BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing has added several fighters to its roster while securing Super Cruiserweight champion Julian Fernandez ahead of a title defense in his hometown of Tijuana. The announcement arrives 11 days before BKB 58 in Miami, where heavyweight champion Gustavo Trujillo headlines against Mark O’Neil.
James “Get Down” Brown is the headline addition. The Wilmington, North Carolina fighter joins BKB after wins over former BKB competitors Dan Chapman and Bovar Khanakov. Brown and BKFC had agreed to part ways on August 11, creating a quick move to BKB’s roster ahead of the promotion’s next run of U.S. and international events.
Bkb Continues To Strengthen Roster With Key Re-signings And Notable New Additions
BKB has also signed unbeaten heavyweight boxer Fernando Cuza, who carries an interesting connection to its title picture. Cuza has beaten current BKB heavyweight champion Trujillo twice in one-round Team Boxing League bouts. Trujillo remains 8-0 with eight first-round BKB knockouts and will defend his belt against O’Neil at Miami’s James L. Knight Center on August 29, so Cuza’s arrival gives the division another potential future matchup.
Unbeaten Cleveland-area featherweight Albert El Zaibak has joined alongside British fighters Jon Telfer and John Hamilton. The group adds options across several weight classes as matchmaker Mel Valenzuela builds the schedule after BKB’s Miami card and before its first event in Mexico.
Fernandez’s re-signing is central to that plan. The 32-year-old Tijuana native will defend the BKB Super Cruiserweight World Championship against Daniel “Big Pod” Podmore in the BKB 59 main event on September 19 at Auditorio Municipal de Tijuana. Fernandez is 3-0 in BKB with three stoppages and won the title by TKO against Alex Wilson at BKB 52 in March. Podmore enters as a former three-division BKB champion, giving Fernandez a high-profile homecoming fight for the promotion’s Mexico debut.
BKB 59 will feature a second title bout, with Mexico’s Cecy Ulloa facing Andy “The CrAsian” Nguyen for the vacant Super Flyweight World Championship. The event is being staged in partnership with Zanfer Boxing, adding a local promotional partner for BKB’s first show in one of boxing’s biggest markets.
Two MMA crossover fighters are returning as well. Benjamin Bennett brings a 5-0 gloved-boxing record and an 8-1 MMA record, plus a third-round TKO win over Armus Guyton in his BKB debut. Tommy Aaron, who holds a 15-9 professional MMA record, rebounded from a decision loss to BKB’s top-ranked super welterweight Henry Williams by stopping former title challenger Ryan Jett.
Miami remains the immediate focus. Alongside Trujillo-O’Neil, BKB 58 includes Yuriorkis Gamboa’s bare-knuckle debut against Yesner Talavera, Alberto Blas defending the Super Featherweight title against Brandon Birr, and bouts involving Aspen Ladd and Roberto Duran Jr. The main card is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on VICE TV, with Telemundo Deportes Ahora also listed as a broadcast outlet.
