Two of the very best bare knucklers of the modern era clash for one final time!
WHY IS NOBODY TALKING ABOUT THIS FIGHT?! Jimmy Sweeney vs. Rico Franco III. It has been announced that Jimmy “The King” Sweeney (19-4, 13 KO) will finally make his BKFC debut opposite Rico Franco (9-3, 7 KO). This could be one of the best fights of the entire year, but with the announcement of Hunt vs. Camozzi and the BKFC Dubai two-night special, this absolute banger of a fight has flown under the radar.
Set for April 26th in Florence, Italy, this isn’t the first time these two juggernauts of modern bare knuckle will throw hands, in fact, it's the conclusion of a trilogy! These two met under the BKB banner where Sweeney has spent all of his career until this point. Franco has already made the jump to the squared circle and even earned his shot at Austin Trout for the BKFC Welterweight championship, where he would come up just short.
Sweeney has one of the most impressive resumes in all of bare knuckle history, his 19 recorded wins, with reportedly more of them undocumented, making him likely the most accomplished of the modern era. Add in his slew of world titles, and The King has a resume that rivals any through history.
Franco, nicknamed “BonBon”, has fought the best of the best his entire bare knuckle career. While he has struggled against top-level talent, with two of his losses coming to the Top 2 pound for pound fighters in the world (LT Nelson and Austin Trout), his whole body of work shows he is still as elite as it gets.
The first time they met in November of 2019, it was Franco who came away with the win, however it was because of some cuts above the eyes of Sweeney that caused the doctor to stop it. Until that point it was a very close fight, with Sweeney possibly having a slight edge scoring a knockdown earlier in the bout. Damage is part of the game though and Franco put it on Sweeney getting the eventual stoppage.
The second bout, nearly two full years later, was a different story. Sweeney showed up in incredible shape while Franco had rushed back into the ring following his battle with cancer. Sweeney was thoroughly in charge from pillar to post, smashing his rival and evening the series at 1-1 with a fourth round stoppage.
Sweeney has exceptionally fast hands, a wealth of amateur boxing experience, and now obviously has one of if not the longest resume in bare knuckle. The King is a tough out for anyone. Franco also uses the traditional boxing style, sharp combinations, and likes to stay at range picking his opponents apart.
With this bout taking place in Europe, on BKFC’s Italian debut, you can’t deny it’s the biggest stage possible for the conclusion of this great trilogy.
This is as good as it gets; old foes going at it, with more eyes on them than ever before and the potential to steal the show. Will this mark the triumphant arrival of “The King” or will “BonBon” put a sweet ending to his storied rivalry with an all-time great? This is a fight you cannot miss!
Top photo courtesy: BKFC
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