Carlisle bare-knuckle boxing champion announces retirement
The 40-year-old former UK champion says he will no longer fight on the major bare-knuckle platform.
Christie announced his decision following his recent defeat in a British welterweight title fight against Connor Tierney.
The Currock fighter initially retired last autumn only to reverse his decision to take on Tierney.
Now Christie is stepping down from the top bare-knuckle scene again.
"The time has come for me not to compete any more," said the Cumbrian on his YouTube channel.
"I'm retiring from the BKFC.
"I'm not going to compete any more in bare-knuckle.
"I just don't feel like I've got anything left to do in this game.
"Never, ever in my wildest dreams or imagination could I ever have envisioned me doing what I've done in the BKFC.
"What an honour and a privilege it's been to be one of the names that's helped pioneer this company in the UK and make it what it is today.
"Bare-knuckle is where it's at. I love the BKFC. I love the sport, I love the game.
Christie defeated Anthony Holmes to win the British light-heavyweight BKFC title in 2023, and has also had title fights in other weight divisions (Image: BKFC)
"I've had some brilliant feedback from the BKFC. They've made a position available to me, working with the company in the UK, which is massive, and brilliant. It's what I wanted to do.
"I'm an ambassador for the BKFC. But I've decided enough's enough."
Christie said he had "retired" after previous fights but added: "There's only so many times I can keep doing this.
"There's only a certain amount of training camps that you're willing to put yourself through."
Christie became the British light-heavyweight champion in 2023 when, after victories over Terry Brazier and Darren Godfrey, he defeated Anthony Holmes in Leeds to take the belt.
After defeat to American fighter Jared Warren, he successfully defended his British title against David Round.
Christie then moved to middleweight and defeated Jimmy Millar, earning a world title shot where he was beaten by American star David Mundell.
That fight last October prompted Christie to retire but he returned to take on Tierney in Birmingham last month.
Home-city favourite Tierney got the better of Christie by technical knockout in the fourth round of a closely-contested and ferocious fight.
After nearly three weeks since that fight the Carlisle boxer has now reached his decision to call it a day.
"I've just headlined two shows back to back," he added. "I've got no interest in going back and fighting some randomer on the middle of a card somewhere.
"No disrespect to the lads who are doing that, but I've come such a long way."
Christie said he will "still be in the game," with the Currock man having been working with up-and-coming Carlisle fighter Kieron Sewell, who has just signed a deal to join the BKFC.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tierney has 'fire' to help Welsh rugby transform
Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Abi Tierney says she still has "fire in her belly" in the role and wants to help the Wales men's team return to the elite of world rugby. Steve Tandy has been installed as the new men's head coach as he takes over a side who suffered a record 18 Test defeats before a first win in 21 months when they beat Japan earlier this month. Wales have slipped to 12th in the world rankings after Tierney launched a new strategy in June 2024 where the aim was for Wales to be in the top five in 2029. "It was always an aspiration but it's getting harder to achieve that since we published that," said Tierney. "It doesn't mean we're giving up on it. I've got fire in my belly to get up there." It has been a tumultuous time in Welsh rugby since Tierney took over in January in 2024 but she says she will not walk away. "I have the fire to stay in the role, absolutely," said Tierney. "I'm not considering doing anything different. I don't give up easily." Tierney is currently in Australia where she is watching the British and Irish Lions tour and attending World Rugby meetings. When asked if suggestions that she would leave her post upon her return had any truth in them, she replied: "Categorically false." Will there be a cut in sides? It remains a tough time with the WRU considering halving the number of regions in Wales as part of a new domestic structure by the 2027-28 season. The governing body says it is entering a formal consultation and could reduce the number of regions from four to three or even two, with a final decision expected by October. "So one of the options is to keep four but fund them differently," said Tierney. "Another option is to go to three or you could fund them differently again. You could have a three on equal funding or a two plus one. "Other option is to go to two. From a performance level you can make them work. I think they've all got trade-offs." Mergers between sides have been mooted. "Everything is on the table," said Tierney. "In the formal consultation will be a direction of travel in terms of number of clubs and then conversations begin in earnest to see how clubs can make that work." The season 2027-28 has been highlighted for the time for change with Tierney stating the early date of 2026-27 could only achieved if there an agreement was in place. Tierney says they have spoken to the United Rugby Championship (URC) about reducing teams. "They have been as supportive as they can be and understand we need to do something," said Tierney. "Their preference is we stay with four teams but understand we may need to do something so it is about working with them." Tierney also stated the WRU's focus was on the URC rather than trying to go into an Anglo-Welsh league. 'Cardiff situation made us pause' Earlier this year, the WRU had previously stated there was enough money to fund four professional sides equally. Tierney says things changed when Cardiff went into administration in April and was taken over by the WRU. The current professional rugby agreement (PRA) that underpins the Welsh professional game runs out in June 2027 and was due to be superseded by a new five-year deal. The deal has been agreed by Cardiff and Dragons, but has still not been signed by either Ospreys or Scarlets, who say "key issues" have not been resolved. "When Cardiff happened, that showed just how challenged the system is," said Tierney. "It made us all pause, including the regions. That meant we weren't able to give sufficient reassurances to two of the regions for them to sign. "So when you don't have a deal, it's time to think about what to do different." Tierney say a drop in finances has affected their previous forecasts. "When we modelled the original offer, it was based on the numbers at the time but numbers have gone the wrong way since then," said Tierney. "We should have done a tougher downside but the headwinds that have affected rugby globally since were not reflected, especially competition income and media rights, while costs have also gone up with national insurance, player wages and costs of running a stadium. "We've seen revenue going down and costs going up. It means the gap to make up is larger for the regions. There's only so far the money goes." Ospreys and Scarlets are considering legal action against the WRU about their handling of the Cardiff situation. "That's always a concern," said Tierney. "They are all still talking to me about what's in best interest for Welsh rugby and want to find a way forward. "I remain optimistic we will find a way through this and can avoid legal action because that's the worst thing that can happen for Welsh rugby with delays and costs involved." Wales name Tandy as new head coach 'Big decisions needed for radical future' - WRU's Reddin Tandy needs 'patience' in Wales task, says Davies Committed to providing certainty Tierney accepts the current uncertainty in Welsh rugby is troubling. "It is a huge burden when you hear about players worried about their jobs," said Tierney. "It is not just the players, but all employees with the four clubs and the WRU because we are looking at changing the whole system. "This is not just about the number of clubs but it's about how we transform professional rugby and our pathways. "You take that seriously and we have committed to honouring players contracts. "Hopefully people will see we behaved with integrity around the Cardiff situation. "We will continue to try and make sure people get certainty as quickly as possible, treat people with respect and are as transparent and open as we can." Tierney says change is required. "We need to now put something in place that might be hard but put us on a sustainable footing going forward and won't require future change," said Tierney. "We all say we need to do something different and the message from clubs and players is to do that quickly and remove uncertainty."
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kate Middleton's Wimbledon Dress Generates $918,000 in Media Exposure for Self-Portrait
Kate Middleton's Self-Portrait dress for The Championships, Wimbledon generated $918,000 in media impact value for the British brand, according to a new report from Launchmetrics. Overall, Middleton's attendance for the ladies' and gentlemen's singles finals generated $36 million in MIV for the tournament. (MIV is a proprietary metric that assigns a true monetary value to marketing strategies across print, online and social media in order to calculate ROI.) The Princess of Wales wore the ivory look for the ladies' singles final between Iga Świątek of Poland and American Amanda Anisimova at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on July 12. To complement her ivory Self-Portrait dress, Middleton wore a pair of Gianvito Rossi pumps and Cartier jewelry. More from WWD Best Dressed Celebrities at 2025 Wimbledon Cynthia Erivo in Ralph Lauren, Lily Collins in Stella Jean and More Striped Looks at 2025 Wimbledon Daisy Edgar-Jones Gives Monochrome Styling a Twist With Silver-Buckled Slingbacks and Gucci Summer Stripes Middleton's Self-Portrait frock notably generated a smaller percentage than the dress she wore to the gentleman's singles final at Wimbledon in 2024. For last year's edition of the grand slam, Middleton wore a purple Safiyaa dress. The look generated $4.8 million in MIV for the label. According to Launchmetrics, the 2025 edition of the tennis grand slam generated $1.1 billion in MIV — a 23 percent increase from 2024. Ralph Lauren, Wimbledon's official outfitter since 2006, saw the highest media value of all the brands present — $22.5 million — a 20 percent increase from 2024. Jannik Sinner, the Wimbledon gentlemen's singles champion, generated $9.1 million in media impact value. Throughout the 2025 edition of the tournament, Middleton was also seen in a cobalt blue midi dress by Roksanda, which she wore for the gentlemen's singles final on July 13. The Princess of Wales' dress coordinated with the attire worn by her family, including Prince William, who styled a navy blazer. The couple's eldest son, Prince George, wore a similar look to his father's, and Princess Charlotte wore a bespoke dress by Sarah Burton — a favorite designer of Middleton. Kate Middleton's Wimbledon Looks Through the Years [PHOTOS] View Gallery Launch Gallery: Kate Middleton's Wimbledon Looks Through the Years [PHOTOS] Best of WWD How Geri Halliwell's Union Jack Dress Inspired a Generation of Pop Stars and Patriotism 23 of the World's Most Expensive Handbags: Jane Birkin's Original Hermès Bag, Chanel's Crocodile Skin Flap Bag and More Brands With the Power of the Purse 'Project Runway' Winners: Where Are They Now? Solve the daily Crossword
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Why have Nottingham Forest taken out an £80m loan from Apollo Management?
Nottingham Forest have taken a loan of £80million ($108m) with Apollo Management, a global asset management company based in New York. It is the company's first venture into Premier League finance. The three-year loan, which was secured in December 2024, will operate with an interest rate of 8.75 per cent. Advertisement For Forest, £55million of the loan was used to refinance an existing debt with Rights and Media Funding Group (RMF) as a potential cost-saving exercise. It is secured against the entirety of the club and its assets, the most significant of which is the City Ground. It is not an unusual practice for clubs to secure finance in such a manner. In fact, it is a reasonably regular occurrence; fleeting star players aside, a club's most valuable asset tends to be its home, so that's what gets put up as security when large tranches of funding are obtained. But, when it involves a headline figure of such a high number, it might raise some questions among fans. Which The Athletic attempts to answer here… Apollo — or Apollo Global Management — is a global asset management company, headquartered in Midtown Manhattan. Founded in 1990, Apollo had, as of the end of 2024, assets under management of $751billion, ranking them as the 28th largest asset management firm in the world, according to the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute. Apollo was co-founded by Josh Harris, now a shareholder at Crystal Palace. Harris left Apollo in 2022, though retained a six per cent shareholding in the firm as of April this year. Naturally, the firm's business is widely diversified, with various companies in operation. Of the £80million loaned to Forest last December, £25m is owed to Apollo Debt Solutions (ADS) BDC (the latter standing for 'Business Development Company'), a subsidiary of the Apollo group. Based on filings by Forest's holding company, NF Football Investments, the remaining £55m is held by Apollo Investment Management Europe, a Luxembourg-based entity. While this is Apollo's first known direct foray into football, the Financial Times reported this week that the investment firm is in talks to buy a stake in Atletico Madrid. Advertisement Which isn't to say the firm is not already active in sport. ADS' loan book includes two term loans, totalling $172million, given to Endeavor, owners of World Wrestling Entertainment and the Ultimate Fighting Championship via their ownership of TKO Group. A further $52m was loaned to TKO earlier this year, while there's another $5m due from Delta 2, a Luxembourg-based company that holds debt for Formula One. There's an existing link to football too. Also on ADS' list of investments at the end of March was a £40m loan to Sports Invest Holdings Limited, a business set up last May by prominent football advisor, Kia Joorabchian. Rights and Media Funding Limited is a Macclesfield-based company that lends to the sports and entertainment industries. RMF loaned Forest £55million in two tranches. First, in August 2022, £45m repayable by July 30 2025, bearing interest at 7.5 per cent plus the Bank of England (BOE) base rate (then 1.75 per cent; now 4.25 per cent), then a further £10m in October 2023, again repayable by July 30 2025, this time bearing interest at 6.45 per cent plus the BOE base rate. Both loans have now been repaid in full and were filed as such on January 6 this year. Forest aren't the first club to have received funding from RMF, whose most high-profile lending was to Everton before the club's takeover by The Friedkin Group last December. At one stage, that debt sat at £225m, though it was all repaid following the takeover. As well as Everton, RMF has previously loaned money to West Ham (varying amounts between 2017 and 2020), and a cohort of 11 clubs in Spain. The lender provided €67million in December 2020 in a joint-financing venture that looked to shore up liquidity during the Covid-19 pandemic. In July 2021, RMF loaned Valencia €51m over five years, before organising a separate €20m, over four and a half years, to the Mestalla club in January 2024. Per RMF's balance sheet at the end of June 2024, the company was owed loans in the region of £288million, the vast majority of which looks to have been amounts due from Everton and Forest. Both clubs are now free of debt to RMF. The £80million loaned from Apollo to Forest is senior debt, meaning it takes priority when it comes to repayment; in the unlikely event Forest were heading out of business, Apollo would be at the front of the resultant queue. The loan has a three-year term, due for repayment on December 20 2027, though there is provision for that to be extended a further two years. It incurs 8.75 per cent interest annually or, based on the £80m balance, £7m per year. That was around half Forest's total matchday income in the 2023-24 season (the latest for which we have figures). Advertisement £55m of the Apollo loan has been used to repay the amounts due to RMF. Based on most recent interest rates, those RMF loans were incurring £6.4m in annual interest, so this refinancing — now a common occurrence in football — works out cheaper in a sense; applying the Apollo interest rate to £55m gives an annual charge of £4.8m. Of course, Forest have borrowed above and beyond their previous debt to RMF, taking out a further £25m this time around. It is unclear what the additional funding is to be used for. It is difficult to read too much into the timing of the loan, beyond the fact that the restructuring of the debt should ultimately reduce costs for the club. With those RMF loans due for repayment at the end of July, it makes sense that the club looked elsewhere — successfully — for cheaper financing. The club have declined to comment. Debt has long been a dirty word in football, but it need not be; the only way debt becomes overly problematic is if clubs are unable to service it, or it unduly impacts their ability to spend elsewhere. In that sense, Forest shouldn't have too much new to be concerned about in the immediate future. While their debt burden has increased by £25million, the more favourable rate — and a fixed one at that — means interest costs have only increased by around £0.6m annually. That is, however, simply relative to the club's previous position. £7m in annual interest isn't too bad for a club in the Premier League and the commensurate wealth that brings (The Athletic estimates Forest earned £157.5m in domestic prize money alone last season), but should a bad season result in relegation, interest quickly becomes a much bigger problem. An 8.75 per cent interest rate is hardly cheap, though it's also not as hefty as some other clubs are paying — including Forest's own recent payments to RMF. Rates are high generally and a potential drop into the Championship, deemed a possibility for all but a minority of clubs, makes it difficult to obtain low-rate lending. A positive is that Forest have now locked in the rate on this tranche of funding, so are no longer subject to interest rate swings and have certainty over upcoming payments — though, of course, that could turn to a negative if rates fall in the future. Advertisement Of greater concern is whether Forest have anything to show for it. If the money has only been used to cover ongoing costs, that's much less desirable than pouring it into infrastructure; for example, the imminent works at the City Ground. Debt just to fund existing operations always raises the question of how it will eventually be repaid. Eight Premier League clubs paid more in interest than Forest in 2023-24, some substantially so, but several of those did it to build new or improved facilities. There's also the important point that all of the club being used as security precludes Forest from putting its assets up against any other funding, such as whatever may be required to pay for those City Ground works. That money will, presumably, have to come from the pockets of owner Evangelos Marinakis. The repayment date for the Apollo loan isn't until December 2027, but could be extended to 2029, and it may be that Forest simply refinance again. In the immediate term, the lending doesn't look overly risky or expensive — at least relative to what went before. But finances at Forest, like most clubs outside a handful, will remain reliant on on-field success.
