BKB two-division champion Marko Martinjak will remain at bridgerweight and relinquish his super cruiserweight title, the promotion announced.
“I’ve proven all I’ve needed to prove in Super Cruiserweight, and now it’s time to assert my domination over the Bridgers. Line them up. Anyone who wants it, can try to come get it,” said Martinjak.
Martinjak won the bridgerweight title this past Saturday by first-round knockout over Dan Podmore at BKB 47.
The Croatian knockout artist suffered an early knockdown but rose to dethrone Podmore.
The win extended his first-round KO streak to five bouts. Martinjak hasn’t seen the second round since June 2023, when he avenged a previous loss to Jarome Hatch with a second-round TKO.
All told, Martinjak (13-2, 13 KOs) has won five bare knuckle titles, including BKB and Police Gazette belts. The infographic below courtesy of BKB lists his title accomplishments.
The bridgerweight division sits between cruiserweight and heavyweight with a weight limit of 224 lbs. Martinjak, who won his first title at super middleweight, isn’t ruling out taking on the big boys in the BKB heavyweight division.
“Now, I am working my way through the upper weight classes,” he said.
“I can fight at Heavyweight, but I won’t go down any more.”
The 34-year-old, who still competes in gloved boxing in addition to bare knuckle, sees titles as a way to cement his legacy.
“Championships to me, are a means to an end- and that is to become the best ever to do it.”
“In order to be the best, you have to beat the best,” he said.
“There is a reason I am called the ‘Emperor of Bare Knuckle’. I have the highest boxing skillset, the highest boxing IQ, and the highest boxing mindset of anyone in the sport.”
“And every fight, I am better than my last,” he continued.
“I am the greatest pound-for-pound bare knuckle boxer in the world.”
“Not (BKB Super Middleweight Champion) LT Nelson, not Gustavo Trujillo (BKB Heavyweight Champion), not any one of those washed up MMA clowns in the other organisation,” he said, taking a shot at rival promotion BKFC.
With a 100-percent knockout ratio and five championship belts, you can’t blame Martinjak for believing he’s the best in the world.
If he moves up and defeats reigning heavyweight king Trujillo (7-0, 7 first-round Kos), there can be little argument that he’s the best bare knuckle fighter in the world and a modern era great.
