Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is adding another layer to its expanding weight-class structure, and one of the promotion’s most decorated champions will be the first fighter to compete for gold in the new division.
BKFC announced the creation of its Ironweight division, which will encompass competitors weighing between 205 and 225 pounds. The inaugural championship bout is set to headline BKFC 91 on Sep. 26 at Arena Flegrea in Naples, Italy, where reigning BKFC star Lorenzo “The Juggernaut” Hunt will face hometown contender Walter “Kraken” Pugliesi for the first Ironweight world title.
The matchup pits one of the most accomplished fighters in bare-knuckle history against a rising Italian prospect looking to capitalize on a career-defining opportunity in front of his countrymen.
“Lorenzo Hunt is a true BKFC icon,” BKFC founder and president David Feldman said in the announcement. “However, Walter Pugliesi is coming off a tremendous first-round knockout at our show in Rome last October and he’s more than ready for this world title challenge in his native land.”
The addition of the Ironweight division gives BKFC another championship class between light heavyweight and heavyweight, a move Feldman believes will better accommodate a growing number of fighters who naturally compete in that weight range.
According to Feldman, the promotion intends to aggressively build the division throughout the remainder of 2026, with additional Ironweight contests expected to be announced in upcoming events.
For Hunt, the title fight presents an opportunity to further cement a legacy that already places him among the most accomplished athletes in BKFC history. The Cleveland native, who fights out of Jacksonville, Fla., owns a 13-2 record under the BKFC banner and has captured championships across multiple weight classes during a seven-year run with the organization.
Hunt most recently defended his light heavyweight title with a fourth-round stoppage of middleweight champion David Mundell at KnuckleMania VI in February. That victory followed one of the most dramatic finishes of his career when he reclaimed the light heavyweight crown from Josh Dyer in November 2025. After being knocked down twice in the opening round, Hunt rallied to score a stunning knockout with just one second remaining in the frame.
His résumé also includes notable victories over Chris Camozzi, Mike Richman, Quentin Henry, Joe Riggs and Hector Lombard, making him one of the promotion’s most battle-tested champions.
Standing across from him will be the undefeated Pugliesi, who has quickly become one of Italy’s most promising bare-knuckle competitors. The Arcona native made his BKFC debut in April 2025 with a dominant decision victory over Dominik Herald before announcing himself as a legitimate contender with a first-round knockout of Karl Thompson at BKFC 83 in Rome.
Now 2-0 in BKFC competition, Pugliesi will attempt to pull off one of the biggest upsets in recent company history by dethroning the promotion’s top pound-for-pound fighter while capturing championship gold on home soil.
BKFC has enjoyed strong support during its previous visits to Italy, and company officials are expecting another enthusiastic crowd when the promotion returns to Naples for its third event in the country.
With a new championship on the line and one of the sport’s most accomplished champions seeking another milestone, BKFC 91 will mark the beginning of a new chapter for the promotion’s evolving divisional landscape.