Bare-knuckle boxing royalty returns to the ring on November 14th as BKB bridgerweight champion Marko Martinjak puts his undefeated finishing record on the line against domestic challenger Matty Askin at BKB 61 in London.
The Croatian titleholder enters the marquee showdown carrying a reputation not just for raw power, but for a calculated, highly analytical approach inside the BKB Trigon. Boasting a flawless one hundred percent finishing rate in gloveless combat, Martinjak has consistently managed to pair devastating punching power with a sharp fight IQ, ensuring he never compromises his defensive responsibilities or tactical discipline in his relentless pursuit of a knockout.
Speaking with Bare Knuckle Bowker ahead of his latest defense, Martinjak opened up about the logistical hurdles, physical preparations, and mental resilience that have defined his latest training camp.
“Yeah, fight IQ and I always come very good prepared with my goal in my training camp,” Martinjak said. “I was training for this fight for months because I was supposed to fight in Mexico then Newcastle. So we were going always upside down with form. But when they said that I fight the 14th November London, we stopped. We planned a new camp and I can say thank you for my coaches. I think that I’m in the best shape of my life right now with physical conditioning and in mental.”
The champion admitted to battling a minor cold leading up to fight week—an occupational hazard he has grown accustomed to managing—alongside some personal hurdles that have since been successfully resolved. With those distractions firmly in the rear-view mirror, his focus is entirely locked on stepping through the ropes in London.
“I have a little cold, so I talk through nose. Don’t worry about that, but that is always with me like two-three weeks before fight I got cold or something. I had also some private problems in my personal life couple months ago, but there it is, now it’s fixed. I’m only concentrated on that fight and believe me I can’t wait for that fight,” he shared.
Askin steps into the ring with a notable traditional boxing pedigree, but Martinjak remains entirely unfazed by his opponent’s background in the gloved sport. Drawing a clear line between boxing and bare-knuckle competition, the champion believes that traditional ring experience does not automatically translate to the unique demands of the Trigon.
“My hands are itching and everybody or his fans are underestimating me because of his boxing pedigree, but I think, like I said, his pedigree doesn’t have nothing with bare knuckle. This is completely another sport. It’s a completely another league, and I’m the best one there is to win. So I’m coming for that head always,” Martinjak stated.
Looking past Askin is a dangerous prospect in combat sports, but looking ahead is a natural byproduct of championship dominance. With Cody East positioned as a prospective challenger down the line, Martinjak maintains a measured perspective on his career trajectory while keeping his ultimate long-term ambitions clear.
“Yes, that is the plan. But I never go so much in the future. I said have step by step and that’s it. First Matty Askin then we’re going to see who is next. But if Gustavo can come to Europe—because of my personal stuff, they took my ESTA. I can’t go to America. If he can come to England, I would like to fight him for the heavyweight title,” Martinjak explained.
As a five-weight champion in BKB, the man known as ‘MMM’ is already an established legend of the sport. However, the prospect of cementing an unprecedented legacy by claiming a sixth weight division title through a pound-for-pound super-fight against Police Gazette diamond belt heavyweight titleholder Gustavo Trujillo is an idea that clearly excites both the fighter and the global fan base.
“I think this is the match everybody waiting for that happen. So I hope so, sometimes maybe next year in the future that we’re going to realize that and after defending my titles, I’m going to beat the Gustavo and be a six weight world champion,” Martinjak quipped.
Discussing recent promotional trends and the challenges faced by fighters stepping into short-notice bouts—drawing parallels between matchups like Julian Fernandez versus Dan Podmore and Mick Terrill versus Gustavo Trujillo—Martinjak offered a candid assessment of what proper preparation means at the elite level.
“Yeah, I think that Mick was out of the shape. So if he had it better, if he had a full camp, I think that fight would go maybe the distance and it would then be a great fight. Not like this. I think Mick didn’t have a full training camp and he was coming to commentary on the fight and a shame. I think that fight comes too soon,” he noted.
BKB Emperor Discusses Cub Hawkins’ Loss, Marko Martinjak Also Predicts Lee Selby BKB 61 Headliner
Beyond his own division, Martinjak keeps a close eye on the broader landscape of bare-knuckle fighting, including recent upsets in international divisions. Reflecting on pound-for-pound standout Cub Hawkins’ recent defeat against Rowdy Montgomery after dropping down to middleweight for the first time, Martinjak offered an analytical breakdown of the physical toll of extreme weight management.
“Yeah, I also think that it is the very big upset, but listen, I think that cutting weight was very bad for him. I don’t know what was happening in his head, but when you drain yourself, body, you lose a lot of energy. You lose a lot of water. You lose a lot of water and the most important part when you going down with weight you also lose water in the brain. So because of that you can be easily more knocked out, but I think that Cub is going to come back stronger. He’s a young guy. I have big respect for him. He always have big respect for me and I can’t wait to see him fight again,” Martinjak said.
Champions are frequently defined not by their periods of unchallenged dominance, but by how they internalize and respond to adversity. For Martinjak, a sobering experience years ago completely altered his competitive philosophy and psychological approach to the sport.
“The Jarome fight, first our fight changed my whole perspective of everything. Of mental, of conditioning in the body. So I underestimated the guy and from that fight from Dubai, it was like three and a half years ago, I learned a lot of things about me. That I never have to underestimate nobody but also not overrated somebody. So we are all men from flesh and blood. I mean, one punch can in this particular part of sport, one punch can change all, but, I tell you, nobody’s going to beat me, nobody going to take my belt,” he reflected.
While Martinjak’s bridgerweight defense anchors the card, BKB 61 also features a high-profile London headliner between former IBF featherweight champion Lee Selby and Ollie Sentance. Weighing in on the main event, Martinjak acknowledged Selby’s decorated boxing credentials while admitting unfamiliarity with Sentance’s body of work.
“Listen, I didn’t watch the first fight. I think maybe I am from Ollie, but listen, he was IBF featherweight champion and they call him lightning and the Welsh Mayweather. So he have to be good and I can’t remember all his fights. So Ollie don’t hate me because of that. But we’re going to see. We’re going to see everything on 14th of November. I saw that [Aaron] McCallum told that he think that Ollie is going to beat Lee. I really don’t know. I can’t say nothing about that because I can’t remember that I watched Ollie and I saw Lee’s fight, first fight. But I can’t remember that I watched Ollie. So, best of luck to the both of them,” Martinjak said.
As he prepares to walk into hostile territory against an English hometown fighter, Martinjak’s tactical mandate remains crystal clear. With his unblemished finishing record on the line in the BKB Trigon, leaving the outcome in the hands of the judges is simply not a risk worth taking.
“Listen, I’m a foreign fighter in England. He is the home domestic fighter. So, you can’t leave nothing to the judges. I always go for KO. I always go for finish because if you fight six rounds in bare knuckle, you will look like a mix of Leatherface, Jason, and Freddy Krueger after fight. I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to look like that. So the best thing in bare knuckle, if you can choose, is to be better knocked out heavily than going six rounds and taking the punches. But for me, it’s always knockout and I always wait for knockout. First, second round, I don’t give a f**k,” he concluded.
