Austin Trout Wants to Turn 'Fireworks' at BKFC Liberty Brawl into Spot on BKFSea Bruise Cruise [Exclusive]

When Austin Trout signed with BKFC in 2022, he expected to become a two-sport champion, but he never imagined headlining an Independence Day fight card at the Birthplace of America.

Now, the 40-year-old understands that it is just the tip of the iceberg.

As the BKFC continues to expand, Trout finds himself in a fortuitous position as he prepares to face Ben Bonner for the vacant lightweight title on July 3. Trout and Bonner headline the inaugural BKFC Liberty Brawl event on July 3, part of Philadelphia's celebration of the country's 250th anniversary.

Trout vs. Bonner is the final act of the BKFC's four-man tournament to crown its next lightweight champion. 'No Doubt' beat former champion Luis Palomino in the first round, while Bonner won a rematch with Tony Soto in February to punch his ticket.

With a win, Trout, the BKFC's No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter, would become just the third two-division champion in promotional history. The former WBA light middleweight champion sees the glory of that accomplishment while also acknowledging the "stars aligning" for him in Philadelphia.

"All the stars are aligning. The 250th celebration of America's birthday in Philly, which is the first capital. There's a lot of history there. It's going to be amazing. I'm honored to be the headline for this event and I'm going to give them a hell of a fight. The fireworks are going to start early."

Austin Trout eyeing pound-for-pound royalty and "Bruise Cruise" with second title win

Trout not only expects to make history against Bonner on July 3; he believes a win proves he is the best bare-knuckle fighter in the world. The New Mexico native expects a win over Bonner to be followed by a promotion in the pound-for-pound rankings.

"I think winning this belt should throw me up to No. 1 [pound-for-pound]. Then I'll leave my next goal after getting this belt and becoming No. 1 pound-for-pound is to remain No. 1. You know what I'm saying? It's these little goals to keep you motivated."

The BKFC's pound-for-pound rankings currently have light heavyweight champion Lorenzo Hunt atop the mountain for the second time in his career. Hunt returned from an 18-month hiatus to reclaim his former title with a knockout of Josh Dyer in November 2025, three months before he knocked out then-No. 1 pound-for-pound king David Mundell to usurp the throne.

But while Hunt has a decorated track record, nobody has been winning bare-knuckle fights as dominantly as Trout. Save for a split decision win over Carlos Trinidad-Snake in April 2025, 'No Doubt' has lived up to his nickname by putting down some of the biggest names in the sport. Trout's strength of schedule is also unmatched, with three of his five wins coming against current or former champions.

Should Trout beat Bonner in impressive fashion, it would be a difficult feat to top at any point in 2026. Nothing would be better than claiming a second division and potentially topping the pound-for-pound rankings.

However, if timelines match, Trout knows that a strong performance at the Liberty Brawl could give him a spot on the biggest event in BKFC history. With the first-ever BKFSea Bruise Cruise set to sail in January 2026, he knows that an even larger spotlight potentially waits in the wings.

"Hopefully we have a great result in this fight and it ends wonderfully for me, and then we get the call to go on the Bruise Cruise. That's just living out more dreams. Why not? There's nothing like it and I want to be part of that."

Austin Trout speaks on opening Texas' first bare-knuckle gym

Austin Trout and David Feldman — BKFC welterweight champion Austin Trout (left) with BKFC President David Feldman (right). | BKFC

Events like the Liberty Brawl and BKFC Bruise Cruise have convinced Trout that bare-knuckle boxing is evolving more quickly than even he imagined when he initially made the transition. That evolution, combined with his passion for the sport, helped drive him to open his own gym in Houston, which he believes is the first bare-knuckle boxing gym in Texas.

Trout's Houston Boxing Club is a traditional boxing gym, but students and fighters can also learn bare-knuckle training from the two-sport champion, who believes it is essential knowledge for anyone picking his brain.

"I would love to help develop bare-knuckle fighters," Trout said. "Eventually, just thinking big, because I dream big, I want to have a whole camp. You don't have to be from my camp. Just come and we're gonna get some bare-knuckle training. Hand conditioning, hand manipulations, all kinds of stuff.

"I hope to dial in on my system so that it's scalable. Because again, not only bare-knuckle fighters need to learn how to bare-knuckle box. Any civilian who's not a boxer and doesn't want to be a professional fighter needs to know how to do it. It's like, alright, y'all here for this self-defense class? Congratulations, you're really here for this bare-knuckle class."

Any prospective Houston Boxing Club trainee can get a first-hand look at the champion's handiwork against Ben Bonner in the BKFC Liberty Brawl main event on July 3.

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