Bare-knuckle boxing is the original form of boxing and is closely related to ancient combat sports. It is genius in its simplicity and the aforementioned name more or less sums up exactly what bare-knuckle boxing is: it involves two individuals fighting without boxing gloves under an agreed upon ruleset.

Professional bouts are now held, created and managed by the World Bare-Knuckle Boxing Association which itself is not recognized as a sports organization anywhere outside of the United States.

Although tournaments and unregulated bouts are illegal in most countries there are many groups of people who still engage in highly organized and sophisticated contests although there are no official sanctioning or regulating bodies.

The majority of these contests seem to be held in the British Isles and are very popular amongst the gypsies or travelers. The tradition of bare-knuckle boxing amongst the Irish travelers, in particular, dates back centuries and has deep familial roots with rivalries between families going back just as far.

In the video below, the history between the two combatants in not made clear but what is made clear is the fierce competitiveness of the two gentlemen, Patrick Navin and Davey Joyce.

Upon close inspection reveals that this is no ordinary street fight as the differences are vast and varied. The first thing that one will notice is the level of ability or skill possessed between the two contestants is comparable to that of high-level amateur boxers or low-level professionals.

One will also notice that there are multiple people that are acting as referees and/or mediators to ensure that the bout is carried out in a fair and competitive manner. So check out the video below to see an incredible modern day bare-knuckle boxing match.

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Jacob C. Stevens is a lifelong athlete and cerebral martial arts enthusiast who is also skilled in the art of linguistic manipulation, his published work, Afterthoughts and Handgrenades, can be found here…