As the combat sports world turns its attention toward BKB 61 on November 14th, rising contender Ollie Sentance is already looking past his high-profile assignment and mapping out a direct trajectory to championship gold. Standing directly in his path is former boxing world champion Lee Selby, a formidable test of skill, pedigree, and composure. However, Sentance is not just preparing to secure a marquee win for his resume; he has his sights firmly locked on the reigning BKB divisional titleholder, Estevan Partida.
Partida currently sits atop the division where the upcoming Sentance versus Selby matchup takes place, making the winner of the November 14th showdown the most logical next challenger for the belt. When speaking with Bare Knuckle Bowker about whether a victory over someone as accomplished as Selby would guarantee him a coveted title shot, Sentance pulled no punches regarding his ambitions and his low opinion of the current champion.
"Yeah, 100% mate. 100%," Sentance said. "I think he’s a bit goofy, Estevan. The way he conducts himself and holds himself in the ring, his fight with Kallum Skhane. Yeah, not a big fan to be honest. So, I’ll be letting him have it, 100%. But again, let’s get Lee Selby beat first. Let’s get this name on my resume. Let’s get this win and yeah, on to the next one."
When pressed for specifics regarding what rubbed him the wrong way about Partida’s in-ring behavior, Sentance detailed actions he found entirely unprofessional and unbefitting of a world champion, pointing directly to Partida’s tactical and theatrical choices during his bout against Skhane.
"He was just goofy," Sentance explained. "Like I remember he had Kallum Skhane’s back at one point and he was like thrusting against him. A little bit like LGBTQ kind of thing and then he was like wiping blood off his own face onto his face and stuff. Like that just ain’t going to happen with myself. Yeah, that ain’t going to happen. I just thought that was disrespectful. Fair enough we’re having a bare knuckle fight in there, but you can have a little bit of respect for the person. You know what I’m saying?"
Sentance continued, emphasizing the importance of emotional control and basic sportsmanship inside the squared circle, no matter how intense or brutal the combat sport may become.
"You can have a little bit of; yeah, control your emotions and the way you are," Sentance added. "I mean like that’s not; you shouldn’t even need to try and control that. Like what’s going through your mind to want to do that to another man? To wipe blood off your face and put it on his or to thrust behind him. I just think it’s a bit strange, like bit zesty, but each their own."
The impending clash between Sentance and Selby also highlights a fascinating stylistic debate within the sport: the crossover battle between traditional boxing and mixed martial arts. While Selby brings a lifetime of elite boxing fundamentals and polished footwork to the table, Sentance boasts a well-rounded background in mixed martial arts, kickboxing, and grappling disciplines. Analyzing how these contrasting combat styles interact when the 4-ounce gloves are strapped on, Sentance offered a clear perspective on why mixed martial artists often hold a distinct advantage in bare-knuckle fighting.
"I believe MMA guys do better in bare knuckle boxing than boxers do because it’s the 4 oz gloves," Sentance said. "So, the range is completely different. They’re already used to the 4 oz gloves. You’ve got the clinch, you’ve got the active fighting. So, in MMA, unless you’re stalling on the ground or you’re stalling in the clinch or you make an illegal strike or they illegally strike you, the ref doesn’t get in between, the ref doesn’t stop the fight. So, boxing is completely different. You can hold on to a glove for a couple of seconds and that’s it. They break you up. MMA is not like that."
To illustrate his point, Sentance referenced recent bouts where fighters successfully implemented grappling-heavy tactics and dirty boxing to neutralize traditional boxers, proving that the dynamic inside a bare-knuckle ring requires a broader toolkit than standard pugilism.
"You are continuously going and yeah I’ll just; Brian Hyslop the other day, he beat Jojo Diaz with that sort of shooting in on the hips, working his way up to the body, clinching, one arm under one arm over, and throwing with the other," Sentance noted. "Just beat the guy up doing MMA moves, MMA technique if you like. So yeah, it’s very interesting. Very interesting dynamic."
When addressing the school of thought that insists bare-knuckle boxing must be treated as an entirely isolated discipline to find success, Sentance argued that true martial artists thrive by synthesizing their accumulated experiences rather than boxing themselves into a single style.
"Yeah. So, I’ll just bring it all into it, mate," Sentance said. "I believe it’s all instinct. When you’re in there, it’s on your instinct. For years and years and years, I have done Brazilian jiu-jitsu and MMA and boxing, and I’ve brought it all together. There’s been several of my fights where anybody who’s got an idea of an actual fight, not just a boxer, not just a jiu-jitsu guy, somebody who understands fighting. You’ll watch the boxing match with 10 oz gloves on and say, ‘That’s interesting. He’s done a little crafty move there.’"
Sentance elaborated on his identity as a complete martial artist, revealing that his preparation often spans multiple disciplines, including specialized striking arts that closely mirror the modern global rulesets seen in major promotions like ONE Championship.
"There’s a few little things here and there which I do even in glove fights where it’s not the norm," Sentance explained. "You wouldn’t see a normal boxer do that, a traditional boxer do that. But again, this I’m not just a boxer. I’m a martial artist. I’m on a journey to consistently be better in my martial arts, in my kicking, in my knees, in my elbows. I had a Thai fight which I was meant to do this weekend. Thai boxing fight in 4 oz gloves. Do you know like ONE Championship?"
"It was similar to that rule set," he continued. "So it was the four ounce gloves, kicks, knees, punches, elbows. Obviously this fight coming up and stuff, it’s not the best thing to be doing. So knock that one on the head. But yeah, I just believe my skills in martial arts in general are adapting into bare knuckle really well. I’m constantly trying to improve. I’m constantly improving the boxing, constantly improving the clinch work, and everywhere I can, everything I can do to improve, I’m there."
Reflecting on how his career ultimately drifted toward bare-knuckle fighting, Sentance admitted that stepping into the unpadded ring was initially just an ambition to test himself before returning to a traditional path in mixed martial arts. However, the unexpected opportunity that arrived around the start of the year completely altered his trajectory.
"So, I’ve always thought I’ll have a go at the bare knuckle one day, even if it was just one," Sentance recalled. "I’ve always wanted to just feel it. Then we got the offer, I think it was in December, January last, I think it was January, just after Christmas this year to fight in London at the O2. I took that and just not looked back since really, to be honest."
"It’s not necessarily like I had this plan of oh yeah, I’m going to be BKB world champion or whatever," he added. "To be honest, I always thought I’d go into MMA professionally and I’d be in the UFC. But we’re here and I’m loving it, mate. I’m loving it. I’m so blessed to be here and so excited for the future."
Returning to London’s O2 Arena—the very venue where his BKB journey first commenced—carries a profound emotional resonance for Sentance, particularly as he steps into the spotlight as a new father. With his family now present to witness his career milestones, the upcoming matchup represents the realization of long-held personal and professional manifestations.
"100% mate. 100%," Sentance said of the venue’s significance. "I do a lot of manifesting, a lot of visualization. Not just for fighting but just in life in general and yeah to be picturing going back here, it’s just beautiful after the little call out. You know, ‘Lee Selby next, main event’ and just everything, it’s beautiful. I can’t wait to come back. My little baby girl’s here now as well. My missus was heavily pregnant for the first one. So, my little baby girl’s here now and it’s just full circle. I’ve wanted this fight."
Despite the daunting reputation of his opponent, Sentance expressed unshakeable certainty regarding the outcome of the November 14th clash, acknowledging that his absolute confidence might raise eyebrows among traditional boxing purists.
"I’ve got this fight. I can only see victory in my mind," Sentance stated. "There is no way that this man beats me on the 14th of November. Which may sound crazy to the rest. People might be thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, what’s this unlicensed boxer saying?’ You know what I mean? But I’m telling you now, I have got 120% confidence in my abilities. Yeah, I’m gonna beat this man November 14th and stake my claim for the world title."
Ollie Sentance has visualized every outcome and sees victory every time at BKB 61
Mental preparation plays an indispensable role in Sentance’s fight camp, with the contender routinely subjecting himself to worst-case scenarios in his mind’s eye to ensure that no moment inside the ring on fight night can catch him off guard.
"I can see many ways. I envision many ways," Sentance said when asked about his recurring visualizations. "I put myself in bad situations. I put myself in bad spots. I picture many different ways of winning this fight. But even when I was sitting, just picturing this fight. There’s never a loss. I can be in the worst situation. I can be dropped. I can be on my back flat. Seven, eight, the ref’s counting and I’m up. When I’m cut and I still get my hand raised. I can smell the blood. I can feel it. I can taste it."
Sentance emphasized that this detailed mental conditioning provides him with an unshakeable psychological armor, allowing him to navigate physical trauma, injuries, or severe adversity without panicking.
"I see doctors stop it. I just see victory," Sentance continued. "It’s a very, very fantastic skill which I have in the way that I can go into so much detail. It’s brilliant. I’ve already been in that ring a billion times and seen victory every single time. I’ve already been in there and been in sticky situations. So if that comes to fruition, if I step into those ropes on the 14th of November and there’s a sticky situation."
"Break my hand, my finger’s bent, whatever it may be, my shoulder goes, something cut, whatever it may be, I’ve been there and I can still see victory from it. I still see myself having success after and I still see my hands being raised at the end. So yeah, it’s beautiful. It’s a beautiful thing."
Balancing a demanding full-time job with the grueling physical toll of an elite fight camp requires immense personal sacrifice, including long periods away from his partner, newborn baby, and parents. For Sentance, these hardships serve as the ultimate fuel to ensure his labor yields definitive results inside the ring.
"100% mate," Sentance said regarding the motivation provided by his family. "I’m spending a lot of time away from my partner, my baby, my mom, my dad. I couldn’t tell you the last time I saw my old man. Bless him. So yeah, it’s difficult. It’s tricky. Obviously I work a full-time job as well. So, yeah, I’m away a hell of a lot of the time. I got to win this fight. That’s it. That’s all I see is victory. I’m not spending all this time away to go out there and fluff it, to go out there and my ass fall out. Like, never in a million years."
"I’m coming out there to stick it on this man and to beat him and that’s that," Sentance concluded. "I’ve got the opportunity. Why would I not take it with everything that I’ve got with both hands? I’m coming in ferociously to take this man’s head off, to beat this man. Yeah, hopefully we both come out there safe and everybody on the card also."
