BKFC: Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Rules and Regulations

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is revolutionizing the combat sports landscape with its revival of traditional bare-knuckle boxing. Founded by David Feldman, a former professional boxer, BKFC seamlessly blends historical authenticity with modern safety protocols.

The BKFC uses a unique four-rope ring known as the “Squared Circle,” intensifying the action and requiring fighters to “Toe the Line” before each round, standing face-to-face. This setup enhances the sport’s raw, unfiltered excitement.

In BKFC, only highly skilled professionals from boxing, MMA, kickboxing, or Muay Thai are eligible to compete. The organization enforces strict rules to preserve the bare-knuckle nature of the fights, permitting only minimal wrapping on the wrists and thumbs. Fighters focus exclusively on punches—kicks, elbows, and grappling are prohibited. A clinch must be broken with punches, not stalling.

BKFC maintains rigorous safety standards: knocked-down fighters have ten seconds to recover without being struck, and cuts that affect vision can lead to a fight stoppage if not managed quickly. Each bout consists of five two-minute rounds, emphasizing speed and intensity.

Competitors must adhere to specific gear requirements and exhibit complete sportsmanship. BKFC is revitalizing bare-knuckle boxing with an emphasis on authenticity, safety, and high-caliber competition.

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Rules:

1. Hand Wrapping:

• Wrists, thumbs, and mid-hand can be wrapped and taped.

• No gauze or tape within 1 inch of the knuckles.

2. Starting Position:

• “Toe The Line” in the center of the ring.

• Two lines, three feet apart.

• Front foot on the line.

• Referee instructs to “Knuckle Up” to start the round/bout.

3. Strikes:

• Only punches allowed.

• Closed fist strikes permitted.

• No kicks, elbows, knees, or grappling.

4. Clinching:

• Open-hand punches allowed to punch out of a clinch.

• If there’s a three-second lull in action while clinching, the referee breaks the fighters.

5. Knockdowns:

• Fighter has 10 seconds to return to feet if knocked down.

• Hitting a downed fighter is not permitted and may result in disqualification and withheld purse.

• Other fighter instructed to report to a neutral area during a knockdown.

6. Cuts and Bleeding:

• Referee may call a timeout if a fighter is cut and bleeding impairs vision.

• Cutman given 30 seconds to stop the bleeding.

• If the cut cannot be controlled and vision is impaired, the referee stops the fight.

7. Fight Duration:

• 2 minutes per round.

• Each bout consists of 5 rounds.

8. Attire:

• Required protective gear: groin protector with a cup, mouthpiece.

• Boxing trunks and boxing/wrestling shoes.

9. Sportsmanship:

• Expectation of 100% effort and complete sportsmanship from all fighters.