I got the text and it was probably twelve weeks ago saying hey, just because I know bare knuckle told my manager hey, with a win or two, that could set Josh up for a title shot.”

Josh Copeland continued, “Well I know if it’s another win, I’m going to have to beat a big name or two. Give me a Levi Costa, then a Steve Herelius, then fight the big name, and then go for the belt. So when I messaged my manager, I asked him hey, what are your thoughts of me getting set up with Ben Rothwell or Greg Hardy to see if we can get that title shot after this? That was my intentions from the very beginning and yeah, hey it wound up coming through. So I’m excited.”

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

Rothwell’s BKFC debut was incredibly violent and succinct. It didn’t seem like much to make inferences on game plan-wise but what were your main takeaways from his bare-knuckle performance?

“Well, same thing. It was over so quick. You know, Ben did a good job of staying long and using his reach. Throwing good, hard, fast combinations and the other guy couldn’t take it. So in saying that, I just know I move different than anyone else. So that’s the confidence I’ve got going into this.”

“The way I like to fight is based off of footwork, timing, and angles. When I first started MMA, I never wanted to be just the heavyweight that stood in front of someone and hope mine lands first. To me that’s anyone’s game, just standing toe to toe and swinging from the hips. The moral of the story is like not always the best fighter wins either.”

Josh Copeland continued, “So I just like to instead of just taking the chance and hoping mine lands first, I like to set things up and move. Create angles and set my shots up versus just throwing big long combinations and yeah, bullrushing.”

The post Josh Copeland Looks to Achieve Title Shot With Ben Rothwell Win at BKFC 41 appeared first on Bare Knuckle News.

Christine Ferea defends her flyweight title against Bec Rawlings at BKFC 41: Perry vs. Rockhold on April 29th.

Christine Ferea

The fistic fireworks broadcast on the BKFC TV App and Fite TV with the main card kicking off at 9 PM Eastern time.

Christine Ferea spoke to Dylan Bowker of Bare Knuckle News before the fight. Excerpts from the chat can be found below.

The Ben Rothwell fight didn’t pan out, but this is a close second, right?

“Absolutely. Yeah, we’re going to steal; They have other main events and a co-main event. But I believe that we will be the real main event and we will steal the show. I feel like this girl, she’s tough and stubborn, and I like that;  because then, I get to actually show some skills and talent – my own grind and what I can do in there in the squared circle.”

Christine Ferea vs Bec Rawlings

You indicated when we last spoke that this Bec Rawlings fight is the one you were gunning for. Does this one check off all the boxes as far as having a skilled opponent who can generate that interest for a blockbuster bout?

“You’ve got to manifest what you want and believe that your hard work and dedication will pay off. I did call for blockbuster fights. I don’t mind fighting other fighters, tough fighters, different… Doesn’t matter where they are at with followers and stuff, but I feel like at this point in my career I do want the bigger names and I do deserve the bigger names to grow my name and grow my brand. I do believe that this girl has been on the highest level of competition.”

“She will have the composure to be able to test me in that way. Every fight for me is the fight of my life, and everybody I’m fighting it’s the fight of their life to change their life. So, I feel like the bigger names at this point make more sense for me. I have a few more years left in my career. I want to make money. I’ve put in the time; I’ve done everything I needed to do. Didn’t cut corners my whole career and I believe it’s my time. I deserve the opportunity to grow myself and my brand for my family.”

BKFC

This fight rewards the long-time fans of BKFC with you debuting at BKFC 3 and Rawlings establishing herself as a multiple belt holder by BKFC 4. How do you feel about this fight finally getting locked in and can you speak to how it has seemingly been on the radar since near the company’s inception?

“I do believe that. I asked for her a long time ago and honestly, she should have took the opportunity then. She had a better chance of beating me then than she does now. I’ve really engulfed myself in boxing and really started to study the science. You know MMA is great. There’s so much talent and so much skill and technique there. But, there’s just a different level in Boxing and the science is real. So, I believe that she’s picked a very tough time to challenge me.”

“I’m the strongest, the smartest, and the fastest I will ever be in my entire career, and it’s at this point right now. I wanted this fight a long time ago, but you’ve got to trust the process. The universe and the promotion knew what they were doing. Everybody else knew what they were doing.”

Christine Ferea continued, “So I’m glad to have this opportunity now on a bigger platform, where BKFC is now, on the biggest fight in the entire history of BKFC. With the names that are on there, I get to fight alongside the legends. I think it’s a perfect time to be able to shine and show what I’m made of.”

BKFC 41

You said you feel like Rawlings wasn’t loyal to her craft, and based on your wording, it seems like you’re referring to her Bellator run before returning to BKFC. Can you expound upon that a bit more?

“Right. Absolutely. She didn’t stay the course. She didn’t see the vision. She didn’t see the growth. She didn’t trust the growth. She didn’t see the vision. When you’re on top and you’re winning, you don’t leave something like that. You don’t vacate a belt; you don’t leave your champion position, and then try to come back claiming it. It’s just entitlement to me. It’s just privilege. She thinks she can just come and go as she pleases. I call her a pillow princess. She’s a pillow princess to me.”

“She wants everybody to do the work and she wants the shine. See the thing is, I’m a workhorse, grind, and I’ve worked for every piece of attention. For every place I have in this game, I have had to grind to the fullest. What she gets in two fights, I get in fifteen fights. So, there’s a difference in mental game, and she’s about to see there’s levels to this shit. She hasn’t seen my level of skill, tenacity, power in the UFC. Nobody in the UFC can touch me.”

Christine Ferea continued, “If they put me in a bare-knuckle fight against anyone in the UFC, my weight class, one above, and one below, I will demolish everybody. She’s about to see that there are levels to this shit. There’s levels to the mental game, physical game, skill game, everything. She doesn’t realize the sacrifice, she doesn’t realize everything that’s coming to her. She waited four years for the build-up and that wasn’t smart for her.”

The post Christine Ferea on the Unusual “Entitlement” and “Privilege” of Bec Rawlings Before BKFC 41 appeared first on Bare Knuckle News.

Chad Mendes clashes with Eddie Alvarez at BKFC 41: Perry vs. Rockhold on April 29th.

The fistic fireworks broadcast on the BKFC TV App and Fite TV with the main card kicking off at 9 PM Eastern time.

Mendes spoke with Dylan Bowker of Bare Knuckle News and excerpts from the chat are below.

Chad Mendes

When did the dialogue really start ramping up for your sophomore BKFC effort?

“Man, after the fight last year, it was in February, my head boxing coach his daughter ended up getting cancer. There was a ton of stuff that kept him out of the gym. So honestly there was a big period where we just didn’t have much time to train then. Honestly, I just wasn’t sure if I was going to fight again in all honesty (laughs) – just going to work with all the other businesses I got and just staying busy that way. I think towards the end of this last year, BKFC started reaching out.”

“It wasn’t until the beginning of this year that the name Eddie (Alvarez) got brought up. Up until then, there was not a ton of motivation for me to do it. But as soon as they mentioned Eddie, and they were going to be signing him, I told them I want to do it. Let’s do this. That’s a fight that gets me excited. That’s a fight that will motivate me to get back in there. Not to mention it’s going to be my biggest payday to date too. So that’s definitely motivating also.”

Chad Mendes continued, “Man, I’m excited. This is a fight that, obviously – I’ve watched Eddie for a really long time. I’ve always liked his style. So, to get in there and fight a guy like this, especially toward the end of my career, this is definitely me winding down. But, if this is my last fight, which is definitely something I’ve talked about, I’m not a hundred percent sure yet. We’ll just kind of see how this one goes. But if it is, this is a way to go out I think… I feel great. This is one of the better fight camps I’ve ever had.”

BKFC 41

Can you speak to the refreshing nature of this fight selling itself based on the skills of the fighters without the need for canned trash-talking lines or cartoonish braggadocio?

“A hundred percent, man. Same here. We both busted our asses our entire careers to get to where we’re at right now. It’s nice to be here and getting paid what we’re getting paid. Having an opponent in front of each other basically that we both respect what we’ve done. I know what Eddie’s done; he knows what I’ve done. Like you said, the fight is going to sell itself.”

Chad Mendes continued, “We don’t need to get up there and put on this WWE fake-ass bunch of s**t-talking (laughs). I know it’s going to be a war, he knows it’s going to be a war, the fans know it’s going to be a war. Just bring it. Let’s do this.”

BKFC

What do you think some of Eddie Alvarez’s transferrable skills will be as he comes over from MMA for this BKFC debut effort?

“Man, I don’t know. I think his biggest attribute is going to be being able to get hit and get back up. He’s obviously got the chin that you can tell he’s out on his feet, but he’s still moving around; then, doesn’t just like go out limp on the ground with a ten count there. I mean, he’s definitely going to be coming back. I think if anything, that’s probably going to be his strongest attribute. I mean he’s got good boxing, so he’s already got that. But yeah, I don’t know, man. I’m curious to see how he transitions. It’s a tiny ring.”

“We have no choice but to be in each other’s face the whole time. That definitely changes the pace and the game tremendously. You have no choice but to be there in the red zone the entire fight. I don’t know, I’m banking on my speed and power and footwork to be a little bit too much for him. I know he’s got some really long arms. But, I just don’t think the speed is going to be there and I don’t think, obviously, the power. But everything’s different, man.”

Chad Mendes continued, “There’s no gloves on the hands, so doesn’t always mean you have to be the most powerful human being on earth. So, anything can happen. That’s what’s so cool about this sport, man. Anything can happen at any time. But yeah, man, I’m curious to see how he makes this transition from a big octagon to this tiny little space and now bare-knuckle. We’re wingin’ ’em, man.”

Parting thoughts for Chad Mendes

“Nah, man. I think we’re good. Just tune in April 29th. This is like we said, this fight’s selling itself. This is going to be probably the biggest bare-knuckle fight in history in my opinion. We’ve got a guy that’s been in the sport for a long time. Two guys that have been in the sport for a long time. Two heavy hitters, guys from multiple weight classes, coming together into one, which is always exciting.”

“Guys that would have never met up in the UFC are now having that opportunity. Not only is it that time, but it’s with no gloves on straight bare-knuckle. So it’s going to be an exciting fight. Do not miss it.”

The post Chad Mendes: “Probably the Biggest Bare-Knuckle Fight in History” vs Eddie Alvarez at BKFC 41 appeared first on Bare Knuckle News.