BKB: A Modern Twist on Bare-Knuckle Boxing

Since the inception of the Marquess of Queensberry Rules in the 1800’s the concept of Bare-Knuckle Boxing, although rightfully regarded as the original form of the sport of Boxing, has long been in the past. As time has gone on although Boxing much like all combat sports remains dangerous, the innovation of gloved prizefighting has become the standard for the sport. 

As a Boxing historian this observer frankly did not expect to see anything resembling a return to Bare-Knuckle Boxing in my lifetime.  In the past when asked my thoughts on a potential return of Bare-Knuckle Boxing I have always stated that I did not see it happening primarily due to safety concerns, regulations, and the dangers that already exist in the sport of Boxing as it is.  I have however said despite the dangers of the sport, the safety standards in Boxing have greatly improved over the years.

Sometimes when many feel a bout was stopped prematurely feeling that a hurt fighter should have been given the benefit of the doubt, an explanation that you will often hear a referee or athletic commission state was the safety of the fighter became the primary concern.  An argument could and perhaps should be made based on this, that Boxing in today’s day and age is considerably safer for those who compete in the sport and that can be attributed to those who regulate the sport who continue to make strides to ensure the safety of fighters.   

One such example is when the legendary Evander Holyfield was medically suspended indefinitely by the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) following his one-sided decision loss to veteran contender Larry Donald in 2004. The commission cited their reasoning behind the suspension as being due to Holyfield’s diminishing skills.  In covering the fight card in which Holyfield-Donald took place and the subsequent aftermath in the days following the card, this observer applauded the decision of the NYSAC.  Although Holyfield would eventually be cleared to resume his career the NYSAC should be commended for the action they had taken and continue to take to ensure the safety and welfare of boxers. 

Based on the ever present concern for safety in the sport of Boxing, this observer was surprised to hear of a concept known as BKB: Bare-Knuckle Boxing. The inaugural BKB card which premiered on July 27^th was available via pay-per-view exclusively to subscribers of Satellite television provider DirecTV. The card which took place in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire featured ten bouts ranging from the Lightweight division to the Heavyweight division.  In all truth and honesty although I had obvious concerns about the fighters safety, I was curious to see this concept.

 What made this unique were the rules in which fights in BKB are fought.  Unlike a traditional Boxing ring, BKB bouts are fought in a circular pit with no ropes. Round limits on this card were two minutes in duration with a one minute rest period between rounds.  Bouts were scheduled for distances of five, seven, and ten rounds respectively.  Judges scores are done on the traditional ten-point must system and are announced after each round to the fighters and the audience in attendance.  If a fighter steps out of the circular pit accidentally it is considered a slip. A fighter who is knocked down however will be given a traditional ten count to get to their feet. 

Boxing gloves were also used in this concept. The gloves however are smaller than a traditional Boxing glove with one exception, the knuckle area is exposed although the hole is deep enough seemingly to prevent actual contact with the knuckles.  The gloves also range between five and seven ounces depending on the weight class in which a bout is being contested.  Although some stated prior to this card that “It isn’t Bare-Knuckle Boxing if gloves are used.” This observer thought it was a unique concept and a necessary component with regard to fighters’ safety. 

Unlike a traditional Boxing ring, the BKB circular pit measures seventeen feet in diameter and 227 square feet which makes it just over half the size of a traditional 20X20 Boxing ring.  From a fan’s perspective the BKB pit offers unrestricted viewing angles due to it’s lowered floors and colored lift gates signifying each fighter’s respective corner that lift and lock at the beginning of each round.   Prior to this card I really didn’t know what to expect but much like the anticipation prior to a mega fight in either the sport of Boxing or the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) it was certainly intriguing to see what this concept would look like in practice.

One thing that was obvious as the fights got underway was that this type of format does not necessarily favor a boxer who likes to utilize lateral movement.  This is due the narrow space in the pit area.  This format however appeared to be tailor made for a boxer who likes to fight on the inside.  This observer’s initial impression was that this format although a little different than a traditional Boxing format was indeed unique and was often entertaining to watch.  The two minute rounds in particular seemed to ensure a quick pace where fighters were looking to let their hands go from the outset of a round.  Although some Boxing purists may have varying opinions, BKB seemed to deliver on what it promised which was to provide entertaining and action packed bouts. 

The inaugural BKB event was not however without some elements of controversy.  In the first bout of the card, a Cruiserweight fight between Chris Traietti and Larry Hopkins, Hopkins was floored just seconds into the second round by what all accounts appeared to be an accidental head butt.  Although Referee Dave Greenwood immediately signaled “No Knockdown!” he counted Hopkins out after Hopkins failed to respond to his command to get up. 

It goes without saying that whenever there is a new concept or a would be new sport put into practice, that there is likely to be some confusion early on.  In regard to this situation I am surprised that this fight was not ruled a no contest due to an accidental foul.  Although a little confusing one would assume that we are likely to get some clarification on such a rule in the future on subsequent BKB cards.  For now it appears that Larry Hopkins was the unfortunate recipient of a tough break however given that it was the first card under the concept and format of BKB, circumstances like this are bound to happen. 

What should be applauded however despite the confusion surrounding the ending of the Traietti-Hopkins bout are the performances of  the referees who officiated on this card.  The damage caused by the bare-knuckled exposed gloves was immediately noticeable.  The referees however in this observer’s eyes did an excellent job of making sure that fights were stopped when appropriate and that the fighters who competed on this card did not suffer any unnecessary punishment. 

Individually each of the ten bouts proved to be exciting however the bout that stood out in my mind on that evening beyond the Traietti-Hopkins bout was the Light-Heavyweight bout between Jason Naugler and Teneal Goyco.  Although all the bouts on this card provided plenty of action the Naugler-Goyco bout in the opinion of this observer was the fight of the night.   From the opening bell these two fighters engaged in a slugfest with each fighter having their say in the opening round.

Goyco opened a cut on the forehead of Naugler with a left hand in the second round. The cut would worsen as the fight progressed however Naugler remained undeterred and kept coming forward.  By the end of round three Goyco seemed to be getting the better of the exchanges however Naugler took the punches well and even taunted his opponent before having his mouthpiece knocked out by a Goyco jab in the closing seconds of the round. 

By the end of round three Naugler’s cut had worsened to the point where frankly I wondered whether the fight would be stopped between rounds.  It was a nasty gash and although Naugler’s heart and frankly the heart and determination of all the fighters who competed on this card could not be questioned, this was one of the things that I was concerned about with regard to a fighter’s safety prior to this card.  A vicious Goyco left hook that landed flush on the jaw of Naugler would bring an end to the fight in round four as the fight was immediately stopped by Referee Mike Ryan.

Overall I came away from this card with a feeling of optimism. After all I was not sure what to expect out of this card but was pleasantly entertained by the heart and pure guts of all the fighters who participated. I was equally impressed by the New Hampshire Boxing and Wrestling commission in how they were able to ensure the safety of the fighters.  My overall impression is that BKB may be in a position that is not all that unlike the position that the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) was in when it surfaced in the United States in the early 1990’s.

This observer remembers how MMA was looked upon during that period of time.  One should remember that during MMA’s inception in the United States that it was essentially no holds barred fighting where the only rules were No biting, No eye gouging, and, No strikes in any form to the groin. 

The original format of MMA here in the United States raised the ire of many politicians, most notably Arizona Senator John McCain who labeled the sport as “Human Cockfighting” and was a driving force in lobbying to see that the sport was banned by many states. As a result of McCain’s efforts many states did indeed ban the sport of MMA and many cable companies refused to carry pay-per-view MMA events for a period of time.

In time the sport of MMA evolved into it’s current format of rules and regulations including the use of gloves and various weight classes.  In time many states have lifted their ban on MMA and in the last decade the sport has grown at a tremendous rate not just here in the United States but around the world.  Although rules and regulations can vary depending on a particular MMA promotion, the sport overall has proven to be quite successful.  Even though MMA still has some hurdles to clear in some states, the day of universal licensing and regulation for MMA events in the United States seems to be near.

For the newest twist on the original form of Boxing in what appears to be the latest addition to Combat Sports BKB, there may not be as great a struggle for acceptance and regulation as has stood in the way of the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.  As long as safety precautions continue to be taken and fighters are cleared to compete in the same manner in which Boxers and MMA fighters have been for many years, this observer believes the concept of BKB Championship Boxing could be around for some time. 

Will the concept of BKB evolve in the future? Only time will tell… 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

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Chisora-Scott:How long until the Rematch?

The second step in the comeback of  Heavyweight contender Dereck Chisora came on July 20^th when the former world title challenger entered the ring to face undefeated American Heavyweight contender Malik Scott in London, England.  Chisora who scored a ninth round stoppage of Hector Avila in April of this year was fighting for only the second time since suffering a fifth round knockout loss at the hands of two-division world champion David Haye in July of last year.

Although some may have questioned why Chisora who had lost three of his last four bouts would take on a crafty boxer such as Scott, it is worth noting that despite suffering four losses in his career Chisora was competitive in all of those fights and had only been stopped once. An argument of some could be that despite an undefeated record of 35-0-1, with 12 Knockouts coming into the fight with Chisora that questions of how good Malik Scott was may have been warranted. 

In his last bout prior to facing Chisora in February of this year, Scott was the victim of what some feel, this observer included was a bad decision in his draw with undefeated Ukrainian contender Vyacheslav Glazkov. In my view Scott out boxed Glazkov over the course of ten rounds, winning seven out of ten rounds on my unofficial scorecard. 

There were two questions that I had in my mind leading up to this fight.  Could Malik Scott use his lateral movement and quick hands to evade Chisora’s aggressive pressure style and box his way to victory or, would Chisora be able to effectively cut off the ring and nullify Scott’s movement before Scott could potentially build a lead on the scorecards? 

When the fight got underway it wasn’t surprising to see Scott establishing his jab as a focal point of his offense.  What was a bit surprising however was how effective Chisora was able to use his pressure style to get on the inside of Scott early in the fight.  In all honesty although I do not like to give solid predictions leading up to a fight, the way that I envisioned that Chisora could win this fight would be to gradually wear Scott down and possibly look for a late round stoppage. 

It was clear that Chisora’s pressure was bothersome for Scott. Chisora’s head movement in particular made it difficult for Scott to attempt to control the distance of the fight. Although Scott was able to get his punches off quickly, I wondered how the judges scoring would end up if the fight went to the scorecards. Round by round the fight was close as both Chisora and Scott were able to have their moments but as I have often said over the years in fights where there are many close rounds that could go either way, it will often boil down to what a judge prefers in their criteria of how they score.  It was clear that Scott threw more in volume. It was Chisora however who was the effective aggressor and who landed the harder punches when he did let his hands go. 

Despite the subject of scoring at the end of this fight being insignificant it was worth questioning as the rounds went on how the judges were scoring if the fight were to get that far.  Scott seemed to get the better of the action in rounds two, three, and five by being the more active of the two but he didn’t seem to be able to control the tempo of the fight as the rounds progressed.  Although I had Scott slightly ahead after five rounds by a margin of three rounds to two, I wondered whether Scott would be able to conserve his stamina. Chisora was not only the aggressor in this fight but he was the fighter who was dictating the pace and made his opponent fight at a pace where it was more to Chisora’s advantage. Simply put Chisora made Scott work. 

One thing that was also noticeable was that Scott was backing straight up into the ropes throughout the fight and was not able to execute movement from side to side consistently. This could likely be attributed to Chisora’s head movement and pressure as he came forward. Scott however was effective in spots where he was able to land and slip out of Chisora’s punching range. 

As the fight entered round six there was a sense that the fight was starting to heat up. At this stage in the fight Chisora appeared to be landing more punches particularly on the inside to the body and the head. To his credit, Scott was effective in tying Chisora up on the inside throughout and this seemed to give him the slight edge in the fight up to round six in what was a very competitive fight.   The fight would be brought to a sudden conclusion in the final seconds of round six when Chisora landed and overhand right that knocked Scott to the canvas.  Scott did not appear to be badly hurt however the fight was stopped as Referee Phil Edwards stopped the fight although Scott had clearly gotten up at the count of nine.

An appropriate quote that this observer has been known for saying frequently over the years when controversy emerges in the sport of Boxing “Like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Boxing and Controversy just go together…”  seems to fall in line with the controversial way in which this fight ended.  Although it may appear to some that this fight had ended under strange circumstances, it is not the first time that this observer has seen a bout ended in this manner. 

One such bout that immediately came to mind as I watched this fight conclude  was a Lightweight bout that took place on July 31.1991 between then undefeated rising prospect Rafael Ruelas and Mauro Gutierrez a journeyman who had fought sixty-four professional fights prior to taking on the 27-0 Ruelas.  The fight was ended when Gutierrez dropped Ruelas with a flush left hook to the jaw midway through the second round. Ruelas, on one knee took the count administered by Referee Chuck Hassett and arose from the knockdown at the count of ten as Hassett shouted “You’re out!” waving his arms signaling the end of the bout.  It was clear that although hit with a solid left hook that Ruelas did not appear badly hurt. Ruelas subsequently protested the stoppage. Ruelas misjudged the count by one second before getting up from the knockdown.

Almost twenty-two years to the day since the somewhat controversial end to that fight, the Dereck Chisora-Malik Scott fight ends under similar circumstances.  Unlike that fight twenty-two years ago however, replays of the count administered to Malik Scott by Referee Phil Edwards clearly showed that Scott had gotten up from the knockdown at the count of nine just as Edwards waved his arms signaling the end of the bout. 

Although it is clear that a full count of ten at least visually did not reach it’s full conclusion, perhaps Edwards thought that Scott would not arise from the knockdown when the count reached nine and simply made a judgment/discretionary call to stop the fight.  The anger of Scott’s corner following the stoppage is certainly understandable. It is equally understandable and somewhat expected under such circumstances to see Scott’s camp file a protest with the regulatory body which oversaw the bout, in this case the British Boxing Board of Control. (BBBofC)

It was no surprise to this observer in the days following the fight to see Scott’s camp file a protest with the BBBofC. In all honesty if I were involved with a fighter who had lost a fight under these particular circumstances, my reaction would probably be similar to the reaction of Scott’s camp.  After all, their fighter did indeed get up from the knockdown before the count was concluded and did appear to have all of his faculties.

What are the results likely to be of the protest?  From a speculative point of view such things that might come up in any potential hearing concerning this fight will probably revolve around the count of Referee Phil Edwards.  In the aftermath of this fight some have stated to this observer that they did not understand why Scott did not get up from the knockdown earlier in the count.

Only Malik Scott can answer that question however elements of crowd noise and trying to make sure the he (Scott) was okay before getting up from the knockdown could have played a factor.  This is one reason why referees in addition to verbally administering a count will also visually indicate a count with their fingers while verbally counting.  Did Malik Scott simply misjudge the count? Perhaps but even so he clearly was able to beat the count.  Although at minimum a video review of the closing moments of this fight by the BBBofC could take place, it is unlikely in the eyes of this observer under these circumstances that the official result of a sixth round knockout win for Dereck Chisora would be changed to a no contest/no decision. 

At the end of the day it is simply a judgment/discretionary call by the referee in question.  Unless something illegal had taken place such as an illegal punch that a referee did not see which may be cited as having caused a knockdown or something along the lines of a failed post-fight drug test, it is unlikely that a commission would overrule a referee for simply stopping a fight.  It simply boils down to a referee’s discretion whether a count was fully administered or not. 

If history has provided any basis for circumstances such as this, the best possible solution for all concerned would be for a rematch to be ordered by either the BBBofC or the World Boxing Organization (WBO) who sanctioned the bout for it’s International title in it’s Heavyweight ratings.  The bout was after all very competitive and was considered by almost all observers, this one included as a close contest at the time of the stoppage. So why not put a fair and just end to what some see as a controversy by mandating a rematch? 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

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A look At The WBC World Middleweight Championship Situation

The World Boxing Council (WBC) recently announced the top four contenders that will take part in a tournament of sorts to determine the next mandatory challenger for current WBC Middleweight world champion Sergio Martinez.  By “Of Sorts” allow me to provide an explanation.  It was announced by the WBC that it has mandated current WBC number one rated Middleweight and longtime top Middleweight contender Marco Antonio Rubio to face former WBC Middleweight world champion and current WBC number two rated contender Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. in a rematch to determine interim status or “Interim champion.”

For the casual Boxing fan who may be a little confused, the term “Interim champion” basically means that whomever is the number one contender for a world championship is designated as having interim status. This means that if a world champion is unable to or refuses to meet the mandatory challenger, that challenger will often be named champion rather than being placed in an elimination bout between the top two contenders to determine a new champion for a vacant title.

While Rubio and Chavez will fight for interim status, current WBC number three rated contender Domenico Spada will face undefeated number four rated WBC contender Gilberto Ramirez with the winner to face the winner of the Rubio-Chavez rematch to determine a mandatory challenger for Sergio Martinez. 

The WBC has stated that it will not begin this process until the fighters involved complete bouts that they are already signed to. The sanctioning organization however has also stated that it will name another contender should one of the fighters lose in those bouts that are already signed. 

Chavez is tentatively scheduled to face WBC number five and World Boxing Organization (WBO) number one rated contender Brian Vera in a bout contracted to take place above the 160lb. Middleweight limit.  Vera, the current North American Boxing Organization (NABO) Middleweight champion will come into the fight should it happen having won four of his last five bouts, winning two by knockout. Although the Chavez-Vera bout is tentatively scheduled for sometime in September, there is always the possibility that Chavez could opt to compete in the WBC box off first before facing Vera. 

In February of last year Chavez, then the WBC world champion in the Middleweight division successfully defended his title with a convincing unanimous decision over Marco Antonio Rubio.  Although some may be tempted to question why a rematch between the two would be warranted it is worth noting that Rubio had won ten straight fights prior to his encounter with Chavez and despite the loss did give a good account of himself.  The difference in that bout was that although Rubio established and maintained a high work rate throughout the fight, he was unable to really hurt Chavez who consistently backed him up and landed the harder punches.   It will be interesting if a rematch between the two does take place whether Rubio, who has won four fights since his loss to Chavez, will be able to make any adjustments from the first fight. 

It will also be interesting no matter who Chavez elects to fight next to see he how fights.  In his last fight Chavez was thoroughly out boxed by Sergio Martinez over the course of twelve rounds. Although Chavez was able to make a comeback in the late rounds including nearly pulling out the fight in the memorable twelfth round, Chavez failed to keep Martinez under steady pressure and simply did not let his hands go enough throughout the fight to earn rounds on the official scorecards.  After losing his title in a convincing manner, an obvious question that will face Chavez upon his return to the ring will be whether Chavez can make the necessary adjustments to not only maintain a steady offensive output but also, the adjustments that may make a hoped for rematch with Sergio Martinez more competitive. Chavez however should not overlook anyone he faces while aiming for a potential rematch with Martinez.

What should also not be overlooked by fans and experts alike are the credentials of Domenico Spada and Gilberto Ramirez.  Although neither are probably well-known to American fans due to neither fighting before in the United States, both are solid world-class fighters. 

Spada, a veteran of forty-one professional fights has compiled a record of 37-4, with 19 Knockouts. One thing that some may say about Spada is that he has failed to successfully step up in quality of opposition.  Spada has lost twice to former world title challenger Sebastian Zbik and Darren Barker, both of whom are top contenders and who have faced some of the best fighters in the Middleweight division.  Looking at it from another point of view however Spada has never been stopped in his career and may look at this tournament as what could be his last chance on the top level of the division. 

The undefeated Gilberto Ramirez has compiled a record of 25-0, with 20 Knockouts.  Despite an impressive career knockout percentage of 80% an argument can be made that Ramirez has yet to be tested against world class opposition.  This box off is an opportunity to show that he belongs with the elite of the Middleweight division.

The reason for the WBC box off is due to Martinez being sidelined with injuries.  Martinez, who successfully defended his world title in April of this year with a unanimous decision over top contender Martin Murray, is not expected to return to action until sometime in 2014. For Sergio Martinez who is seemingly nearing the end of his career the current situation regarding the WBC title presents a couple of interesting possibilities. One possibility which should not be overlooked however is the potential of a would be unification bout between Martinez and undefeated WBA/IBO Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin. 

If Martinez is indeed eying retirement, fights with the likes of Golovkin and whomever should emerge as the mandatory challenger out of the WBC box off will only continue to give Martinez the acclaim that he has fought hard to obtain. No matter what the outcome of this puzzle, Sergio Martinez has earned his place as not only the best fighter in the Middleweight division but also one of the best fighters in the entire sport. 

Who will be next for Sergio Martinez?  Only time will tell...

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison