Latest news with #WorldBareKnuckleFighting
7NEWS
6 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Anthony Mundine hits back at critics of new bare-knuckle boxing league
Anthony Mundine has urged critics to 'embrace the first show and come back to him' after launching a bare-knuckle boxing league he says is the purest form of the sport. The former world boxing champion is behind World Bare Knuckle Fighting (WBKF), a concept barred by authorities last month in Perth but now set to launch in Brisbane later this year. Ben Horn, the younger brother of former world champion Jeff with a 6-9 professional boxing record, is set to headline the September show at Logan Metro Sports and Events Centre that will be streamed online. Last month the Western Australian government's decision to allow US organisation Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship to host an event was overruled by the state's combat sports authority. The Mundine production's application for a Sydney event remains under review by NSW's equivalent body. In the meantime, he's confirmed a Queensland debut, where they've received the green light from relevant parties and will have veteran ringside doctor Lou Lewis on duty. 'Everyone's going to have an opinion, right or wrong,' 50-year-old Mundine, who excelled in rugby league before switching to the ring, told AAP. 'I just want the people to embrace the first show and come back to me after that. 'It's going to be fair and professional with rules around it ... they're going to love it.' Mundine's camp argue that, while bloodier, there is less risk of brain trauma due to fewer repeated blows to the head than traditional boxing. Weight classes will also be wider so fighters aren't sacrificing durability to make weight. Mundine thinks WBKF can grow to rival the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which has exploded in popularity in Australian and been staged in both Perth and Sydney. ''Especially Australians; everyone loves a scrap,' he said. 'It doesn't matter what sporting event you're at ... if there's a scrap in the crowd, everyone's looking at the scrap, rather than the game. 'It's the purest form of fighting, since day dot.' The Perth event, planned for July, was blocked after advice from the Australian Medical Association's WA state president, Michael Page. 'Turning the act of bare-knuckle fighting into a 'sport' sets an incredibly bad example for children and adults alike,' he said.
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Gloves off as Mundine backs Aussie bare-knuckle debut
Anthony Mundine has urged critics to "embrace the first show and come back to him" after launching a bare-knuckle boxing league he says is the purest form of the sport. The former world boxing champion is behind World Bare Knuckle Fighting (WBKF), a concept barred by authorities last month in Perth but now set to launch in Brisbane later this year. Ben Horn, the younger brother of former world champion Jeff with a 6-9 professional boxing record, is set to headline the September show at Logan Metro Sports and Events Centre that will be streamed online. Last month the Western Australian government's decision to allow US organisation Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship to host an event was overruled by the state's combat sports authority. The Mundine production's application for a Sydney event remains under review by NSW's equivalent body. In the meantime he's confirmed a Queensland debut, where they've received the green light from relevant parties and will have veteran ringside doctor Lou Lewis on duty. "Everyone's going to have an opinion, right or wrong," 50-year-old Mundine, who excelled in rugby league before switching to the ring, told AAP. "I just want the people to embrace the first show and come back to me after that. "It's going to be fair and professional with rules around it ... they're going to love it." Mundine's camp argue that, while bloodier, there is less risk of brain trauma due to fewer repeated blows to the head than traditional boxing. Weight classes will also be wider so fighters aren't sacrificing durability to make weight. Mundine thinks WBKF can grow to rival the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which has exploded in popularity in Australian and been staged in both Perth and Sydney. '"Especially Australians; everyone loves a scrap," he said. "It doesn't matter what sporting event you're at ... if there's a scrap in the crowd, everyone's looking at the scrap, rather than the game. "It's the purest form of fighting, since day dot." The Perth event, planned for July, was blocked after advice from the Australian Medical Association's WA state president, Michael Page. "Turning the act of bare-knuckle fighting into a 'sport' sets an incredibly bad example for children and adults alike," he said.
Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Purest form of fighting': Mundine launches bare knuckle boxing in Australia
'We've got their blessing. We've handed over all our paperwork, our constitution, our safety protocols,' said Joseski, a former boxing promoter. 'We've gone to the police, we've spoken to them. They've basically said, 'It's out of our jurisdiction' ' No stranger to controversy during a dual-sport career that lasted nearly 30 years, Mundine anticipates there will be resistance to the introduction of the raw and intense discipline, which has attracted large audiences in the US and UK. There was backlash to the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, co-owned by UFC superstar Conor McGregor, coming to Australia. The Australian Medical Association's WA state president Michael Page called it the 'human equivalent of dog fighting' and warned against the proliferation of more sports that could cause head injuries. The state's sport minister said she saw no difference between bare knuckle boxing and UFC cage fighting, which has been held in arenas around Australia, but the WA Combat Sports Commission ultimately ruled that the McGregor-backed proposal did not meet its criteria. Mundine hopes a successful outing in Brisbane, where World Bare Knuckle Fighting is looking to draw a crowd of up to 4000, will help convince decision makers in other jurisdictions to give his bare knuckle organisation a chance. It will have a full medical team in place and has been endorsed by veteran ringside doctor Lou Lewis. He has told the Combat Sports Authority of NSW that, while there was a higher risk of hand injuries, cuts and more acute damage per punch in bare knuckle boxing, it posed less risk of brain trauma than fighting with gloves due to shorter blows and fewer repeated blows to the head. 'In my opinion, bare knuckle boxing stands as a legitimate combat sport practised globally, with established rules and regulations that prioritise the safety of its participants,' Lewis wrote in the Mundine team's application. Loading Mundine said:, 'Obviously, it's going to be bloodier because it's bare knuckle and the skin can split quite easily. It's going to look more scary, but it actually isn't. We're doing it at a professional level where the fighters train for this type of fight.' He added that wider weight divisions would also mean that fighters would not be left drained by having to lose body mass and would be better placed to absorb a blow to the head. There are plans for 10 bouts on the inaugural bare knuckle Australian card in Logan, in Brisbane's southern suburbs. Fighters are expected to include Ben Horn, the brother of former world boxing champion and Mundine opponent Jeff Horn, and NRL player turned boxer Curtis Scott. Never one not to talk a big game in his decades in the limelight, Mundine has ambitions well beyond that.
The Age
7 days ago
- Health
- The Age
‘Purest form of fighting': Mundine launches bare knuckle boxing in Australia
'We've got their blessing. We've handed over all our paperwork, our constitution, our safety protocols,' said Joseski, a former boxing promoter. 'We've gone to the police, we've spoken to them. They've basically said, 'It's out of our jurisdiction' ' No stranger to controversy during a dual-sport career that lasted nearly 30 years, Mundine anticipates there will be resistance to the introduction of the raw and intense discipline, which has attracted large audiences in the US and UK. There was backlash to the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, co-owned by UFC superstar Conor McGregor, coming to Australia. The Australian Medical Association's WA state president Michael Page called it the 'human equivalent of dog fighting' and warned against the proliferation of more sports that could cause head injuries. The state's sport minister said she saw no difference between bare knuckle boxing and UFC cage fighting, which has been held in arenas around Australia, but the WA Combat Sports Commission ultimately ruled that the McGregor-backed proposal did not meet its criteria. Mundine hopes a successful outing in Brisbane, where World Bare Knuckle Fighting is looking to draw a crowd of up to 4000, will help convince decision makers in other jurisdictions to give his bare knuckle organisation a chance. It will have a full medical team in place and has been endorsed by veteran ringside doctor Lou Lewis. He has told the Combat Sports Authority of NSW that, while there was a higher risk of hand injuries, cuts and more acute damage per punch in bare knuckle boxing, it posed less risk of brain trauma than fighting with gloves due to shorter blows and fewer repeated blows to the head. 'In my opinion, bare knuckle boxing stands as a legitimate combat sport practised globally, with established rules and regulations that prioritise the safety of its participants,' Lewis wrote in the Mundine team's application. Loading Mundine said:, 'Obviously, it's going to be bloodier because it's bare knuckle and the skin can split quite easily. It's going to look more scary, but it actually isn't. We're doing it at a professional level where the fighters train for this type of fight.' He added that wider weight divisions would also mean that fighters would not be left drained by having to lose body mass and would be better placed to absorb a blow to the head. There are plans for 10 bouts on the inaugural bare knuckle Australian card in Logan, in Brisbane's southern suburbs. Fighters are expected to include Ben Horn, the brother of former world boxing champion and Mundine opponent Jeff Horn, and NRL player turned boxer Curtis Scott. Never one not to talk a big game in his decades in the limelight, Mundine has ambitions well beyond that.
Sydney Morning Herald
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Boys who love a scrap': Concern over the rise of backyard fight clubs
'The authority will be taking compliance action against the organisers and all registered combatants that participated in the contest. The authority will continue to remain vigilant in its efforts to regulate the NSW combat sports industry to minimise harm to combatants and ensure the integrity of combat sport contests.' A person who holds a combat sports contest without a permit in NSW can be fined up to $40,000 or jailed for a year, or both. As well as concerns about safety, unlicensed fighting has also been linked to illegal gambling. Boxing Australia, the national federation for amateur boxing, said it did not support any form of unsanctioned combat sport. 'BA prioritises the safety of athletes and the integrity of our events and processes above all else. It is of obvious concern to see unregulated fights being conducted without the correct medical and technical supervision that underpins all of our supported tournaments,' Boxing Australia chief executive Dinah Glykidis said. 'We would strongly encourage anyone who wants to participate in boxing to contact any of the accredited gyms and coaches we have all over Australia, not put their health at risk for the entertainment of others on social media.' Valeri previously made headlines for starting a relationship with female prison guard Melissa Goodwin at Silverwater Correctional Complex during a two-month stay at its maximum-security remand and reception facility. An alleged former Rebels bikie associate, he told ex-bank robber Russell Manser's podcast in 2023 that he'd turned his back on a life of crime and wanted to be a role model for youth. Combatants wore mixed martial arts gloves in the Hood Contender, which was launched on June 7 and inspired by a backyard fight league in New Zealand, run by Kiwi UFC competitor Dan Hooker, that has become an online sensation. Professional fighters were not permitted to enter and organisers said there were other fight days planned. Mundine's proposed World Bare Knuckle Fighting series has warned that there could be further instances of off-the-books fights if a regulated form of hand-on-hand combat was not approved. 'It's forcing it underground, and it's only a matter of time until someone gets seriously injured,' said Oliver Joseski, one of Mundine's business partners. 'You only have to look at TikTok, Instagram … they're advertising it everywhere.' The separate Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, in which McGregor is a part owner, has drawn large crowds in the United States, Britain and Spain since its founding in 2018, but this month it had an application for a first Australian show in Perth rejected by Western Australia's Combat Sports Commission. Mundine's group has lobbied the Minns government and other states to give the green light to bare knuckle boxing, making a detailed submission in March to the Combat Sports Authority of NSW. It included concussion, medical and safety protocols, the establishment of a sanctioning body and constitution and an endorsement from retired Sydney GP Lou Lewis, a renowned ringside doctor. Lewis said that despite the bloodiness and brutal perception of bare knuckle boxing, it carried less risk of brain trauma than regular boxing with gloves because bouts were shorter and there were fewer sustained blows to the head. 'With any combat sport there is going to be an element of danger,' Mundine said. 'We've done all our research and studies on both arts, and it's come up even safer.' Loading The NSW government has a $16 million deal with the UFC for three events, the second of which took place in February, and Premier Chris Minns has embraced the global cage fighting powerhouse despite the controversy it attracts, saying not all Sydneysiders were interested in the arts scene and many liked mixed martial arts. The Combat Sports Authority of NSW said it was weighing up the merits of bare-knuckle boxing. 'The authority is considering the application [from Mundine's World Bare Knuckle Fighting] which includes obtaining advice from the authority's medical advisory committee in respect to health and safety of combatants,' a spokesperson said.
