Jamel Herring Becomes Two-Sport World Champion With BKFC 89 Title Win

Jamel Herring has officially reached rarified air, joining the exclusive club of former boxing world champions and bare-knuckle titleholders with his dominant win over Michael Larrimore at BKFC 89.

The 40-year-old made his goal clear when he crossed over to the bare-knuckle world in January with a one-sided win over Matt Guymon. Another clean win over Larrimore officially gives him the BKFC bantamweight championship just four months after his debut.

Herring is one of two former boxing world champions to claim a title in the BKFC, joining his close friend, Austin Trout.

A new king at 135. Jamel Herring came to Palm Desert and left with BKFC gold.#BKFC89 | Watch only on DAZN pic.twitter.com/nqFMOHw3XL
— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) May 23, 2026

Herring swept all five rounds on each of the judges' scorecards while earning a 10-8 for his knockdown in the third round. He landed 109 punches to just 58 from Larrimore, according to the official BKFC stats.

Despite the dominant outing, Herring failed to please the bloodthirsty audience for the second time in as many BKFC appearances. That did not stray him from his rock-solid stick-and-move game plan, which had Larrimore visibly frustrated by the end of the fight.

Herring's jab was his main weapon, much like in his 29-fight boxing career, but he also dealt considerable damage with timely body shots that routinely froze Larrimore. He recorded the fight's lone knockdown with a check left hook early in the third frame as the 28-year-old blitzed into range.

Jamel Herring calls out bantamweight division after title win

As the new champion, Herring knows he is only just getting started. 'Semper Fi' knows his name has made him a target from the moment he signed with the BKFC, and owning the belt will only increase that effect.

Herring has already fought twice in 2026 and seems to be eyeing yet another quick turnaround after taking virtually no damage in either of his first two BKFC bouts. The New York native opened the door for all BKFC bantamweight contenders to make a case to be his next challenger.

"Whatever the boss man wants, there's plenty of good fighters," Herring said after the fight. "Shoutout to [Keith Richardson]. He actually beat him in better fashion than I did with Larrimore... I know there's a lot of work that gotta get done. There's a target on my back. I'm going forward. Again, if you feel like you can break the code, come on and take it."

Two sport champ 🏆😤 Now who’s coming for that belt next 👀 #BKFC89 | Watch only on DAZN pic.twitter.com/2VJTKq5cu0
— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) May 23, 2026

Former champion Justin Ibarrola is still the No. 1 contender in the BKFC rankings despite signing with Misfits Boxing in January. Ibarrola just won the title in December 2025 with a win over Ryan Reber but was stripped within months for aligning with Misfits.

Reber, who has since rebounded with a statement victory over longtime BKB mainstay Joshua Oxendine, is ranked No. 2. Former champion Keith Richardson is ranked No. 3. Ex-UFC veteran Nate Maness, who was originally scheduled to face Herring at BKFC 89, occupies the No. 4 spot, with Bradley Taylor rounding out the top five.

Stay tuned for more BKFC news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google