Florence, Italy (April 26, 2025) Naked Knuckle Preventing Championship (BKFC) made a smashing first impression in its Italian debut on Saturday with BKFC 73 on the sold-out Palazzo Wanny in Florence, Italy.
Saturday’s action-packed BKFC showcase occasion, which featured a pair of must-see championship matchups, aired LIVE worldwide solely on DAZN.
Chris Camozzi defended his BKFC Cruiserweight World Title for the primary time within the BKFC 73 Principal Occasion, defeating Italian challenger Andrea Bicchi in a hard-fought choice. All three judges scored the struggle in favor of Camozzi (49-45×2, 50-44).
“I by no means underestimated my opponent as a result of this man is Italian. I knew he could be robust as hell. He gave me hell, and I do know he has a brilliant future in right here. He’ll be again,” Camozzi instructed the Italian crowd. “I didn’t get the end, however this is without doubt one of the finest nights of my life. To return right here, the place my grandfather is from, is a dream come true.”
The Denver, CO product is now 4-1 beneath the BKFC banner, whereas Bicchi’s naked knuckle preventing document strikes to 4-2.
The UK’s Rico “Bon Bon” Franco edged out Eire’s Jimmy “King” Sweeney with a razor-sharp choice victory to win the inaugural BKFC Welterweight European Title within the BKFC 73 Co-Principal Occasion of their third bare-knuckle contest.
The judges scored the extremely entertaining, back-and-forth struggle a draw after 5 rounds; Franco gained the sudden-death sixth spherical 10-9 throughout all three judges. Franco referred to as out undefeated BKFC World Welterweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout after his victory. “If Austin desires it, we are able to go tomorrow,” Franco instructed the sold-out Italian crowd.
Franco is now 10-3 in his bare-knuckle preventing profession. Sweeney introduced an eye-popping 29-4 naked knuckle preventing document into Saturday’s extremely anticipated debut with BKFC.
Within the BKFC 73 Characteristic Combat, Australia’s Haze “The Huntsman” Hepi launched himself in model to the stacked BKFC heavyweight division with a jaw-dropping, 96-second knockout on the expense of Steve “Panda” Banks. Hepi recorded a pair of knockdowns in his hotly anticipated BKFC premiere, upping his general bare-knuckle preventing document to 3-0 with the win. Banks, a product of america, is now 4-3 in his bare-knuckle preventing profession.
Debuting Italian cruiserweight Ernesto Papa dropped Dominik Estorer thrice en path to the first-round stoppage victory of their cruiserweight showdown. The bout was stopped 1:25 into the opening body. The German Estorer is now 1-1.
Forty-four seconds was all that the debuting United Kingdom fighter Navid Mansouri wanted to defeat Ruslan Tokhtarov by way of stoppage in light-weight motion. Tokhtarov, who hails from Austria, is now 1-1 beneath the BKFC banner.
Czech Republic’s Jindrich Byrtus wanted simply 32 seconds to make an announcement in his first BKFC struggle; stopping Arbi Chakaev with a knockout within the first spherical of their cruiserweight matchup. Byrtus is now 8-1 in naked knuckle preventing. The Austrian Chakaev is now 1-1 beneath the BKFC banner.
Undefeated Slovakian light-heavyweight Tomas Melis upped his document to 4-0 with a 94-second stoppage over the beforehand unbeaten Jesus De Nazaret. De Nazaret, who represents Spain, is now 2-1.
Germany’s Nicole Schaefer overcame a seven-inch top drawback and a six-inch attain drawback to edge out Sara Bitto for the split-decision win of their extremely aggressive girls’s bantamweight matchup. Two judges scored the struggle for Schaefer (50-45, 48-47), whereas the dissenting choose referred to as it 49-46 for Bitto. Schaefer is now 2-0 beneath the BKFC banner; the Milan, Italy product Bitto is now 1-1.
Milan’s Walter Pugliesi was victorious in his BKFC debut, defeating the beforehand unbeaten Dominik Herold in cruiserweight motion. Pugliesi despatched Herold to the canvas twice within the second spherical, main all three judges to attain it 47-46 in his favor. Herold entered struggle evening with a 6-0 general document in naked knuckle preventing.
Marco Guistarini of Latina, Italy defeated Bulgaria’s Zdravko Dimitrov, (0-3), by way of choice of their action-packed featherweight matchup. All three judges scored it in favor of Guistarini (50-45, 49-46, 48-47), who upped his document to 1-1 with the victory.
Unbeaten Czech Republic light-heavyweight Josef Hala improved his document to 4-0 with a dominant victory over Giovanni Carpentieri. The bout was referred to as to a cease with only one second remaining within the opening spherical. Carpentieri, who hails from Rome, was making his BKFC debut.
Venice’s Enzo Tobbia made an epic first impression within the first BKFC struggle to ever happen in Italy, placing Michael Igweba of Ukraine to sleep of their light-heavyweight showdown. The stoppage got here 1:29 into the second spherical. Each fighters had been making their BKFC debut.
BKFC 73 Outcomes
Chris Camozzi def. Andrea Bicchi by way of Unanimous Choice (49-45×2, 50-44) – Defends BKFC Cruiserweight World TitleRico Franco def. Jimmy Sweeney by way of Unanimous Choice – Wins inaugural BKFC Welterweight European TitleHaze Hepi def. Steve Banks by way of KO in Spherical 1 (1:36)Ernesto Papa def. Toni Estorer by way of KO in Spherical 1 (1:25)Navid Mansouri def. Ruslan Tokhtarov by way of TKO in Spherical 1 (0:44)Jindrich Byrtus def. Arbi Chakaev by way of KO in Spherical 1 (0:32)Tomas Melis def. Jesus De Nazaret by way of KO in Spherical 1 (1:34)Nicole Schaefer def. Sara Bitto by way of Cut up Choice (50-45, 48-47, 46-49)Walter Pugliesi def. Dominik Herold by way of Unanimous Choice (47-46×3)Marco Guistarini def. Zdravko Dimitrov by way of Unanimous Choice (50-45, 49-46, 48-47)Josef Hala def. Giovanni Carpentieri by way of TKO in Spherical 1 (1:59)Enzo Tobbia def. Michael Igweba by way of KO in Spherical 2 (1:29)
