Bare-knuckle boxing comes to Bedfordview on April 5
The first Titan Bare-Knuckle Championship was on May 11, last year.
Titan Bare Knuckle (TBK) hosted a media day for bare-knuckle fighters at Apex Sports Centre, Randhart, on March 22 with open workouts and interviews with the boxers.
This was in preparation for the Wild West Bare Knuckle Boxing on April 5 at The Italian Club, 7 Marais Road, Bedfordview.
A director at TBK, Kelly Straus said people can expect fireworks on the day.
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“There will be 20 white-collar fights and three bare-knuckle fights, sanctioned by the South African Bare Knuckle Board,” she said.
Rodrique Kena, one fighter, is gunning for the title.
“I will collect the title on April 5. I have been training hard for this fight. To the people watching the fight, don’t blink,” he said.
Wayne Gardener, participating in the white-collar fight, said he hoped to get past one round but can do many rounds.
President of the South African Bare Knuckle Board, Henk Pelser said this is a combat sport.
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“This is an extreme sport where fighters must know how to punch. I always advise the fighters to fight right where they do not break their hands.
“You are prone to get injured when you punch wrong, and that is why I encourage them to do two-knuckle push-ups.
“This sport is not for the faint-hearted, and I commend the fight promoter, Tiny Straus, for his resilience.
“He is pushing for the bare-knuckle to go forward. Unlike other promoters, there are a lot of them who want to get involved but are not reliable. So far, Tiny is the only reliable one,” he said.
Pelser also wants to enforce contracts on these fighters so that they can give the audience a return on investment.
“People pay money to watch these fights and I don’t expect a fighter to get knocked out in the first round.
“They must push to the next level, at least last for five rounds, because people want to see them fighting. Going down in one punch is not on,” he explained.
Contact Kelly on 083 702 0173 for more information.
