Austin Trout To Make Bareknuckle Debut at BKFC KnuckleMania 3 vs UFC Legend Diego Sanchez

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

Albuquerque, New Mexico (January 11th, 2023)–  Southpaw former World Boxing Association World Super Welterweight champion Austin ‘No Doubt’ Trout, age 37, 36-5-1 with 18 knockouts, Las Cruces, New Mexico, has left no doubt he is entering a new dimension in the professional boxing game. Trout, undefeated in six last six comeback bouts, and the current Texas State Super Welterweight champion, will return to the ring on February 17, 2023, as the co-main event of KnuckleMania 3 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

 Trout signed a deal with the Bare Knuckles Fighting Championship promotional group in late 2022. Trout last appeared in the ring on December 9, 2022, in Payne Arena in Hidalgo, Texas, scoring an eight round unanimous decision win over Jose Sanchez Charles, a pro boxing bout in which Trout won every round on the scorecards.

 Trout will face UFC veteran and former Ultimate Fighter season one cast member Diego ‘The Nightmare’ Sanchez, age 41, 30-14 with 10 knockouts in MMA, team Jackson-Wink, Albuquerque, New Mexico, in what will be the bare knuckles professional debut for both combatants.  Sanchez last appeared in The Octagon in the main event at Eagle FC 46 at Flexcast Arena, in Miami, Florida, losing a five round decision to Kevin Lee at a catchweight of 165 pounds. In his most recent six MMA fights, Sanchez is 3-3, with wins over Michel Pereira, Mickey Gall, and Craig White.

 During a special hearing Tuesday attended virtually by MMA Junkie, the New Mexico Athletic Commission approved the bout between the UFC legend Sanchez and former world boxing champion Trout at the upcoming BKFC: KnuckleMania 3 event in Albuquerque by a vote of 3-1. Since the previous initial hearing in December 2022, Sanchez and his manager Ricky Kottenstette submitted additional medical testing which included a brain scan MRI and a neurological exam, which led to approval from all voting commission members except Jerome O’Connell, who indicated outside regulatory bodies had voiced concerns to NMAC about Sanchez.

While Sanchez did not speak at Tuesday’s meeting, he appeared before the New Mexico Athletic Commission at the previous December 21, 2022 meeting, and attributed many of the online concerns to his disgruntled former manager, Joshua Fabia, as hearsay. Sanchez indicated he cares about his long-term health and took it upon himself to get examined to ensure no serious issues existed before his first bareknuckle bout with Austin Trout was finalized. Trout versus Sanchez will be the co-main event to the already announced BKFC World Light Heavyweight Title unification bout between MMA veterans Lorenzo Hunt versus Mike ‘The Marine’ Richman.




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Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert is the Head Boxing Correspondent for Real Combat Media Boxing since 2013. Robert is also a photographer and ringside reporter for the RCM Tri State region which includes NJ, NY and PA. Robert conducts exclusive interviews, provides historical boxing articles and provides editorial ringside coverage of major boxing events. You can contact or follow Robert on Facebook and by email at [email protected].