David Tetreault is betting BKB 59 can flip Mexico’s deep boxing tradition right into a launchpad for bare-knuckle boxing. The BKB CEO says the transfer is about assembly an viewers already constructed round fight sports activities, with Tijuana serving as the primary cease in a long-term plan moderately than a one-night go to.
BKB Naked Knuckle Boxing makes its Mexico debut this Saturday, September 19, with BKB 59 at Auditorio Municipal de Tijuana. The present represents the promotion’s first occasion exterior america and United Kingdom, and it begins a multi-event partnership with Zanfer Boxing, the Mexican promotional firm led by Fernando Beltran.
BKB CEO David Tetreault Explains Why Mexico Is Subsequent For Naked-Knuckle Boxing
Tetreault laid out the pondering throughout a Sportico interview, saying Mexico was the proper subsequent market as a result of boxing is woven into on a regular basis tradition there. “In Mexico, boxing is a part of the fiber and material of its folks. We’re simply boxing with naked knuckles,” he mentioned.
His level is easy: BKB doesn’t must introduce followers to placing, rivalry or championship stakes. It has to supply a well-known sport in a format that strikes sooner and carries a special type of threat.
The CEO has described the Tijuana occasion as BKB “planting our flag in Mexico,” whereas the Zanfer settlement offers the corporate a neighborhood companion with an extended historical past in conventional boxing. The partnership was introduced July 1 and is designed to assist future dwell occasions, sponsorships and media distribution within the area.
BKB’s resolution comes because it tries to transform digital consideration into attendance and tv audiences. The corporate has lately pushed its content material on TikTok, whereas including recognizable boxing names to its roster, together with Paulie Malignaggi, Victor Ortiz, Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr., Alfredo Angulo, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Lee Selby. Mexico presents a pure take a look at as a result of the fan base already follows fighters and title fights carefully.
Tetreault mentioned Mexican followers, like these within the U.Ok. and U.S., develop up across the sport and actively search it out. Relatively than launching in Mexico Metropolis first, BKB selected a border metropolis with a longtime combat tradition and sensible hyperlinks to the U.S. market. Tijuana additionally offers BKB a hometown centerpiece.
Julian “El Guerrero Mexicano” Fernandez, a 32-year-old Tijuana fighter, will defend his BKB tremendous cruiserweight world title towards Dan “Massive Pod” Podmore. Fernandez enters 3-0 in bare-knuckle competitors, with every of these wins ending earlier than the ultimate bell. Podmore is 9-4 and has beforehand held BKB championships in three weight courses. That pairing offers the promotion a transparent native hook whereas placing its champion in with an skilled former titleholder. For a primary occasion in a brand new nation, the formulation is easy: a neighborhood titleholder, a longtime challenger and a belt on the road.
The co-main occasion provides one other Mexico-focused title alternative, as Cecy Ulloa faces Andy “The CrAsian” Nguyen for the vacant BKB tremendous flyweight championship. Ulloa is 2-1, whereas Nguyen enters at 1-1. BKB later confirmed a 12-fight lineup, that includes seven main-card bouts and 5 fights set for TikTok Stay.
The primary card contains Mexican fighters throughout the burden courses: Romario Ovalle vs. Marco Chino Villa at tremendous middleweight; Pablo Felipe Anguiano vs. Ricardo Ramses Rueda at cruiserweight; Adrian Gonzalez vs. Javier Santiago Valverde and Felipe Abraham Huerta vs. Erick Eduardo Soria at light-weight; and Jonathan Duran vs. Kevin Millan Sanchez at heavyweight.
Tetreault mentioned Tijuana is barely the place to begin. He cited town’s combat historical past and Mexican icons together with Julio Cesar Chavez when explaining the selection, with Mexico Metropolis among the many markets BKB is contemplating for 2027.
