​Las Cruces native Austin Trout was aiming for a second Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship title on Friday, July 3, but the night did not unfold as planned. In a contest for the vacant BKFC Lightweight Championship at BKFC Liberty Brawl in Philadelphia, Trout was knocked out by British challenger Ben Bonner just 30 seconds into the second round. The result came as a surprise to many, as Trout entered the event as the favorite to claim the vacant title.
Bonner set the tone early with a knockdown in the first round, landing an overhand right that dropped Trout. While Trout had shown resilience in his bare-knuckle boxing career—most notably rallying to defeat Carlos Trinidad-Snake in April 2025 to defend the BKFC Welterweight Championship—he was unable to recover from the early setback this time. Bonner capitalized on the momentum, delivering the same decisive right-handed punch to seal the victory in the following round.
The bout carried high stakes for Trout, who was pursuing a rare achievement in BKFC by attempting to become just the third fighter in the promotion’s history to hold championships in two different weight classes. He would have joined the elite company of fighters like Luis Palomino and Lorenzo Hunt, who have previously achieved dual-weight success in BKFC. Trout’s track record prior to this title bid included holding the BKFC Welterweight Championship, which he won in February 2024 and defended twice before the title was vacated in June 2025 for reasons that were not disclosed. Trout’s lightweight journey began with a notable debut on December 5, when he defeated Palomino at BKFC 85 by technical knockout due to a doctor stoppage.
The loss marked the first defeat of Trout’s bare-knuckle boxing career, leaving his professional record at 5-1. The bout against Bonner, which ended in a knockout just half a minute into the second round, concluded Trout’s latest bid for BKFC gold in a dramatic fashion. The outcome underscored Bonner’s readiness at the championship level and highlighted the unpredictable nature of bare-knuckle combat, where the momentum of a single punch can alter the course of a high-stakes title fight.
This recap originates from Las Cruces Sun-News coverage of Austin Trout’s BKFC lightweight title bid, emphasizing the dramatic upset and its implications for Trout’s legacy in the sport. Trout’s defeat stands as a pivotal moment in his career, shifting the balance of power in the BKFC lightweight division and leaving fans to wonder about his next move in the ever-evolving landscape of bare-knuckle boxing.