Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) President David Feldman recently revealed that the promotion is set to be big players in combat sports free agency early next year due to some massive investment from an unexpected source.
On Saturday night, BKFC 56 is set to be the promotion’s biggest event yet as they end 2023 in a loud way. However, while this year was another productive one for the world leader in bare-knuckle boxing, the company has some big plans on the horizon for early 2024.
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During a conversation this week with Sportsnaut, Feldman explained that several big-name boxers have shown interest in competing for the company, but early next year they will finally have the funds to meet their high contract demands.
“I’m getting reached out to by a lot of boxers,” Feldman said. “I think in February we are probably going to go on a big signing spree. Mid-January to February. We are locking up a humongous funding round with a major investor that’s really going to turn a corner for us again. That’s going to allow us to get the bigger names. The boxers want a little more money than these MMA guys.”
The BKFC president also revealed that the new funding is expected to come from the Middle East. A region of the world that has been throwing millions into owning or investing in Western sports teams and leagues like LIV Golf and the Professional Fighters League.
“I’m actually heading in mid-December to the Middle East,” said Feldman. “I have a bunch of meetings set up in different countries and different people out there. I’m very excited to come back from there because I think we’re really going to get something done. I have a ton of guys that want to invest in the company.”
Assuming Feldman can finalize a deal it could mean a game-changing amount of money being added to the BKFC coffers. This means they can think very big with the boxers they potentially sign. Chances are they won’t be adding top-15 fighters right now, but instead, greats from the sport looking to try something new with their traditional boxing days behind them.
With that in mind, let’s look at five-star boxers BKFC could target early next year.
5 star boxers BKFC could sign early in 2024
Amir Khan
England’s Amir Khan has not fought in over a year and it is unclear when the 36-year-old will return to action. However, with his best days in traditional boxing behind him, he could have the itch to fight a few more times but in a new format. Bare-knuckle boxing might be a fun switch for him and being the face of a hard push by the company in the United Kingdom would make sense for BKFC as they continue to expand their brand globally.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is no longer the star and championship fighter he once was in boxing. However, his family’s name still holds a lot of relevancy and if he wanted to be one of the faces of a unique promotion, a move to BKFC to continue his career would be a good fit.
The 37-year-old has a couple of good years left and he has always been a durable and entertaining fighter. Being a new star in a different sport could be a way to push him back into the spotlight and give BKFC a legendary boxing family to be linked with and add a new level of prestige to the brand.
Mike Tyson
BKFC attempted to sign Mike Tyson a few years ago and reportedly made a pretty solid offer. After making a surprise return in 2020, following a couple of decades away, it is unclear if the 57-year-old wants to step back into the ring. However, if he does, Tyson is an unusual individual and while it might have seemed odd years ago the avid MMA fan competing in bare-knuckle boxing is not as outlandish as some might think.
With BKFC getting Middle Eastern funding, they could make “Iron” a financial opportunity he has to take very seriously and the rare opportunity to compete for a title with notoriety. For the company, it brings one of the biggest spotlights they could potentially get due to Tyson’s massive fame.
Sergey Kovalev
Sergey Kovalev is one of the best fighters of the 2010s. At 40, his traditional boxing days are over, but he is still at an age where he has some good fights left in him. Plus, he would be an interesting direction for BKFC to go and fits a recent business strategy as the company has tried to expand its brand to Eastern Europe this year.
Manny Pacquiao
Obviously, this would be a pie-in-the-sky scenario, but with boxing icon Manny Pacquiao seemingly open to a return to the ring, why not throw a massive million-dollar offer at him? After achieving so much in the sport, there are not many more notable mountains he can realistically climb at 44.
However, a switch to be the face of BKFC’s global expansion would be a fascinating and refreshing new chapter in “Pacman’s” legendary combat sports career.
