BKFC 99: Ben Bonner to Defend Lightweight World Title Against Rico Franco
Ben Bonner will make his first defense of the BKFC Lightweight World Championship against former BKFC UK Welterweight Champion Rico Franco at BKFC 99 on February 13.
The matchup pits two knockout artists against each other, with Franco vacating his UK welterweight championship to move down in weight and challenge for the world title.
Bonner enters his first title defense after capturing the vacant BKFC Lightweight World Championship with a second-round knockout of former BKFC Welterweight Champion and boxing world champion Austin Trout. The victory was a major statement for Bonner, who stopped one of the sport’s most accomplished pound-for-pound fighters to claim the vacant crown.
Franco has also been building momentum with his power. In May, he captured the BKFC UK Welterweight Championship with a second-round knockout of Conor Tierney. Now, the British standout is making the move down to lightweight with an opportunity to become a world champion.
The co-main event will feature another UK title matchup as 36-fight veteran Jimmy Sweeney challenges James Liley for the BKFC UK Lightweight Championship.
Both Liley is coming off back-to-back knockout victories while Sweeney had a dominate performance in his 155 lb. debut, setting the stage for an explosive showdown between two incredibly experienced bare-knuckle fighters.
With two championship fights featuring competitors riding knockout streaks, BKFC 99 is shaping up to deliver plenty of fireworks on February 13.
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