Bare Fist Boxing - Blood Sport 2, Bolton.

Camera Set Up - Fujifilm X100T with WCL

For Prints and the use of any image please contact me

email: keithvaughton@yahoo.co.uk

Bare Knuckle Boxing always conjures up images of bare-chested men fighting in empty car parks, or your thoughts may go to the films like Snatch & Fight Club.

So when I first heard about a Bare Knuckle Boxing event in Bolton, I was curious to see how it worked. I contacted the promoters, and they were happy for me to go down with my camera and document the event.

I wanted to go there with an open mind and understand why these men needed to climb into a ring and fight each other in such a brutal way. What I discovered was not knuckle-dragging thugs fighting in an unsafe environment without medics and referees but a well-organised event.

Blood Sport 2 was the name of the night, and it was held in an old cotton mill just a few miles away from Bolton Town Centre, and the location was a closely guarded secret until a few days before the event.

Wanting to know more about the fighters, I arrived 3 hours before the doors opened and managed to chat with most of the boxers. There was a wide selection of fighters, from the first-timers to the well-seasoned journeymen. The atmosphere within the changing area was surprisingly relaxed, with fighters laughing and joking with each other even though they will soon be in the ring together, both wanting to win.

I discovered that these fighters were just normal young men with normal lives, doing everyday jobs and, in some cases, quite well-groomed with good looks. Not all the fighters were local, as some had travelled over from Merseyside, Blackpool and Cheshire to compete in this event.

So why do these men want to get into a ring and risk serious injury? And the one recurring answer was the excitement of battle. I was also quite surprised that some fighters were doing it for a Local Charity. But not one of the fighters mentioned that they wanted to hurt or harm their opponent—none of this boorish bravado you see on TV when there is a big boxing fight. Instead, there was mutual respect and almost brotherly love for one another.

Each boxer had their hands bandaged to protect their knuckles and prevent too much damage to the opposing fighter. As I moved around with my camera, asking if I could take some portraits, I was surprised at how relaxed they seemed in front of the camera.

The main room's atmosphere was electric and almost tangible when the first fight started. It wasn’t the bloodthirsty baying crowd full of drunk men that I first imagined, but more a night to get dressed up with both men and women in attendance. There was a VIP section at the back with seating and standing areas around the ring, and there was even a merchandise stall selling t-shirts and hoodies. You would be mistaken to think that this was a Legal and all above aboard event and when I asked if it was legal, I was told, “Ask no questions, and you will get told no lies.”

The first fight was over in the early stages of the first round, with a knockout and the winner being the first-time fighter. After the fight, both boxers embraced and congratulated each other, and afterwards, they laughed and joked in the changing area, which was repeated after each fight. Local heroes on the bill didn’t disappoint the crowd, as they were mobbed for selfies and handshakes after the fight.

Of course, there was blood and cuts with most boxing events, but with a very efficient medical team, most of the fighters were patched up or advised to go up to A&E for further medical treatment. The well-being of the fighters was paramount at all times.

What I did discover about Bare Knuckle Fighting is that it’s not about beating your opponent to a pulp. It’s more about the excitement of combat, the adrenaline rush of competing in front of a crowd of 500 people and local pride.

As the crowd disappeared into the Bolton rain, I was left thinking, could Bare Knuckle Boxing ever go mainstream? Probably not, but after tonight’s well-organised underground event, it’s definitely going in the right direction.

Special Thanks to Everyone Involved.