Bryce Henry is regarded as a standout surging contender across multiple weight divisions, but his controversial win over an ex-BKFC welterweight champ did not earn him an abundance of respect among his pugilistic peers. Rico Franco was the first to weigh in on the Bryce Henry vs. Julian Lane result that saw the former get taken down by the latter, and the illegal grappling technique caused the bout to be waved off via disqualification.
This fourth-round outcome at the BKFC Fight Night: Mohegan Sun card in June got many talking, and ‘Bon Bon’ had his own viewpoint on this situation. As the interim BKFC welterweight champ was asked about his thoughts on this massive fight at 165 pounds that saw the ex-kingpin of the division take an L to Bryce Henry under curious terms, Franco said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“Yeah, I tuned in the next day to watch it. Because obviously it’s my weight division. Julian Lane’s an ex-world champ. I’ve seen this Bryce [Henry], I think he’s unbeaten now. I just couldn’t stop laughing. Julian Lane’s taking him down. That made the fight interesting. It’s funny. He’s just a character. He just does it for entertainment. He’s just a; Julian Lane is just a solid fighter. He’ll fight any man and he’ll just turn up and give it everything. That’s what I like. He’s a real fighter. He’s been in the game a long time.”
“He’s been in this bare knuckle game just before me cuz he fought Jimmy Sweeney in a rematch and that was my debut in Liverpool. That was the first time and obviously Julian Lane was just like world level then. He was an ex-UFC fighter. So he’s been on that world level, now bare knuckle for a long time. I think he’s had 19 fights. So yeah, he’s a legend in the game. He’s a veteran. Obviously this Bryce, I’ve seen this Bryce a few times. He is quite a technical boxer. I think he’s up and down in weights as well, but yeah, interesting, interesting fights.”
Bare Knuckle Icon Weighs In on Bryce Henry’s DQ Win and Henry’s Massive Next Test
Jimmy Sweeney has cemented himself as a BKB champion across four different weight divisions and has the deepest ledger of anyone in bare knuckle’s modern era. When asked for his take on the Julian Lane loss by way of a DQ that perhaps had Bryce Henry wondering if he was in an impromptu RAF contest, Sweeney stated [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“I didn’t see the fight, but I seen that bit alright. To be fair, I don’t think it was a fight ending f***ing injury or anything like that. I feel like he could have fought on. I don’t think he injured himself that much where the fight had to be called off or getting a DQ. So it was a pretty hard look on Julian again. Julian has had ups and downs through the years. We fought twice but we put that all be behind us, really. I do wish him well in his career and whatever is left of it.”
“But yeah, I just feel like he was hard done by, by that decision. Hopefully he can get it back on again and finish that fight. Because a fight ending like that isn’t good to be fair. Like man’s got disqualified. Yes, he shouldn’t have dropped him, but he could have had a point taken off him and the fight could have been continued.”
Henry will next knuckle up and toe the line on Friday as he does battle with a former opponent of Sweeney’s in Carlos Trinidad-Snake. As Bryce Henry returns for another BKFC Fight Night at Mohegan Sun, when asked for his thoughts on the Henry vs. Trinidad-Snake bout set for August 21st, Sweeney quipped [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“Yeah, I fancy Trinidad. I think he’s so awkward, them long arms. I don’t think his opponent has faced anyone that’s at the level of Trinidad. So that’s going to be a very, very tough fight for him. But then again it’s going to show us where he’s at, where his level is at.”
“Obviously if he beats Trinidad, he’s world title shot straight away for him. But it’s going to be a very, very difficult fight. Trinidad is a good, good fighter. He uses his height well, his reach very well. Yeah, it’s going to be an interesting fight, but I fancy [Carlos] Trinidad [Snake] for that one.”
