BKFC MAKES EPIC FIRST IMPRESSION IN ITALY CHRIS CAMOZZI AND RICO FRANCO SCORE HUGE TITLE VICTORIES

Click Here for BKFC-73 Fight Night Photos / BKFC

Florence, Italy (April 26, 2025) Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), The World’s Fastest Growing Combat Sports Promotion, made a smashing first impression in its Italian debut on Saturday with BKFC 73 at the sold-out Palazzo Wanny in Florence, Italy.

Saturday’s action-packed BKFC showcase event, which featured a pair of must-see championship matchups, aired LIVE worldwide exclusively on DAZN.

Chris Camozzi defended his BKFC Cruiserweight World Title for the first time in the BKFC 73 Main Event, defeating Italian challenger Andrea Bicchi in a hard-fought decision.All three judges scored the fight in favor of Camozzi (49-45x2, 50-44).

“I never underestimated my opponent because this man is Italian. I knew he would be tough as hell. He gave me hell, and I know he has a bright future in here. He’ll be back,” Camozzi told the Italian crowd. “I didn’t get the finish, but this is one of the best nights of my life. To come here, where my grandfather is from, is a dream come true.”

The Denver, CO product is now 4-1 under the BKFC banner, while Bicchi’s bare knuckle fighting record moves to 4-2.

The United Kingdom’s Rico “Bon Bon” Franco edged out Ireland’s Jimmy “King” Sweeney with a razor-sharp decision victory to win the inaugural BKFC Welterweight European Title in the BKFC 73 Co-Main Event in their third bare-knuckle contest.

The judges scored the highly entertaining, back-and-forth fight a draw after five rounds; Franco won the sudden-death sixth round 10-9 across all three judges. Franco called out undefeated BKFC World Welterweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout after his victory. “If Austin wants it, we can go tomorrow,” Franco told the sold-out Italian crowd.

Franco is now 10-3 in his bare-knuckle fighting career. Sweeney brought an eye-popping 29-4 bare knuckle fighting record into Saturday’s highly anticipated debut with BKFC.

In the BKFC 73 Feature Fight, Australia’s Haze “The Huntsman” Hepi introduced himself in style to the stacked BKFC heavyweight division with a jaw-dropping, 96-second knockout at the expense of Steve “Panda” Banks. Hepi recorded a pair of knockdowns in his hotly anticipated BKFC premiere, upping his overall bare-knuckle fighting record to 3-0 with the win. Banks, a product of the United States, is now 4-3 in his bare-knuckle fighting career.

Debuting Italian cruiserweight Ernesto Papa dropped Dominik Estorer three times en route to the first-round stoppage victory in their cruiserweight showdown. The bout was stopped 1:25 into the opening frame. The German Estorer is now 1-1.

Forty-four seconds was all that the debuting United Kingdom fighter Navid Mansouri needed to defeat Ruslan Tokhtarov via stoppage in lightweight action. Tokhtarov, who hails from Austria, is now 1-1 under the BKFC banner.

Czech Republic’s Jindrich Byrtus needed just 32 seconds to make a statement in his first BKFC fight; stopping Arbi Chakaev with a knockout in the first round of their cruiserweight matchup. Byrtus is now 8-1 in bare knuckle fighting. The Austrian Chakaev is now 1-1 under the BKFC banner.

Undefeated Slovakian light-heavyweight Tomas Melis upped his record to 4-0 with a 94-second stoppage over the previously unbeaten Jesus De Nazaret. De Nazaret, who represents Spain, is now 2-1.

Germany’s Nicole Schaefer overcame a seven-inch height disadvantage and a six-inch reach disadvantage to edge out Sara Bitto for the split-decision win in their highly competitive women’s bantamweight matchup. Two judges scored the fight for Schaefer (50-45, 48-47), while the dissenting judge called it 49-46 for Bitto. Schaefer is now 2-0 under the BKFC banner; the Milan, Italy product Bitto is now 1-1.

Milan’s Walter Pugliesi was victorious in his BKFC debut, defeating the previously unbeaten Dominik Herold in cruiserweight action. Pugliesi sent Herold to the canvas twice in the second round, leading all three judges to score it 47-46 in his favor. Herold entered fight night with a 6-0 overall record in bare knuckle fighting.

Marco Guistarini of Latina, Italy defeated Bulgaria’s Zdravko Dimitrov, (0-3), via decision in their action-packed featherweight matchup. All three judges scored it in favor of Guistarini (50-45, 49-46, 48-47), who upped his record to 1-1 with the victory.

Unbeaten Czech Republic light-heavyweight Josef Hala improved his record to 4-0 with a dominant victory over Giovanni Carpentieri. The bout was called to a stop with just one second remaining in the opening round. Carpentieri, who hails from Rome, was making his BKFC debut.

Venice’s Enzo Tobbia made an epic first impression in the first BKFC fight to ever take place in Italy, putting Michael Igweba of Ukraine to sleep in their light-heavyweight showdown. The stoppage came 1:29 into the second round. Both fighters were making their BKFC debut.

BKFC 73 Results

Chris Camozzi def. Andrea Bicchi via Unanimous Decision (49-45x2, 50-44)

Defends BKFC Cruiserweight World Title

Rico Franco def. Jimmy Sweeney via Unanimous Decision

Wins inaugural BKFC Welterweight EuropeanTitle

Haze Hepi def. Steve Banks via KO in Round 1 (1:36)

Ernesto Papa def. Toni Estorer via KO in Round 1 (1:25)

Navid Mansouri def. Ruslan Tokhtarov via TKO in Round 1 (0:44)

Jindrich Byrtus def. Arbi Chakaev via KO in Round 1 (0:32)

Tomas Melis def. Jesus De Nazaret via KO in Round 1 (1:34)

Nicole Schaefer def. Sara Bitto via Split Decision (50-45, 48-47, 46-49)

Walter Pugliesi def. Dominik Herold via Unanimous Decision (47-46x3)

Marco Guistarini def. Zdravko Dimitrov via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 48-47)

Josef Hala def. Giovanni Carpentieri via TKO in Round 1 (1:59)

Enzo Tobbia def. Michael Igweba via KO in Round 2 (1:29)

Venue

Palazzo Wanny

Florence, Italy

Media Contact/Credentials

Bernie Bahrmasel

Double B Sports

Phone: + 1 773 592-2986

Email: BernieBahrmasel@yahoo.com

Twitter: @BernieBahrmasel

About Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC)

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is the first promotion allowed to hold a legal, sanctioned, and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. Based in Philadelphia, and headed by President and former professional boxer David Feldman, BKFC is dedicated to preserving the historical legacy of bare knuckle fighting, while utilizing a specifically created rule set that emphasizes fighter safety. BKFC holds all of its bouts in a revolutionary circular four-rope ring, designed to encourage fast-paced and exciting bouts. The patented BKFC “Squared Circle” contains scratch lines, based on the Broughton Rules which governed bare knuckle fighting in the 19th century, and which requires fighters to “Toe the Line”: start every round face to face, and just inches apart.

In BKFC, only those fighters who are established professionals in boxing, MMA, kickboxing, or Muay Thai are allowed to compete. The referees and judges are required to have extensive professional combat sports experience. All fights are held under the auspices and control of an Athletic Commission. Unlike other fighting organizations and combat sports internationally which claim to be “bare knuckle”, but require wraps, tape, and gauze; BKFC is true to its word as fighters are not allowed to wrap their hands to within one inch of the knuckle. This makes BKFC unquestionably the truest form of bare knuckle fighting. BKFC is dedicated to not just creating the safest, most exciting, and highest-level bare-knuckle fighting organization in the world, it’s also leading the way for a new fully recognized professional combat sport. BKFC is truly the sport of the future, which fully respects its remarkable past.

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