James Lilley was initially set to battle for the BKFC UK featherweight title later this week, however now Gary Fox is out, and Lilley is transferring as much as one other division altogether. That Fox battle did have plenty of weight behind it although, and when discussing that battle on the time that it was nonetheless set to go down, James Lilley acknowledged [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“Yeah, like another card I believe it might be a important occasion. However you recognize Mick Terrill’s from Newcastle, former heavyweight champion, you possibly can’t actually argue [laughs] with him being important occasion, so. However I believe another card it might have been a important occasion battle.”
James Lilley’s legacy-defining second pulled away from him
James Lilley was additionally set as much as make an announcement and probably be part of the rarefied air that features fighters who’ve captured a championship below the BKFC umbrella, in addition to a champion below the BKB banner. This context ties into the aforementioned Terrill, who has held gold in each promotions.
Reflecting on that Scott McHugh win at BKB 21 and considering what a capstone achievement it might be to grow to be a multi-promotion champion on this planet of gloveless fight, Lilley quipped [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“Yeah, it’s a bizarre one for me as a result of I challenged for a number of titles in my profession. MMA, boxing, naked knuckle, BKB, then BKFC, and solely the BKB one I managed to uapture. So, it’s type of like will it ever occur once more for me? I’m going to place my physique by way of hell to attempt to get that belt. However yeah, I believe being a champion in BKFC would form of mark off the final 20 years of my profession as you’ve achieved one thing.”
“For the time being, I’m an elite man. I do know I’ve been in with some good fighters. However I believe that belt will simply encapsulate every thing I’ve been working in direction of and it’s the one factor on my thoughts in the intervening time. I don’t care about form of cash and the celebrity and stuff that comes. I simply need to get that belt in order that I can say I used to be a BKFC champion. Present my children one thing in 10 years time, 20 years time.”
The prospect to make historical past should be paused for a bit with ‘Lights Out’ Lilley claiming on social media that the bout with Fox can be re-booked in a number of months. The BKFC UK promoter has also claimed that Fox fell out on account of unexpected circumstances.
The previous BKFC light-weight title challenger will now not be vying for UK gold at 145 kilos versus Fox and returns to 155 kilos right here on this short-notice bout. Josué Ekedi will now step as much as battle the embellished naked knuckle boxer in a last-minute light-weight bout locked in for BKFC Combat Evening Newcastle at Utilita Area Newcastle on March 14th.
