Bare knuckle boxing is one of the oldest sports in the world, and Direct TV will once again drag the vicious competition out of mothballs for BKB 2.
After the success of the first pay-per-view, the satellite cable provider will host another MMA-style competition, but with the caveat that the gloves feature a gap in the material that exposes the knuckles.
Hence the name bare-knuckle boxing.
BKB mixes the brutality that is associated with mixed martial arts and the strategy of boxing in one of the most intense combat sports imaginable. Here is all the vital viewing information for Saturday night’s unique event.
When: Saturday, Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. ET
Where: Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, N.H.
Watch: Direct TV pay-per-view
Price: $19.95
Official Website: BKB.tv
Full BKB 2 Preview
Bare-knuckle boxing is like nothing that combat sports fans have ever seen. With no kicking or grappling, BKB has all of the intricacies that come with the sport of boxing.
That’s where the similarities end, though.
The gloves that each fighter wears are more reminiscent of the hand protection that MMA fighters use. The major difference is the gap cut into the gloves that opens each combatant’s knuckles to the elements.
A fighter could easily break his hand when he makes direct contact with his opponent, but the damage that he could cause makes this a sport that many fans want to witness. If BKB 1 was any indication of what to expect, there will be several high-profile knockouts that force combat enthusiasts to take the sport seriously.
The gloves aren’t the only change that the sport has made. Instead of using a boxing ring or an Octagon as seen in the UFC, BKB has a pit with a small center that is used to keep the fighters toe-to-toe. The angled portions along the edges punish combatants for running away.
When you add in the two-minute limit on each round, the action will be fast and furious. The rush to make an impact right away will result in mistakes. In combat sports, mistakes equal knockouts.
One of the more interesting upgrades made is how the fights are scored. In the rare case when a knockout doesn’t happen, the judges’ scorecards will be revealed between rounds to show how each fighter is doing over the course of the event.
The transparent system could be something both boxing and MMA fans can get behind after both sports have failed in terms of proper scoring over the last several years. While boxing tried live scorecards before, the lack of follow through doomed the idea from the start.
While BKB doesn’t have the hardcore following of the UFC or boxing yet, the emphasis on knockouts and the innovative changes made to the sport of fighting should create a buzz.
As long as the excitement level in the pit lives up to the billing for BKB 2, the sport will continue to grow.
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