Joe Lauzon, Charles Rosa, Henry Gigliotti, Rico DiSciullo, Peter Barrett, Pat Casey & Robinson Perez Headline Massachusetts Fighters Adding Powerful Punch to First Sanctioned Bareknuckle Fight Promotion in Commonwealth.

_______

_____

WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN A MAGICAL SUMMER OF 2026 AT FENWAY PARK is about to add another historical notch in the Green Monster’s championship pedigree.

For the first time ever a sanctioned bare knuckle fight promotion is coming to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, landing at America’s most beloved ballpark in Boston on Saturday, August 29th for BKFC 92: Fenway Park.

The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), an American combat sports league founded by former professional boxer David Feldman, became the first promotion to legally host a bare knuckle boxing card in the United States since 1889 with their inaugural event in Cheyenne, Wyoming back in 2018.

Since then, Feldman and the BKFC has led the charge in legalizing bare knuckle boxing across the globe, successfully producing 163 fight cards in that time (Fenway Park will be 164) including an overseas expansion into 13 countries outside of the USA including into the United Kingdom, Dubai, Thailand and other combat sports hotbeds.

“It’s hard because the grind is real,” Feldman said of the early obstacles of launching the promotion. “We didn’t just start a combat sports promotion. We started a sport, so we had to get it accepted. We had to get the perception changed to what it was. To do all that week in and week out… it’s not easy.”

Paul Feldman at BKFC/Fenway Park ‘Heated’ press conference.

Before BKFC 1 Feldman had approached 28 State Athletic Commissions seeking legal sanctions. Each one rejected him. Wyoming was the first to say yes, and on March 20th, 2018 a new sport essentially was born.

Getting sanctioned by State Athletic Commissions was just one of many early challenges for Feldman and his burgeoning promotion. For the first two years he and his core team had to work absolutely free with all revenue generated going towards event production and the fighters.

Feldman and team kept grinding though. Continuing to fine tune the BKFC model, they gained a little more traction event by event, city by city.

Then in 2019 the hard work began to pay off. Feldman points to two fights that altered the public’s perception, triggering the transformation of BKFC into the mainstream combat sports option it is today.

First there was a grueling April war between Artem Lobov and Jason Knight at BKFC 5 in Biloxi, Mississippi that ultimately went viral. That fight paved the way for a high-profile June crossover match between Lobov and former boxing world champion (and Boston fan-favorite Paulie Malignaggi) at BKFC 6 in Tampa, Florida.

Former world champion and BKFC legend Paulie Malignaggi with BostonMan Magazine publisher Matt Ribaudo

Feldman notes that Lobov-Knight “was an unbelievable war that opened up people’s eyes,” while the Malignaggi-Lobov matchup -included among many fight fans as a 2019 ‘Fight of the Year’ contender- moved the promotion into the mainstream.

Among those in the mainstream that took notice was Malignaggi’s former sparring partner -international superstar and South Boston adopted son- Conor McGregor, whom he had helped prepare for the Irishman’s professional boxing debut against Floyd Mayweather in 2017.

Impressed with what he saw, McGregor reached out to Feldman and by April 2024 their discussions led to one of the most polarizing and popular combat sports athletes of all time buying a major stake in BKFC, catapulting the once turned away by 28 State Athletic Commissions promotion heavy into the mainstream’s conscious.

The company grew from 2018 revenues of $500k to a recent monster $411 million valuation in 2026. Feldman asserts that “nobody else sells more tickets than (BKFC) besides the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).”

Securing major partnerships, such as Hard Rock International and hosting events at venues like the upcoming August 29 showcase at Fenway Park have been monumental in helping to drive the massive growth.

“This is a city of fighters; a city that doesn’t quit,” Feldman said of Boston and the impact of bringing BKFC to Fenway Park. “That’s why it fits so well with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, which is why I’m so proud to bring this thing here. This will be the best combat sports event that Boston has ever seen.”

With the squared circle set directly up at home plate, Feldman promises BKFC’s loaded Fenway Park lineup will hit as hard as a David Ortiz home run with as much gas as a Roger Clemens fastball.

“This is the fastest-pace combat sport on the planet,” Feldman emphasized. “If you blink, you’re going to miss it. It’s relatable; everybody gets it. When you watch it, you’re going to be a fan for life, I promise you.”

Headlining the historic fight card is BKFC Featherweight World Champion and #3 Ranked Pound-for-Pound Fighter ‘King’ Kai Stewart (9-0) of Great Falls, Montana, defending his title for a record sixth time against New England combat sports standout, Haverill’s own Harry ‘The Hitman’ Gigliotti (6-0, 5 KOs).

The pre-fight trash talk between the main eventers has been heating up like a Red Sox v. Yankees postseason series.

“I don’t see the talent up here that I guess locals see. I see a lot of people pretending,” Stewart snorted. “Harry is doing OK, but it’s just his second fight in the big leagues.”

Gigliotti, a fourth generation pugilist in his family, is not amused with ‘King Kai’s’ lack of respect towards New England fighters.

“I’m not impressed by Kai Stewart at all. Out with the old, in with the new,” he responded. “Kai Stewart’s reign is about to come to an end. He’s in for a long night, and he’s going to be handing that belt (BKFC Featherweight championship) over to me.”

Stewart retaliated: “They don’t call me ‘The King’ for no reason. You guys let me break records at Hard Rock Live, I was the Main Event of the very first Dubai show as well and now, of course, the best venue we’ve done. Of course they’ll call me to do it. I’m ‘The King’ for a reason. God has blessed me so much to do this, and nobody can take it from me.”

Fight fans all over the world, undoubtedly, will be paying attention on how this dust will be settled.

“I get to embarrass the kid right here with my family,” Gigliotti, the 2013 New England Gold Gloves welterweight champion promised. “It’s going to be awesome.”

_______

Making his BKFC debut, former UFC Star Joe Lauzon of Bridgewater, MA battles Stash ‘The Flash’ Kuykendall of Fort Smith, AK in a welterweight division showdown.

Lauzon, owner of an astonishing 15 post-fight bonuses during his storied career in the UFC (7 Fight of the Night & 8 Performance of the Night) is looking to add another quick highlight reel knockout to his resume.

“I’m going to try to get in and out as soon as possible,” he said. “I’ve seen the damage that happens, and I don’t want to take any shots I don’t have to. I’m going to get in there and blitz.”

Regardless of how long or short Lauzon’s night is though, the significance of making his BKFC debut at Fenway Park is not lost on him.

“I’m so excited to fight at Fenway,” he said. “I’m excited about the entire thing. It’s a great feeling to be fighting at home.”

_____

Meanwhile, a pair of North Shore blue-collar work ethic knockout artists from Peabody will be looking to light up Fenway Park on the 29th with the firepower of their fists.

Charles ‘Boston Strong’ Rosa, a ten year UFC veteran who has never been stopped in a sanctioned professional fight, makes his BKFC debut against rugged combat sports veteran Charon Spain, himself a former competitor on The Ultimate Fighter, season 14.

“I didn’t come this far just to be on the card. I came to make a statement,” Rosa said. “See you August 29 at Fenway. It’s hunting season.”

For those with any doubt, Rosa warned: “This is literally what I was born to do. Be ready. I’m leaving Fenway with my hand raised.”

Fellow 01960 native Rico DiSciullo, (4-0) has been terrorizing the BKFC’s featherweight division since making the transition from MMA to bare-knuckle boxing in February 2025.

After steamrolling his first four opponents in just 13 months, he faces Tray ‘Big Dogg’ Martin, (2-0), of Moberly, MO following a five month break.

“I came here to be a World Champion,” DiSciullo stated. “I’ve knocked out everybody they’ve put in front of me. I’ve got 15, 16 knockdowns in four fights, all knockouts. I choose to give the fans what they want. If it’s not a knockout, it’s not a win for me.”

Looking over at Stewart and Gigliotti and the shiny featherweight strap displayed on the table in front of them, he then added:

“Whoever has the belt at 145, that’s where I’m going. I’m not here to make friends; I’m here to be a World Champion.”

________

For Plymouth’s ‘Slippery’ Peter Barrett, (2-0), another combat sports veteran with UFC experience, knuckling up at Fenway Park with Elijah ‘The Buffalo Soldier’ Harris, (2-2) on the 29th means fighting on his home turf and more ways the one.

“To fight at Fenway is the pinnacle of a New England fighter’s career,” he gushed. “I’ve watched countless games at the stadium; I’ve worked security here. When they said (the ring) was at home plate, my mind was blown.”

Barrett, who recently celebrated his 40th birthday on August 10th, added: “Fighting bare knuckle is scary. But having Fenway Park be the venue that we’re fighting at is a whole different level. I get goosebumps thinking about walking out on the field right now. Mr. Feldman, thank you so much for the opportunity to be a part of this event.”

_____

Springfield, MA native Pat ‘The Gorilla Ninja’ Casey, (4-2) -who hits the squared circle against Dallas Davison, (5-4) of Great Falls, MT- acknowledged that the opportunity to fight at Fenway Park “is definitely a cool thing.”

A veteran of the New England MMA circuit, Casey, a special education teacher by day, is looking forward to both the start of the upcoming school year and hopefully some cool new stories to share with his students about Fenway Park.

_____

Robinson ‘The One-Eyed Wolf’ Perez will not have a long commute for his BKFC debut on the 29th. Just 40 miles west of Fenway across the Mass Pike the 33-year old, who trains and fights out of Worcester’s famed CGR Boxing Gym, loves a good scrap.

A veteran brawler, Perez boasts a professional background in traditional boxing, dirty boxing, and even competed on the first nationally televised Power Slap card in January 2023.

Additionally, he is the owner and founder of a successful security and protection company appropriately named -you guessed it- Wolf Pack Security Services.

He will be trading hands with Brazil’s Guilherme Viana, (2-1) in a bout that has been slotted into the BKFC Ironweight division.

______

In the co-feature, BKFC Women’s Bantamweight World Champion and ‘The Queen of Violence’, Christine ‘The Misfit’ Ferea, (11-1), of Las Vegas, NV faces ‘The Queen of the Streets’, Sofia ‘Geisha Argentina’ Landi of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Also fighting in the women’s division, BKFC fan favorite, Taylor ‘Killa Bee’ Starling, (6-4), of Rock Hill, SC battles Kat Paprocki, (2-1), of Westminster, CO in a strawweight donnybrook.

Bantamweight prospect Shane ‘Suga’ Jordan, (0-0-1), of Los Angeles, CA rounds out the card against Joby ‘Jobywankenobi’ Steffensmeier, (1-1), of Davenport, IA.

______