Bare Knuckle Heroes caught up with BKFC lightweight contender, James “Lights Out” Lilley.
The Welsh lightweight contender returns to BKFC on 12 October against Brazil’s Felipe Maia in Marbella, Spain.
It’s a crucial fight for Lilley, who is coming off back-to-back narrow decision losses to former champion Luis Palomino and fellow contender
Franco Tenaglia. Lilley suffered a brutal knockdown in round one against Tenaglia before rising and boxing well only to lose a close decision.
Read on for James’ thoughts on facing Maia, the fight against Palomino, and his most dangerous opponents in bare knuckle.
Please check back soon-we’ll have the second part of our interview with James. James talks about training for bare knuckle, his boxing fight with Barrie Jones, how he got started in poetry and more!
We’re 10 days away from the massive BKFC Spain in the bullring in Marbella. How’s preparation coming along?
James Lilley: It’s been a very good camp (laughs). Everyone says the same sort of thing. I’ve been in the gym. I’m in great shape. Probably one of the best camps I’ve had.
Ten days away still feels like a long time at the moment because I’ve still got another 4-5 days heavy training. Maybe a little less but 10 days away still seems a long way away (laughs).
Yeah it’s been good. I’ve just done my last spar tonight. At the minute, I can’t really think about the fight cause all I can think about is I got to get up in the morning and train. It turns into a bit of a slog at this point.
BKH: Your opponent, he’s more of an MMA guy, Felipe Maia. He’s fought a couple of times in BKFC Bulgaria.
Are you familiar with him? Have you watched any video? What are your thoughts on facing him?
James: I actually met him. I went over to Bulgaria for the first show because I had a guy who trained with me. Me and one of my cornermen Josh went over.
He’s a character, full of life. A gentleman as well. I’ve seen him fight twice in BKFC Bulgaria.
He messaged me saying ‘I’d like to fight you’.
And that’s more or less, how it happened. He asked for it, so I’m happy to oblige.
BKH: He sent you a DM. Like a challenge almost.
James: (Laughs) Pretty much. I think a lot of people think fighters are these angry guys who hate each other. But it’s nothing like that.
He’s a family man. He’s got a son back in Brazil, and it was more of a gentleman’s agreement. We both wanted the fight. We’re both coming off losses. The fight made sense.
BKH: James, you had some great wins but you had the very close loss to Palomino and Tenaglia, another fight very close.
Do you see this fight as a must win fight for you?
James: Yeah (sighs). I think if I want to stay at this level, fighting on the world stage and fighting in spaces like Marbella, I probably got to win.
I don’t want to go back down a level; I’ve worked hard to get here. This is a big crossroads fight for me. It will determine what happens in my career next.
It’s a dangerous fight, he’s a very unorthodox fighter. He’s a very big guy for the weight. It’s a dangerous fight and what I can do is prepare my best.
Like I said, I want get the win. Get back up in the rankings and target those big fights.
There’s some big fights out there for me at lightweight. Even featherweight because we wanted to go down to 145 for the last couple of fights but we haven’t had the opportunity.So yeah, this means quite a lot for my career, you know?
BKH: James, any questions about your toughness were answered (against Tenaglia). That left hook in the first round.
James: (Laughs) Yeah, it stung a bit.
BKH: You were able to weather the storm and come back.
James: I’ve always had a good chin. I think it was laziness and sloppiness of mine. I was doing well in the first round until that punch.
But yeah, there’s no quit in me. I was more disappointed that I got caught. I brushed myself off and got back up.
You’ve fought a lot of good fighters. You been in with Palomino, Tyler Goodjohn, Tenaglia and others.
Do you have one guy you rate as the toughest you fought?
James: Oh, that’s a good question. To be honest, all the fights I’ve had in BKFC have been tough fights.
Tyler Goodjohn’s relentless pressure was very difficult. Tenaglia was very much the same with his nonstop coming forward and his ferociousness.
And then on the flip side, you didn’t expect Palomino to be as technical, as good ring generalship as he did.
Those three guys-each brought a different toughness or aspect that was hard.
Palomino-I found it really hard to pin him down. He was good at setting traps. Tenaglia’s aggression and ferocity was hard. Tyler Goodjohn had this real good pressure.
So those three fights are probably the most difficult I had in bare knuckle. And they’ve all been in BKFC as well.
BkH: Palomino, it seemed if you were a bit busier, you might have got it on points. He admitted after the fight he didn’t take too many chances against you.
James: I was doing well. I think he caught me with a left hook in the second round that upset my rhythm, and it took me until the fifth round to get back in my rhythm.
He’s really good at setting traps. I didn’t know at the time he had an injury so he was being a slight more reserved so he has big fights on the horizon.
I think it was just one of those situations where looking back, if I knew what I know now, I might have put the pressure on (laughing).
Still a great fight. A very technical fight. I showed the world I could hang with the best.
BKH: That surprised me when he said that after the fight. I could have taken more chances but this guy’s a very dangerous opponent.
James: I think a lot of people saw it as being disrespectful to me. I seen it the other way.
You’ve seen all these top guys coming into the division. None of them wanted to fight him. So, he’s offered me who is probably the most dangerous fight and not as much reward.
So, I can understand him wanting to get through me and get the bigger fights on the horizon. I get the game, I get the business. I didn’t think it was disrespectful. Someone of his stature said that about me.
Check back for Part II of the interview. James talks about training for bare knuckle, his boxing fight with Barrie Jones, how he got started in poetry and more!
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