Gunn, long used to fighting bare knuckle in underground illegal brawls with no time limits, is now forced to take a more aggressive approach in the event’s fast-paced two-minute rounds. “Knuckle up!” one of the two referees yells. Standing just feet apart, Gunn and Costa raise their fists in a blood-stained steel circular ring built for this event, a striking image in U.S. heavyweight boxer from Sau Paulo, Brazil. Walking out to Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” in front of a screaming sold-out crowd of 2,000 beer-drinking, cowboy-hat-wearing locals at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center on the outskirts of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Gunn, 44, takes the stage, squaring off against his younger and larger opponent, Irineu Beato Costa, Jr., a. "I will be champion," the confident fighter said."I’m the boss I’m the boss I’m the boss,” says Bobby Gunn, the defending champion of bare-knuckle boxing, repeating a mantra from the film Raging Bull to himself just moments before taking the stage for the first legal, state-sanctioned gloveless fighting event in U.S. Quick knockouts and onscreen appearances can be the foundation for a big future. "It doesn’t really matter how I do it."īrunson noted he has a little extra motivation heading into his July 1 bout, as it is scheduled to be on television. "I try to catch my opponent off guard," he said. "It’s not my fault if they go out in the first rounds."īrunson noted sometimes he knocks his opposition out using a flurry of punches, while other times it happens with just one. "It’s a good thing because I get my rounds in the gym," he said. The pugilist said he doesn’t mind the quick finishes. Brunson said he would like to win his first 20 fights by first-round knockouts. Of his three fights this year, the longest was 70 seconds, as Brunson defeated Terry Johnson via a technical knockout in April. In terms of first-round knockouts, that is. Brunson said he hopes to be in the top 20 by year’s end. The July 1 bout will be his fourth of the year and he’s rated in the top 100 of middleweights worldwide and 28th in the world by. The up-and-comer said he hopes to fight in the city again by the end of this year or early next year.įor now, Brunson, a former Ben Franklin High basketball player, continues to make a name for himself in Michigan. So far, Brunson’s only Philadelphia fight took place April 22, 2005, against Kevin Carey at the Blue Horizon, where he won with a first-round technical knockout in 25 seconds. "It’s rough because I love Philly, but this is a business so I have to keep going with my career," he said. But, with his promoter based in Michigan, he does the majority of his work in the Midwest. The Kronk Boxing Team has produced more than 30 world champions, including heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko, as well as Evander Holyfield and Lenox Lewis.īEING FROM PHILADELPHIA, Brunson would prefer to do his training and fighting closer to home. When in Michigan, where eight of the 11 matches have taken place, the fighter trains in Detroit at the famous Kronk Gym. "In the gym, I prepare for the worst and hope for the best," Brunson, who is trained by J.R. He works on the speed and heavy bags, along with some sparring. The two will duke it out on ShoBox, which will be shown on the premium cable channel starting at 9 p.m.īrunson prepares for each opponent the same way, putting in 10 to 12 rounds a day in the gym. June 26, Toole confirmed his prospect will be facing Chris Grays, 6-9, 2 KO’s. "We usually find an opponent two to three days before a fight," Road Manager Paul Toole said, adding they had a boxer lined up June 22 who ended up backing out. He is scheduled to appear on the July 1 Showtime boxing card in Michigan and, as of June 22, the search was still on for someone to go up against. He can back that up just look at his stats.īrunson is making such quick work of his opponents, he has trouble getting fighters to step into the ring. "I am not surprised about it because I can punch and if I hit anybody they’re going to fall," the 21-year-old said. His longest fight was in November, going 2:15.īrunson said the early wins were something he expected. The quickest came in August, when he knocked out Terry Rork in 17 seconds. All 11 of his victories have come via first-round knockouts. Tyrone "Young Gun" Brunson, the Mid-American Middleweight champion with the perfect 11-0 record is the man with the golden gloves.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |