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Home » Bare Knuckle boss says boxing isn’t all about Joshua and Fury

Bare Knuckle boss says boxing isn’t all about Joshua and Fury

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  • 2 min read

Bareknuckle bosses say armchair fans in the UK would love a sport they believe is more exciting than gloved boxing and MMA.

Jim Freeman, the co-owner of BKB, last night announced his next shows will be in August and September.

Both shows are sure to attract sell-out crowds at the Indigo O2 and millions will tune in on television around the world.

As yet, no UK broadcaster is on board – and that’s left Freeman scratching his head.

“The fights are being shown in 28 countries,” he said. “The last show had 350,000 viewers in the Ukraine and the lads get frustrated the shows aren’t being screened by broadcasters here. There’s a bit of snobbery here perhaps.

“It was the same with UFC. There were loads of UFC shows before we picked it up in Britain and I think the same thing is happening with bareknuckle boxing. I am frustrated that the UK isn’t on board yet. I firmly believe we are safer than boxing and MMA – and we are more exciting as well.

“I’m hoping that once the lockdown is over, broadcasters will think it’s time for something new and look our way.

“We already get bigger crowds than 95 per cent of boxing shows. Casual fans think boxing is all about Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury – and it’s not. Most shows in Britain are small-hall shows that attract crowds of 500-1,000. We have had 3,000 regularly. People say to me: ‘Why don’t you put on a show at the York Hall ?’ The simple answer is: ‘It isn’t big enough.’”

Freeman says he’s followed the blueprint set down by the UFC.

“There’s no politics in BKB,” he said. “We don’t make the mistakes they make in gloved boxing. Fans want to see certain fights in boxing and because of politics, they don’t see them. If Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury were bareknuckle boxers, they would fight each other next. No question. In gloved boxing, there are debates about contracts and venues and even when the big fights are made, they are often made too late, like Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao.”