The serene backdrop of Cancun, Mexico made for a fun juxtaposition with the visceral nature of bare knuckle boxing. BKFC 4 looked promising going in and the pugilism more than lived up to those expectations. Two title fights, hard hitting heavyweight tilts, blisteringly fast featherweights.
Several UFC vets stepped in there, many staples of the BKB circuit performed, and multiple fights were highly anticipated rematches.
There was also the theme of U.S vs Mexico which has a steep history that’s rooted deep in the annals of Boxing history. Liberty Multimedia’s Dylan Bowker checked out the event via FITE TV and has your detailed write up of all the proceedings below.
Julian Lane VS Leonard Garcia (WBF Latin American Bare Knuckle Middleweight Championship)
Round #1: Pretty much right from the jump, Lane dropped Garcia hard. Lane got dropped almost immediately by Garcia after that. Garcia floored Lane with a big overhand. This is a combustible, hectic round.
Round #2: Garcia and Lane exchanging big overhand punches. Lane got rocked by a series of Garcia bombs and he put so much into it that Leonard tripped to the canvas himself. A flurry of follow up punches secured the win for Garcia. Brutal knockout win where Lane had his cauliflower ear popped open.
Blood everywhere from the butchered ear. Garcia has a huge grin on his face as he gets a deep cut tended to. Triumphing over his bloodied foe in this bare knuckle championship spectacle. So much drama in this title fight.
At 1:39 of R2, Leonard Garcia captures the crown and nets the WBF Latin American Bare Knuckle Middleweight Championship.
Bec Rawlings VS Cecilia Flores (Police Gazette World Diamond Featherweight Championship)
Round #1: Rawlings (C) and Flores start off this title bout with both connecting on good right hands in the early going. Flores now bleeding from her right nostril.
Round #2:Rawlings landing the more damaging strikes despite spirited combinations by Flores. Rawlings has a tighter approach both offensively and defensively.
Round #3: A repeat round with the clean technique of Rawlings dismantling the face of Flores.
Round #4:Flores showing great heart but Rawlings using great angles in her footwork to continue winning comfortably. Rawlings is up in a big way heading into the final championship round.
Round #5: Rawlings putting on a BKB clinic but Flores threw bravely until the closing bell. The winner by unanimous decision is Bec Rawlings and won the WBF Latin American Bare Knuckle Title.
Joey Beltran VS Tony Lopez
Round #1: A rematch of a modern day BKB classic. Beltran and Lopez get right at it with Beltran pumping his jab. Lopez flicking out his own jab now. Lopez maintaining his distance and gauging the space well.
Round #2: The second frame looks very similar with Lopez showing a strong understanding of the distance. Both men landing flurries as the round ends.
Round #3: Lopez has created a guard that has been hard to penetrate despite Beltran’s best efforts to pry through. Kryptonite is using footwork as the proverbial kryptonite for the Mexicutioner’s (Beltran’s) forward advances. Blood on the face of Beltran as a cut develops underneath his eye.
Round #4: Lopez is pumping the jab and putting together combos but has a much more tempered approach than the first fight. Lopez isn’t engaging in the same kind of gun fight but Beltran seems to have a “bite down on the mouthpiece” style from their first meeting.
Round #5: Both men trading close quarters, body shots straight from the clinch. Multi-punch combos by Lopez but he still keeps good composure despite strong output. Huge flurry to close out the fight as both men land some knuckles. The fight is ruled a split draw.
Chris Lytle VS JC Llamas
Round #1: Llamas and Lytle lock horns with both landing strong shots respectively. Llamas lands some hands to end off the opening round. Lytle seems a bit less composed and Llamas is offering a good accounting of himself so far.
Round #2: Lytle getting a bit overzealous in the earlier parts of the round. Llamas timing the entries of Chris. Lytle looking to be more patient and measured as the bell sounds.
Round #3: Lytle cracked Llamas but he took it well. Lytle’s entries are yielding more success for him as he’s now beginning to connect more.
Round #4: Llamas despite being cut in the round has largely won the frame. The bloody Llamas calling on Lytle to come forward.
Round #5: Competitive, high stakes final round and the cut of Llamas gets checked with seconds left in the fight. An accidental clash of heads results in Lytle slipping. The winner by unanimous decision is Chris “Lights Out’ Lytle.
Sam Shewmaker VS Jaime Arevalo
Round #1: Shewmaker and Arevalo are next up at BKFC 4. The Heavyweights are swinging big until Shewmaker starts snapping out the jab a bit more steadily.
Round #2: Shewmaker pawing out that jab again and Arevalo trying to find his rhythm. Largely uneventful round with Shewmaker attempting a couple of strikes to end the round.
Round #3: Shewmaker finally landing some big punches halfway through the round that knocked out Arevalo’s mouthpiece.
Round #4: Not much going on but Shewmaker again is outpacing Arevalo. There’s sometimes that Heavyweight aversion to engage in Boxing, MMA, etc. This feeling is further magnified by the bare knuckle aspect at BKFC 4.
Round #5: Fifth and final frame with more of the same. Shewmaker landing the strikes of consequence with Arevalo landing the occasional looping strike. The winner by Split Decision is Shewmaker.
Joe Riggs VS Rudo Tovar
Round #1: Riggs and Tovar ready for a 185 lb prize fight in the next tilt of the evening. Riggs with some multi-punch combos out of the gate. Riggs closing the distance more often but neither man gaining a huge lead. Riggs has landed the most and is maintaining good movement will Tovar looks to continually clinch. Tovar doing nothing of consequence with a clear round for Riggs.
Round #2: Tovar having issues closing the gap in a meaningful way. Riggs’ footwork, technique, and superior connection rate are carrying him through yet another round.
Round #3: Riggs’ jab and step-in uppercuts lead to Tovar being knocked down. Tovar gets up but is met with some knuckles from Diesel’s exposed fists.
Round #4: Tovar getting a few close quarters punches off in the clinch. Riggs lands a lead left hook after recovering from an eye poke.
Round #5: Tovar continuing his lackadaisical clinch work as Riggs seems to be the better conditioned fighter. Riggs maintained his overall approach and the story of the fight mostly unfurled the same each round. The winner by unanimous decision is Joe Riggs.
Tom Shoaff VS Diegio Garijo
Round #1: A couple of Middleweights stand in neutral corners ahead of this BKB rematch. Shoaff and Garijo get right at it. Both men respecting each other with Garijo aiming to close the distance. Solid flurry from both men. Garijo gets dropped but gets right back up after taking a clean left.
Round #2: Shoaff with the strong jab from orthodox on the southpaw Garijo. The rhythm is being set by Shoaff who has drawn a bit of blood under Garijo’s right eye. Garijo working the body to end R2.
Round #3: Garijo gets cracked rushing in but maintains composure. Shoaff follows hat up by once again dropping Garijo to the canvas. The persistent jab is swelling up the eye as Garijo gets dropped yet another time.
Round #4: Garijo showing tremendous heart as he gets dropped for the fourth time and resumes fighting again. A bare knuckle clinic is being put on by Shoaff with a great display of heart/ tenacity from Garijo. Garijo stumbles Shoaff! Wild fourth frame but the doctor again has to check on Garijo. The doctor mercifully stops the bout as Garijo’s skull has tremendous swelling and perhaps some structural damage. Shoaff picks up the TKO victory at 1:26 of R4.
Erik Leander vs Alejandro Solorzano
Round #1: Alejandro is working the body early but Leander is trying to throw some overhand punches. The knuckles are flying in a big way in this Heavyweight affair.
Round#2: Alejandro pieced up Leander and seemed to damage his nose with punches. Leander with a big punch to the face of Alejandro. Solorzano pawing out the jab and has cleaner boxing technique up until this juncture.
Round #3: Alejandro slips in the uppercut and is dictating the pace of the bout. Leander is getting bloodier and more butchered up
as the round ends.
Round #4: The bout finally gets halted in round four as Leander was too busted up to continue. Alejandro Solorzano notches the W via TKO (cuts).
Travis Thompson vs Ivan Rocka
Round #1: 135 lbers clash and immediately begin trading. Rocka stumbled early but doesn’t seem overly shook long term. That is until Thompson tags him with a clean one-two where Rocka hit the deck. Thompson rushes in for the finish and eventually drops Rocka a second time via jab on this occasion.
Round #2: Round two and Rocka still coming forward. Thompson tags Rocka to the body and face with grimacing from Ivan. Pain evident on Ivan Rocka’s countenance. Thompson drops Rocka hard and the fight is over. The overhand right slumps Rocka at 1:59 of R2. Thompson wins via Knockout with one second left in the frame.
Be sure to check out my other work as we switch from Broughton’s Rules to Queensberry Rules:
https://libertymultimedia.com/2018/12/19/ko-boxing-84-ringside-recap/