Latest news with #bareknuckleboxing
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Channel Seven star wants 'brutal' sport BANNED after joining Anthony Albanese in campaign against event championed by UFC bad boy Conor McGregor
Plans to bring bare-knuckle boxing to Perth have been dealt a serious blow - and now, former Channel Seven personality turned Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas is leading calls for the sport to be permanently banned. The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship [BKFC], co-owned by UFC icon Conor McGregor, was expected to stage its Australian debut in Perth this July. Instead, the WA Combat Sports Commission has declined the application, leaving organisers scrambling and critics relieved. Zempilas, once a mainstay of Seven's AFL and Olympic coverage, now serves as Leader of the Opposition and head of the WA Liberal Party. He's demanding the State Government take the next step and outlaw the sport altogether, arguing it has no place in Western Australia. 'It was very clear that a significant majority of Western Australians did not want this brutal sport to be coming to Perth,' Zempilas said. 'It should not have taken this long, and there are still lots of questions.' He urged the Combat Sports Commission, chaired by former Labor Minister Bob Kucera, to publicly explain why the permit was denied. 'We don't know what criteria was not met, or how the decision was reached,' he said. 'We don't know whether there were discussions between the Minister and the Commission, and it would appear the door is still open.' Zempilas said a full ban would be the only way to prevent future applications. 'That's what we want. Clearly that's what the people of Western Australia want.' 'It sets a bad example, there is very little demand.' 'And it took the long way and a confusing way to get there, but I'm pleased that the common sense decision was ultimately reached.' His stance has been echoed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who also voiced concerns earlier this week. Speaking to Triple M, Albanese said: 'A bit of common sense - you've got to look after people's health a bit and maybe save people from themselves.' He referred to the rising awareness of concussion and long-term brain damage in sport. 'I just think we've got to be much more conscious about health issues,' he said. Albanese mentioned a recent conversation with former rugby league great Mark Carroll about the long-term effects of concussion. 'It's a bit crazy,' the Prime Minister said, when asked directly about bare knuckle fighting. The Australian Medical Association WA has also taken aim at the proposed event. 'We have a domestic violence crisis,' said AMA WA President Michael Page. 'We have people sorting out their problems with their fists in Northbridge on Saturday night.' 'This is not the type of example our community needs. 'We don't need this type of race to the bottom with bloody violence.' The WA Government had faced pressure over the event's approval, particularly as Sports Minister Rita Saffioti had previously defended it. She argued it was difficult to justify banning bare-knuckle fighting while continuing to support UFC events for tourism purposes. 'I can't differentiate between this and UFC,' she said. 'Just because it's not my cup of tea, or the Premier's cup of tea, doesn't mean we have the right to say no.' Still, the application was ultimately rejected. A statement from the Combat Sports Commission confirmed the decision but offered no detailed explanation. 'After careful consideration, the Board was not satisfied the event met the required criteria,' it read. BKFC President David Feldman had previously insisted the show would go ahead, calling Australia 'perfect for showcasing BKFC.' Among the scheduled bouts was a heavyweight clash between former UFC fighter Ben Rothwell and Australian strongman Alex 'Godly Strong' Simon. Simon, who once tipped the scales at 181kg and has a background in powerlifting, has spoken openly about his time in prison. The co-main event would have featured Tasmania's 'Rowdy' Bec Rawlings, the competition's first-ever female champion. Rawlings was set to face off against Canadian fighter Jade Masson-Wong. The proposed matches were set to take place at RAC Arena on July 19. But with the permit denied and calls for a ban intensifying, the future of BKFC in Australia looks doubtful. Zempilas has called for a full explanation from the WA Government and a clear statement that the sport is unwelcome. 'The Premier and Sports Minister are still duty-bound to act,' he said.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Australian bare-knuckle fighting event denied for Perth
Western Australia's Combat Sports Commission has declined an application for a bare-knuckle boxing event in Perth. In a statement, a spokesperson for the commission said the board was not satisfied the event met the required criteria. The WA government has faced intense scrutiny over the proposed event by medical experts and the opposition in recent weeks. Australian Medical Association WA President Michael Page expressed concern about the lack of protective gear. "We know that any sport that involves repetitive knocks to the head — and this is quite clearly that — puts people at risk of not only acute concussion and acute brain injury, but also chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is where people, years after they've been involved in these sports, progressively develop personality changes, memory difficulties and dementia," he said. Last week, the head of the commission Bob Kucera said while many people regard the sport with distaste, banning it would simply drive it underground. The decision comes as the two main fights on the July 19 card were announced by the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship across social media on Wednesday with Perth Arena also advertising ticket sales for the event.
ABC News
6 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Bare-knuckle boxing in parliament is a spectacle, but with more on the line than a belt
Bare-knuckle boxing is a fitting metaphor for politics — adults whacking each other for sport — but it's important to remember the difference: in politics, the public bears the brunt. News of Perth potentially hosting its first official bare-knuckle boxing competition has tortured the WA Government in recent weeks. The West Australian newspaper revealed last month the Australian Medical Association's WA branch had written about the "profound concern" it held over fighters brandishing bare fists in a sanctioned bout. What's been glossed over in the ensuing debate is an admission from the AMA WA's President himself. "It is argued that gloved boxing is more likely to result in brain injury than ungloved boxing," Dr Michael Page wrote in a blog post. That's right, it's arguably more dangerous to put fighters in a ring with gloves on than without, because they can punch harder and for longer without breaking their hands. More long-term independent research is probably required to substantiate the claims either way, but it's worth considering if boxing gloves are for safety, or the theatre of safety. And just as gloves serve to protect a fighter's hands rather than the head of whoever's being punched, politics sometimes serves politicians rather than the people they represent. It would be inaccurate to say the Australian Medical Association only believes getting punched by bare knuckles is dangerous — the AMA thinks getting hit in the head at all is dangerous, which is why it lobbied for Mixed Martial Arts competitions (fought with gloves) to be outlawed too. Labor government ministers have repeatedly voiced their disdain for bare knuckle — including the premier, sports minister, and health minister — but they've refused to call off the competition proposed for next month. Meanwhile, the WA Liberals have pounced on the government for its inaction, and for allowing a sport that it says would set a "shocking example" for young men and the wider community. Shouting matches have ensued in parliament. But let's be clear — both sides say organised fighting is OK. Just keep the gloves on. For years the WA Labor government has supported MMA cage fight nights which inject millions of dollars into the economy, and the WA Liberal leader says the thin piece of padding on an MMA fighter's knuckles differentiates sport from "barbaric" violence. Whether bare-knuckle fighting should be allowed, or not, is a worthwhile discussion. The question is whether debates should be guided by evidence, or by arbitrary lines drawn for political point scoring. And that goes for issues of national importance too — such as last week's controversial decision to extend the life of Australia's largest oil and gas project, Woodside Energy's North West Shelf. Yet that critically important decision was not devoid of theatre either. The extension paves the way for Woodside's proposal to develop the Browse basin which contains gas reserves large enough to fuel all of Australia's domestic needs for almost 20 years, and environmentalists say it would make it Australia's largest carbon polluter. It's been a long road to get to this point. Countless discussions about balancing industry, economy, environment, and culture. And here comes the theatre. Part of those discussions is an ongoing study of the impact of industrial air emissions on ancient rock carvings in WA's north, near Woodside's Karratha gas plant. A progress report handed to the state government in June last year was only released a week ago on a late Friday afternoon, just days before the federal government gave the North West Shelf its tick of approval. The report came with a summary document stating "the current levels of the pollutants of most concern for the rock art are lower than the interim guideline levels". But the summary omitted a graph line — still available in the full 800-page report — which showed five monitoring sites closest to industry were experiencing pollution above the interim guideline. Premier Cook's response: "The science has said that modern industrial developments do not have a long-term impact." One scientist involved in the study, who spoke to 7.30 on the condition of anonymity, said the premier's claim was "simply false". "We're talking about what is probably the cumulative effect of decades of pollution," the scientist said. "There is this terminological or verbal gymnastic about whether it all happened in the past and is no longer happening ... but there's no reason to conclude that it has stopped." Theatre. Politics is sometimes a spectacle, as bare-knuckle boxing is. The difference is boxers volunteer to punch and get punched, while the public bear the consequences of politicians brandishing their knuckles in parliament.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fights revealed for latest big bare-knuckle boxing show in west Cumbria
The fifth big bare-knuckle boxing event in west Cumbria has been announced - with some top fights in store. WBKB V is scheduled to be held in Workington in October. It follows the success of the previous four shows in the west of the county. Organisers have already confirmed some of the contests that will feature on the bill. A WBKB British middleweight title fight between Sam Peel and David Round is set to be one of the highlights. Peel, from Workington, has impressed in two previous WBKB fights. Now he will take on Welsh opponent Round, who has fought on the high-profile BKFC platform whilst also being an experienced MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter. David Round, right, who has fought Carlisle's Danny Christie in the BKFC, will be fighting at WBKB V in Workington in October (Image: BKFC) Announcing the 5x2 minute round fight, WBKB said of home town favourite Peel: "Many observers believe him to be one of if not the best middleweight outside of the big two organisations, and now is his time to prove that. "Peel is a tough, talented fighter and still unbeaten across his pro MMA and BK career, who is happy to take on all-comers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WBKB (@wbkb__) "He has earned the right to now challenge for a title to cement his standing in the sport." Another title fight on the card will see Sandra Rees take on Dani Ashfield for the female featherweight title. Annan boxer Rees, known as 'the Tartan Witch', successfully fought at WBKB III and now takes on Deeside's bare-knuckle veteran Ashfield, who is also currently training for her UK debut in lethwei, known as Burmese boxing. WBKB V organisers have also confirmed a rematch between Martin Smith and Sam Blakesley, who met in a ferocious contest at WBKB IV in April. They will go head to head again for the WBKB British featherweight title. WBKB V will be held at the Fibrus Community Stadium in Workington on Saturday, October 4. Tickets go on sale on Saturday, June 1.
