BKFC-58: PHOTOS AND RESULTS FROM ACTION PACKED, SOLD-OUT EVENT IN SOFIA, BULGARIA
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Sofia, Bulgaria (March 22, 2024) Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), The World’s Fastest Growing Combat Sports Promotion, hosted its second sold-out event in Bulgaria with BKFC-58 on Friday, March 22 at Arena Sofia.
The BKFC-58 main event featured a must-see battle between Bulgarian cruiserweight contenders Toni Markulev and Kaloyen Kolev. Both combatants left it all in the squared circle for five hard, highly competitive rounds, with Markulev ultimately bringing home the victory by unanimous decision.
Markulev dropped Kolev once in the opening round and won three rounds, according to the ringside judges, who unanimously scored the fight 48-46 in favor of the debuting Markulev. Kolev’s record fell to 1-1 with the loss.
A record thirteen nationalities were represented at BKFC-58 on Friday.
In the BKFC-58 co-main event, Serbia’s Vaso Bakocevic defeated Egypt’s Ramadan Nooman via majority decision in their hotly contested welterweight showdown. The lone knockdown of the bout came at the expense of Nooman in the second round. The ringside judges scored it 48-46, 46-48, 47-47.
After five hard, action-packed rounds, Zohrab Azimov’s and Veselin Ivanov’s featherweight clash was declared a split draw. One judge scored it 48-46 in favor of the Azerbaijanian Azimov, one judged scored it 48-46 for the Bulgarian Ivanov, and one judge ruled it a 47-47 draw.
Yunus Batan of Turkey dropped Bulgaria’s Zhivko Stoimenov four times to earn the technical knockout victory 21 seconds into the fourth round of their middleweight showdown.
Dominik Estorer was dropped once and sent France’s Steve Pasche to the canvas twice, leading to a first-round knockout for the German newcomer in their light-heavyweight battle. The back-and-forth fight was stopped with just one second left in the first round.
Iran’s Mehdi Barghi overcame an early knockdown in his first-round, come-from-behind stoppage victory over Nikolai Alexiev of Bulgaria in heavyweight action. Time of the stoppage was 1:47.
Bulgarian heavyweight Stanoy Tabakov picked himself up off the canvas and returned fire with a jaw-dropping, overhand right KO over Petr Beranek of Czech Republic. Time of the stoppage was 1:24 in the first round.
Angel Petkov of Bulgaria edged out Brazilian Felipe Maia for the razor-close victory by majority decision in their lightweight battle. Two judges scored the back-and-forth contest 49-45 in favor of Petkov, while one judge scored it 47-47.
Bulgarian's Iliyan Adrianov flattened Tomas Vojtela of Slovakia with a one-punch knockout in the first round of their lightweight matchup. Time of the stoppage was 1:38.
Nicole Schaefer took home the technical knockout win over Daniela Graf in their battle of German flyweights. Schaefer relentlessly attacked the body of her opponent, forcing Graf’s corner to stop the fight at the conclusion of the second round.
Ruslan Tokhtarov of Austria earned a unanimous decision victory over Bulgaria’s Zdrovko Dimitrov in their spirited welterweight showdown. The judges scored it 48-47, 49-46, 48-47.
In the opening bout of BKFC-58, Bulgaria’s Emil Enchev floored Sakis Zampelos of Greece three times enroute to a 38-second knockout victory in their light-heavyweight matchup.
BKFC-58 Results
Toni Markulev def. Kaloyen Kolev via Unanimous Decision (48-46x3)
Vaso Bakocevic def. Ramadan Nooman via Majority Decision (48-46, 46-48, 47-47)
Zohrab Azimov vs. Veselin Ivanov is ruled a Split Draw (48-46, 46-48, 47-47)
Yunus Batan def. Zhivko Stoimenov via TKO in Round 4 (0:21)
Dominik Estorer def. Steve Pasche via KO in Round 1 (1:59)
Mehdi Barghi def. Nikolai Alexiev via KO in Round 1 (1:47)
Stanoy Tabakov def. Petr Beranek via KO in Round 1 (1:24)
Angel Petkov def. Felipe Maia via Majority Decision (49-45x2, 47-47)
Iliyan Adrianov def. Tomas Vojtela via KO in Round 1 (1:38)
Nicole Schaefer def. Daniela Graf via TKO in Round 2 (2:00)
Ruslan Tokhtarov def. Zdrovko Dimitrov via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 49-46, 48-47)
Emil Enchev def. Sakis Zampelos via KO in Round 1 (0:38)
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Media Contact/Credentials
Bernie Bahrmasel
Double B Sports
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About Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC)
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is the first promotion allowed to hold a legal, sanctioned, and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. Based in Philadelphia, and headed by President and former professional boxer David Feldman, BKFC is dedicated to preserving the historical legacy of bare knuckle fighting, while utilizing a specifically created rule set that emphasizes fighter safety. BKFC holds all of its bouts in a revolutionary circular four-rope ring, designed to encourage fast-paced and exciting bouts. The patented BKFC “Squared Circle” contains scratch lines, based on the Broughton Rules which governed bare knuckle fighting in the 19th century, and which requires fighters to “Toe the Line”: start every round face to face, and just inches apart.
In BKFC, only those fighters who are established professionals in boxing, MMA, kickboxing, or Muay Thai are allowed to compete. The referees and judges are required to have extensive professional combat sports experience. All fights are held under the auspices and control of an Athletic Commission. Unlike other fighting organizations and combat sports internationally which claim to be “bare knuckle”, but require wraps, tape, and gauze; BKFC is true to its word as fighters are not allowed to wrap their hands to within one inch of the knuckle. This makes BKFC unquestionably the truest form of bare knuckle fighting. BKFC is dedicated to not just creating the safest, most exciting, and highest-level bare-knuckle fighting organization in the world, it’s also leading the way for a new fully recognized professional combat sport. BKFC is truly the sport of the future, which fully respects its remarkable past.
