Miami, FL – BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting Series CEO Gregory Bloom announced today the signing of 14-2 professional boxer Robert Duran, Jr., and son of legendary pugilist Roberto Duran, to a multi-fight deal with the Miami-based promotion.
Said Bloom, “As our global footprint continues to grow, and on the heels of our recent distribution expansion that puts us in over 100 million homes, we are laser focused on not only promoting our existing roster, but also signing the most talented fighters available to assure fans get the quality matches they have come to expect from BYB. Robert certainly fits the bill, and I can’t wait to see how his talent translates to the mighty Trigon.”
On his transition into bare knuckle, Duran Jr. said, “This sport suits me. Before I ever laced up the gloves, I was fighting bare knuckle on the streets growing up. I have the toughness and grit that came from having to fight to survive, and then the training and polish of professional boxing that has allowed me to fight on the biggest stages. I’ve got the best of both worlds”
He added:
“In bare knuckle I can build my own name and own legacy outside of the shadow of my namesake. I have spent most of my life and built my career on my own, and I plan to forge this new path in the same manner. I intend to focus solely on bare knuckle, provided BYB can keep me active. It is the future of combat sports and I plan on being one of its first mainstream stars for years to come, and help propel it to the masses.”
Duran Jr. is the latest signing by BYB, following those of fight stars Uly Diaz, Gustavo Trujillo and Helen Peralta. He joins a roster that has a unique balance of fighters of all disciplines, from former UFC stars like current BYB heavyweight champion Ike Villanueva, Andre Ewell, and Rashad Coulter, to successful amateur boxers like Tommy Turner, Harry Gigliotti, and current BYB featherweight champion Harold McQueen. After hosting nine events in 2023 including the first-ever sanctioned bare knuckle event in Middle East and the first Police Gazette International Cup international/inter-promotion tournament in London, BYB is slated for twelve events in 2024. BYB 25: Brawl on the Bay, will be held in Tampa, Florida at the Florida State Fairgrounds on April 4; and BYB 26: Mile High Brawl in Denver, Colorado at the Stockyard Event Center on May 10. For more information on BYB, visit bybextreme.com and follow @bybextreme all on social media platforms.
ABOUT BYB
Originating in South Florida with backyard legend Dada 5000, whose backyard fights gained worldwide popularity online, BYB was founded to harness the excitement of bare knuckle fighting into a more structured product for a wider, more mainstream audience. Since 2015, BYB has worked diligently to grow the reach of bare knuckle on both a domestic and international level, hosting events in Colorado, Wyoming, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, London, and Dubai, and is continuing to work with athletic commissions throughout the United States and globally to expand the fanbase growing sport of bare knuckle fighting.
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