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Friday
BKFC Liberty Brawl, 6 p.m.
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia
Austin Trout vs. Ben Bonner, Britain Hart vs. Sarah Shell, several other fights
Streaming: DAZN (subscription service)
Yorkshireman Ben Bonner is not a historian by trade, so he can be forgiven for saying the English burned down the White House during the War of 1912. But on Friday, he’ll try to make a little history of his own by becoming the first man to defeat Las Cruces’ Austin Trout in bare-knuckle fighting competition.
Trout, meanwhile, will seek to make personal history by winning his third professional combat-sports title when he and Bonner do battle for the vacant BKFC lightweight title at XFinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
If Trout is worried, he hid it well during a Wednesday news conference.
“If you believe in yourself, it doesn’t matter how many people don’t believe in you,” Trout said. “… I was walking, living proof, a Black kid from New Mexico who was never supposed to be a world champion, let alone two times, let alone three times.
“Friday, I’m about to do the impossible for the third time.”
Trout, 40, won a world boxing title in 2011. After moving to bare-knuckle, he defeated Luis Palomino to claim the BKFC welterweight belt in February 2024. He’s 5-0 in BKFC competition.
Bonner (5-2) is a former BKFC champion with an asterisk, having defeated Tony Soto for the interim lightweight title in June of last year.
Bonner then lost his title bid to Franco Tenaglia, who was stripped of the belt for taking an MMA fight in apparent violation of his BKFC contract. That led to a lightweight “tournament” during which Bonner again defeated Soto and Trout beat Palomino for the second time — setting up Friday’s title fight.
It’s a classic boxer-vs-brawler matchup.
Trout, a former amateur boxing national champion and a 2004 Olympic alternate, compiled a 37-5-1 (18 knockouts) in 18 years as a professional boxer.
Bonner has no listing as a boxer or as an MMA fighter, only his seven bare-knuckle fights. Yet, he believes his punching power can and will overcome Trout’s skill and experience.
“Austin is the best opponent for me now, and I know if I want to be called the best I have to fight the best,” Bonner said. “… I know I’m gonna knock him clean out.
“Like in the the War of 1912 when we burned the White House, we’re gonna burn this (expletive) house down.”
Note to Ben: it was the War of 1812, and the English’s burning of the White House occurred in August 1814. That war ended essentially in a stalemate.
Trout predicted there’ll be no stalemate at XFinity on Friday.
“I’ve fought the best,” Trout said, addressing Bonner at the news conference, “and you’re not the best.”
Friday’s card is billed as BKFC Liberty Brawl, and BKFC President David Feldman has brought in Englishmen Bonner and Jake Bostwick for the occasion. Bostwick is matched against Philadelphian Cody Russell.
Trout said he’s up to the occasion.
“For David to put me as the representative of the United States, to keep this belt here in the United States against the Redcoats … you picked the right one,” Trout said. “I’m here to take this belt. No, I’m here to snatch this belt and keep this belt here in America.
“I know it’s a big honor, and I’ll fight like it’s the biggest honor of my life.”
Continue reading...
BKFC Liberty Brawl, 6 p.m.
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia
Austin Trout vs. Ben Bonner, Britain Hart vs. Sarah Shell, several other fights
Streaming: DAZN (subscription service)
Yorkshireman Ben Bonner is not a historian by trade, so he can be forgiven for saying the English burned down the White House during the War of 1912. But on Friday, he’ll try to make a little history of his own by becoming the first man to defeat Las Cruces’ Austin Trout in bare-knuckle fighting competition.
Trout, meanwhile, will seek to make personal history by winning his third professional combat-sports title when he and Bonner do battle for the vacant BKFC lightweight title at XFinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
If Trout is worried, he hid it well during a Wednesday news conference.
“If you believe in yourself, it doesn’t matter how many people don’t believe in you,” Trout said. “… I was walking, living proof, a Black kid from New Mexico who was never supposed to be a world champion, let alone two times, let alone three times.
“Friday, I’m about to do the impossible for the third time.”
Trout, 40, won a world boxing title in 2011. After moving to bare-knuckle, he defeated Luis Palomino to claim the BKFC welterweight belt in February 2024. He’s 5-0 in BKFC competition.
Bonner (5-2) is a former BKFC champion with an asterisk, having defeated Tony Soto for the interim lightweight title in June of last year.
Bonner then lost his title bid to Franco Tenaglia, who was stripped of the belt for taking an MMA fight in apparent violation of his BKFC contract. That led to a lightweight “tournament” during which Bonner again defeated Soto and Trout beat Palomino for the second time — setting up Friday’s title fight.
It’s a classic boxer-vs-brawler matchup.
Trout, a former amateur boxing national champion and a 2004 Olympic alternate, compiled a 37-5-1 (18 knockouts) in 18 years as a professional boxer.
Bonner has no listing as a boxer or as an MMA fighter, only his seven bare-knuckle fights. Yet, he believes his punching power can and will overcome Trout’s skill and experience.
“Austin is the best opponent for me now, and I know if I want to be called the best I have to fight the best,” Bonner said. “… I know I’m gonna knock him clean out.
“Like in the the War of 1912 when we burned the White House, we’re gonna burn this (expletive) house down.”
Note to Ben: it was the War of 1812, and the English’s burning of the White House occurred in August 1814. That war ended essentially in a stalemate.
Trout predicted there’ll be no stalemate at XFinity on Friday.
“I’ve fought the best,” Trout said, addressing Bonner at the news conference, “and you’re not the best.”
Friday’s card is billed as BKFC Liberty Brawl, and BKFC President David Feldman has brought in Englishmen Bonner and Jake Bostwick for the occasion. Bostwick is matched against Philadelphian Cody Russell.
Trout said he’s up to the occasion.
“For David to put me as the representative of the United States, to keep this belt here in the United States against the Redcoats … you picked the right one,” Trout said. “I’m here to take this belt. No, I’m here to snatch this belt and keep this belt here in America.
“I know it’s a big honor, and I’ll fight like it’s the biggest honor of my life.”
Continue reading...
