Comments Thread For: Trainer on Austin Trout's bare knuckle potential: 'I believe he can beat anyone'

[BoxingUpdates]

Former boxing titleholder Austin Trout continues to make his mark in the world of bare knuckle fighting as he prepares to defend his welterweight title against Ricardo Franco at Marbella Arena in Marbella, Spain.
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[famicommander]

Well yeah, he's one of only like 3 boxers to get into this sport that wasn't completely washed up. The commentators try to pretend like all these prime boxers have come into the BKFC and lost but in reality it was retired Malinaggi and 30 loss Chop Chop Corley.

Dat Nguyen completely cleaned out two divisions (135 and 155, despite being a 126 pounder at his peak in boxing) and for his trouble they robbed him blind in his 155 title challenge and then never gave him another fight.

[IAmABoxingGuru]

What do guys even make in a sport like bareknuckle?

[famicommander]

What do guys even make in a sport like bareknuckle?

The guys on the undercard make peanuts. Like 2-5 grand per fight.

The "name" fighters usually make decent scratch. More than they'd make anywhere except a major boxing promotion or UFC. That's most of their talent base: guys that just washed out of UFC or guys that can't get any attention from Arum, Hearn, Warren, De La Hoya, or Haymon anymore.

[famicommander]

Hannah Rankin (former WBA/IBO women's 154 titlist) just had a brutal debut fight. She fought a kickboxer and both ladies absolutely wrecked each other's faces. Rankin marked up worse but she also landed the heavier shots through the fight. Close fight, Rankin got the split decision.

[famicommander]

Trout's up next. His opponent is Rico Franco:
6-4 in pro MMA
2-0 in pro boxing
9-2 in pro bare knuckle

[famicommander]

Through three rounds there's a drastic difference in handspeed, reaction time, and the ability to use angles. Franco keeps stepping into spots where he thinks he's safe and Trout is just blasting him with hooks and overhands from odd angles. And Trout doesn't have to get hit at all if he doesn't want to.

[famicommander]

Trout dropped him twice, cut his face up, and easily won all 5 rounds.