BKB Heavyweight Champion Richie Leak will face BYB titlist Gustavo Trujillo on 6 December at BYB 34 in Florida, BYB announced.
The collision between heavyweight champions headlines BYB 34: Battle at the Pines 4.
Former Blackpool Bouncer Overcame the Odds to Win Belt
Leak won the title from reigning champion Dan Podmore in March. He wasn’t even supposed to fight “Big Pod”.
The former bouncer and father-of-four got a late call from promoters after Podmore’s opponent pulled out. At 45, Leak knew this could be his last chance at a title. He accepted the fight against a younger, well-regarded opponent.
“Big Pod”, nine years Leak’s junior, controlled the early action. The champion popped Leak with quick lefts and rights, sliding back out of range. Blood flowed from Leak’s nose in the first minute.
Podmore continued to best Leak in round two before the tide turned late in the stanza.
Leak connected with a left hook just as Podmore threw a right, knocking the champion to the canvas.
Podmore survived but was dazed again in round three. He tried to stay upright by grabbing at Leak’s waist before falling out of the ropes. The fight was stopped, making Leak the new BKB champion.
The short-notice replacement became the baddest man in British bare knuckle. Leak improved his ungloved record to 5-1 with the win, showing a granite chin and lion’s heart.
“He was picking me off in the first round. I probably get punched more than I should do, but I’m quite durable. I know I can take a shot,” Leak told Mark Whiley of Daily Star Sport.
“No one’s ever stopped me in bare-knuckle, I know I can weather a storm and I caught him with some good shots. When you clock something right in bare-knuckle, it’s anyone’s game,” he said.
Leak contemplated retirement before choosing to crack on for at least one more fight.
Some fighters would have looked for an easy opponent after winning a belt.
Not Leak.
He agreed to take on BYB’s most fearsome fighter: Gustavo Trujillo.
Cuban Conqueror
The 33-year-old Trujillo is an combat sports all-rounder. He’s competed in MMA and is unbeaten in pro boxing and bare knuckle.
Bare knuckle fighting is where he’s done his best work. Trujillo is 6-0 with 6 knockouts, with none of his opponents surviving past the first round.
UFC veteran and former BYB champion Ike Villanueva was supposed to test Trujillo. “Hurricane Ike” was blown away by Trujillo’s power.
Trujillo will look to add Leak to his first-round knockout streak, while leaving no doubt about who’s the best heavyweight on the BYB-BKB roster. BYB, based in Florida, acquired Britain’s BKB league earlier this year. The merger made BYB the largest bare knuckle promotion in the world in terms of contracted fighters.
Trujillo vs Leak. An irresistible force meets an immovable object. The winner can make a claim as the world’s best heavyweight bare knuckle fighter.
