BKFC 70 is a few days out. On the same day as Opening Day of the new Major League Baseball season, a ballpark isn’t the only place where people will congregate to view hard-hitting action this coming Thursday.
Three months removed from BKFC holding its final card of 2024 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and under a week after the promotion touching down at 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, David Feldman‘s organization heads back to Florida for BKFC 70 Hollywood.
Live coverage of the Thursday night card begins with the countdown show at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT on the official BKFC YouTube channel before moving onto the fights themselves at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT on DAZN.
If there are no adjustments to the card in the final days before the show itself, the final version of the bout order will feature an 11-fight slate of bare-knuckle boxing inside the ring.
BKFC 70 Main Event: No. 3 Contender Luis Palomino vs. No. 5 Contender Howard Davis
At the top of the bill on Thursday night is a contest in the lightweight division pitting two fighters looking to take the next step toward the division’s championship against one another. No. 3 contender and former BKFC Welterweight Champion Luis Palomino (9-1 bare-knuckle) meets up with No. 5 contender Howard Davis (7-2-1 bare-knuckle) in an all-Florida showcase.
The BKFC 70 main event, along with all of the fights on the card, will be an advertised maximum of five rounds at two minutes per round.
Palomino, a Peruvian who trains out of Ft. Lauderdale, enters Thursday’s card having posted a mark of 3-2 in his last five fights with BKFC. He’s been out of action for more than 13 months, though. Last time out, he dropped a unanimous decision after 10 minutes to Austin Trout (3-0 bare-knuckle) on Feb. 2 of last year during BKFC 57’s main event for the welterweight belt.
The one nicknamed “Baboon” has contested his last eight contests under the BKFC promotional banner in Florida. Will he score an important win in Hollywood this coming Thursday?
Meanwhile, Howard Davis, also based in Ft. Lauderdale comes into BKFC 70 later this week with a record of 4-1 over his last five contests. At present, he’s riding a two-fight winning streak. Back in September of last year, he scored a first-round TKO over James Brown (3-1 bare-knuckle) with 19 seconds left on the clock.
With no real “home-field advantage” in the BKFC 70 main event, it’ll be most interesting to tune in and watch to see which one of these men come out on top.
BKFC 70 Co-Main Event: Leonardo Perdomo vs. Steve Herelius
Immediately beforehand, the heavyweights make the walk to the ring in the BKFC 70 co-main event when Leonardo Perdomo (6-0 bare-knuckle) knuckles up with Steve Herelius (1-1 bare-knuckle). Perdomo has yet to lose since turning his attention to bare-knuckle boxing.
During BKFC Hollywood right before Christmas on Dec. 21, he finished off Levi Costa (2-3 bare-knuckle) in 47 seconds’ time. Quick days at work are old hat for Leonardo Perdomo.
In his six career bare-knuckle contests, he’s yet to even so much as get to the second round of the contest. Can he make it seven in a row inside the opening two minutes?
Across the way, Steve Herelius has split his first two fights under the BKFC promotional banner. It’s been a while between fights for Herelius, as his most recent appearance occurred on Sept. 22, 2023.
That night, he dropped a first-round knockout to Josh Copeland (2-1 bare-knuckle) in the latter’s last contest under the BKFC promotional banner. Thus, the age-old question of ring rust comes into play for the Herelius camp ahead of BKFC 70. Will his long hiatus be a hindrance going into Thursday?
BKFC 70 Featured Fight: Justin Ibarrola Sanchez vs. Abdiel Velazquez
Also on BKFC 70, you’ll see a featured fight at bantamweight pitting Justin Ibarrola Sanchez (6-0 bare-knuckle) against Abdiel Velazquez (4-4 bare-knuckle). Sanchez will be making the walk having yet to lose in his bare-knuckle tenure.
During the Dec, 21 show at Seminole Hard Rock, he scored a second-round knockout of Derek Perez (2-4 bare-knuckle) in a minute and four seconds. This is a young man who’s quickly on the rise in the division at just the tender age of 26.
If he’s this good now, imagine how better he’ll be in the coming years as he continues to peak athletically. Can anybody stop Justin Ibarrola Sanchez?
In the other corner, Abdiel Velazquez has gone 2-3 in his last five fights. He hasn’t stepped inside the ring in close to a full year, however. On April 12, he found himself on the receiving end of a first-round knockout by Travis Thompson (6-7 bare-knuckle.)
Velazquez faces a tall order Thursday when he fights Justin Ibarrola. Can he send him from the ranks of the unbeaten?
Final Thoughts
Which fight or fights on BKFC 70 are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments.
