Jamel Herring To Make Bare-Knuckle Debut In First BKFC Event Of 2026

The BKFC is set to gain another former boxing world champion soon.

After signing with the promotion in 2025, Jamel Herring will make his bare-knuckle boxing debut in early 2026. The 40-year-old is booked for BKFC 86, the first event of the year.

Herring is set to face three-fight bare-knuckle veteran Matt Guymon. The 37-year-old Guymon beat Jacob Akin in his BKFC debut before losing a five-round decision to Ryan Reber, who recently challenged Justin Ibarrola for the vacant bantamweight title.

Next month we are BACK at @MoheganSun! Main & Co are 🔥 Tix are on sale now at https://t.co/LJX5urGSHu!#BKFC86 | Jan 17 | Only on DAZN pic.twitter.com/7Zc1KxeHdq
— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) December 22, 2025

The fight is scheduled to commence at the BKFC bantamweight limit of 135 pounds, five pounds heavier than where Herring spent the majority of his career.

Herring joins a shortlist of active fighters in the BKFC with accomplished high-level boxing careers to their names. The only other fighter on the roster to win a world title in boxing is Austin Trout, who will compete for the BKFC lightweight title in 2026.

'Semper Fi' is immediately one of the most interesting additions to the BKFC bantamweight division in 2026. Ibarrola just recently claimed the title, but the weight class remains one of the most wide-open in the promotion.

Herring and Guymon will be on the undercard of an event headlined by BKFC welterweight champion Julian Lane's first title defense. Lane takes on 5-2 Dustin Pague in the main event at the Mohegan Sun.

Jamel Herring transitions to BKFC after title-winning boxing career

Although Herring has no previous bare-knuckle boxing experience, he is undeniably one of the most accomplished boxers to make the transition. Herring fought in five world title fights in his 29-fight professional boxing career, having defended the WBO super featherweight title three times.

Herring ended his career on a 1-3 skid, but his resume holds up even better in hindsight. He remains the only fighter to beat Lamont Roach Jr., who went on to gain mainstream recognition for his controversial draw with Gervonta 'Tank' Davis in March.

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Herring also lost the title to Shakur Stevenson in 2021, marking the beginning of the prodigy's well-respected title run. Stevenson went on to collect the WBC and The Ring 130-pound belt before vacating the titles to move up to lightweight.

Herring went on to face eventual title challenger Jermaine Ortiz after losing the belt and dropped a unanimous decision. He retired after the loss but returned one year later with a first-round TKO win over Nicholas Molina.

Herring's most recent boxing fight came on April 3, 2024, a split-decision loss to Jackson Jon England. He teased retirement after the loss yet again, only to sign with the BKFC in mid-2025.

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