FORMER CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION BOBBY GUNN TO GO TO BATTLE IN BAREKNUCKLE BRAWL

By: Chris Cella

Four-time cruiserweight champion Bobby “The Celtic Warrior” Gunn has made a name for himself in the square ring due to his ability to throw hands, exceptional knockout power and heart of a lion. He has achieved what many aspiring boxers dream of, but he’s not done yet.

On August 5, Gunn will be taking on MMA fighter Chris Thompson in a bareknuckle boxing match in Scottsdale, Arizona under London Prize Ring rules.

This will be the first organized bareknuckle boxing event since 1889 when John Sullivan defeated Jake Kilrain after a 75 round marathon fight to be declared the champion. In two weeks, Gunn will look to add another championship title to his already impressive resume.

“I am very excited for this fight. Fans watch fights to see guys trade punches, and we are going to put on a show,” said Gunn. “Everything has to have a starting point. I believe this can be the sport of the future. It’s the original form of boxing.”

Bareknuckle fighting is nothing new to Gunn, who has over 60 bouts under his belt throughout the world. Gunn wanted to have a bareknuckle contest with former MMA fighter Kimbo Slice not too long ago, but the fight never happened. While many critics and skeptics think bareknuckle brawling is too vicious, Gunn assures people that it is quite safe.

“Not only is the bareknuckle match an organized event with ring doctors, it is a fight between two professionals”, said Gunn. “This isn’t a back alley bum fight or bar fight. Safety is a big issue, and they have it covered.”

When MMA first emerged onto the scene, many believed the sport was barbaric and dangerous, but studies have shown that it is safer than boxing because of all the safety precautions taken. This is due to the ongoing and accrued punishment a boxer may experience throughout a fight, as opposed to one or two blows a MMA fighter may suffer before the fight is called.

“I want to make this sport cleaner, and show people that it’s not as ferocious as they think,” said Gunn. “We are going to show people that it’s not barbaric, and that’s the truth.”

Dominick Scibetta, Bobby Gunn’s trainer, elaborated on the difference between bareknuckle fighting and boxing.

“Bareknuckle fighting is a different style than boxing,” said Scibetta. “You don’t have as many head shots because fighters don’t want to break their hands, and there are certain areas you want to hit a guy. Bobby has a lot of experience with this, so we have been focusing a great deal on conditioning for this fight.”

Gunn is adamant about thanking his team for their ongoing support and getting him ready for another big fight.

“I want to thank all of my team, Dominick Scibetta, Kyle White, Al Ross and Renato Colantoni for always supporting and standing behind me!”

Don’t miss as New Jersey’s own Bobby Gunn makes history. Tickets are still available for this epic bout by visiting www.badboyfights.com.