BKB Bare Knuckle announced the full fight card for BKB 54 on 16 May at Manchester’s AO Arena.
BKB 54 is the promotion’s inaugural event in Manchester, and the organisation has put together a top notch fight card.
Headlining the event is the anticipated MMA vs boxer showdown between reigning BKB Super Welterweight champ Rolando Dy and former boxing star Paulie Malignaggi.
Dy is making his first title defence after a dominant title winning performance over Wale’s Liam Rees. Nicknamed “The Incredible, the 33-year-old Filipino brings an impressive 5-1 (4 KOs) bare knuckle record into the showdown with Malignaggi. He’s also a veteran of 28 professional MMA fights and has shown a formidable clinch game in the BKB Trigon.
Former boxing champ Malignaggi is no stranger to fight fans. The Italian-American is known for winning two world titles and also his public feud with UFC star Conor McGregor. Malignaggi accused McGregor’s team of editing video of the two men sparring when Paulie was helping McGregor prepare for his fight with Floyd Maywather.
Paulie eventually took on Mcgregor’s then-teammate Artem Lobov in his first bare knuckle fight. He lost a close decision.
Malignaggi, 45, returned to bare knuckle last October, over six years since the Lobov loss and over 8 years since his last pro boxing match.
In his ungloved return, Paulie defeated Tyler Goodjohn but took a lot of damage in the process. He’s hands down the better boxer, but Paulie is much older than Dy and nowhere near as rugged. He faces a stern challenge in his quest to become a two sport world champion.
BKB 54: Other Title Bouts
Two other BKB titles will be on the line in Manchester.
Welterweight champ Javon Wright (3-2, 1 KO) of California defends his belt for the first time against the UK’s Dan Gittens. Wright unsuccessfully rose in weight for his last fight and was knocked out by top middleweight contender Henry “Florida Gremlin” Williams.
Gittens (6-0, 6 KOs) fights out of Harlow in Essex. He’s shown impressive power-Gittens has never needed to go past the third round in six fights. The 36-year-old makes his Manchester debut after stopping talented Harvey Dossett in nearby Bolton.
Another UK vs USA showdown will be for the BKB Super Lightweight Title, recently vacated by Harry Gigliotti. Wales’s Kallum Skhane (2-2, 2 KOs) faces unbeaten Estevan Partida (2-0, 2 KOs).
Skhane was stopped by Gigliotti at BKB 43. He then moved back up in weight to junior middle but was outboxed and lost a decision to Simey Doherty. Nevertheless, Skhane has been given another title opportunity against Partida.
Partida hasn’t been past two rounds yet in bare knuckle. He stopped former title challenger Joshua Oxendine to earn a crack at the belt.
Other notable bouts include UFC vets Jack Marshman and Danny Mitchell battling and a title eliminator between heavy handed Aaron McCallum and slick Simey Doherty. BKB standouts and former champions Dan Lerwell and Scott McHugh also see action, as does veteran contender James Connelley.
Full fight card below.
BKB 54: Mayhem in Manchester Fight Card
James Connelly (7-6-1) v David Winarski (3-1)
Daniel Lerwell (11-4) v Robert Koky (6-2)
Andrew Anthony (1-0) v Patryk Fornalski (1-)
Scott McHugh (15-5) v Nick Bass (4-0)
Liam Howell (4-3) v Ryan Meer (0-2)
Chris Carroll (0-2) v James Bryan (1-0)
Marshall Fury (0-0-1) v Nathan Conroy (0-0)
Danny Mitchell (3-0) v Jack Marshman (3-2)
-Welterweight Title Eliminator:
Aaron McCallum (9-6) v Simey Doherty (8-2)
Vacant BKB Super Lightweight Title
Kallum Skhane (2-2) v Estevan Partida (2-0)
BKB Welterweight Title
Javon Wright (3-2) v Dan Gittens (6-0)
BKB Super Welterweight Title
Rolando Dy (5-1) v Paulie Malignaggi (1-1)
