A Ramsgate fighter has been crowned Vendetta bare knuckle boxing world champion after only his second match in the sport.
Dad-of-one Macaulay Bygraves says he ‘accidentally’ entered the ranks of bare knuckle boxers due to “his big mouth” after he issued a challenge to ‘silence any man’ standing in his way.
The former Hereson lad, known as Mac Attack, has already stormed the ‘gloved’ boxing world after going back into training – and the ring – one year ago and clinching UBC light heavyweight champion and JKH British champion titles.
And then came the offer to try out for bare knuckle boxing.
He said: “It was all accidental, I got into it because I’ve got a massive mouth and I love the build up to a fight, I’m a proper showman. When I beat Jimmy Miller ( a boxer and also a bare knuckle fighter) I got the email to say come down (for a bare knuckle boxing try out) and I had to go through with it.”
In February the 29-year-old middleweight fighter took the gloves off for his bare knuckle boxing debut fight under Rock Solid Promotions and won by knock out in just 40 seconds.
That victory led to the Vendetta Fight Nights title bout in Hungary on Saturday (March 30) which was only Mac’s second bare knuckle contest.
His opponent was Hungary’s Adam Mate, a professional with 31 wins and 17 losses on his record.
Mac said: “It was literally my second bare knuckle boxing fight. I was the underdog and they thought they were leading a lamb to the slaughter.
“The guy I fought had 50 professional boxing matches, two world titles and a commonwealth title. I spent a couple of days watching videos, studying him, and I said I would knock him out and I did.
“It caused a massive upset when I beat the Hungarian fighter in Hungary. It was supposed to be five, three minute rounds but I knocked him out in the fourth, he went down and didn’t get up.”
The explosive fight saw Mac clinch the world title to bring home to Ramsgate, backed by his boxing club – CG Boxing in Broadstairs- and sponsors including All-Star Cargo and RNB Electrical Mechanical & Renewables.
Mac, who works as an electrician, has been boxing since he was 13 years old as a member of clubs including Ramsgate Boxing Club and Hornets Boxing Club. “My mum made me because I was being a little sh*t,” he said.
But he had dropped out of the scene and returned last year after making the decision to get in shape and turn his life around.
That move has likely changed Mac’s life as calls from the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) UK have now come in following his title win.
The BKFC organisation is the biggest for the sport in the US and the UK. The UK arm has approached Mac about a fight this June.
Mac said: “This potentially means more fights and I could do this for a living.”
CG Boxing boss Connor Gorham said: “I would like to say how incredibly proud I am of Mac. He turned up at my gym exactly one year ago this month with the intention of changing his life around, and this is exactly what he did.
“Seven fights later he’s achieved the Midlands area title, British title and a now a world bare knuckle title. To say CG Boxing Club has a world champion after opening up just two years ago is absolutely mind-blowing.
“But this is why I do what I do and have this club, to improve lives for the better and create a positive future. I’d like to thank our coach Weston Hughes who has been by my side since starting out and also thank our club’s main sponsors All Star Cargo Ltd and We R Blighty for their support.”
Keep track of Mac on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/macbygraves/
Bare knuckle boxing is legal in the UK, but not governed by any official regulator or the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC).
Many of those involved in the sport say with bare knuckles you don’t attack as hard and punches are less frequent. They say superficial damage, such as cuts, is more evident in BKB making it look bloodier but claim the impact on the brain is greater with gloved boxing.
