Austin Trout is quietly no longer the BKFC welterweight champion, with a vacant title clash already booked, and one of Trout's teammates at Main Street Boxing has some insights into this situation. Appearing on Bare Knuckle Bowker, Ike Villanueva discussed multiple topics ahead of his eventual first-round TKO victory over Eric Olsen at BKB 42: Music City Brawl on June 21st.
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has announced a vacant welterweight title fight between Gorjan Slaveski and Julian Lane for BKFC Sturgis in August, which has left some fans wanting answers. When Trout's teammate and former BKB champion was questioned about the situation with BKFC's welterweight strap, Villanueva said,
"Yeah, I think Austin; don't let me fool you, I think Austin got a little hand injury. But I do believe he wants to go down in weight. So we'll see what happens. I know he wants to go down. He's been fighting big, but Austin's one of the best. For the guys in BKFC, man, there's nobody that can touch him on the boxing standpoint. You see what he does. He's one of the greatest southpaw defense, and in that big ring, he's gonna make you look stupid. I mean the guy's legit, man. Austin Trout, 'No Doubt' Trout, man, he's the real deal."
"I'm glad to call him my friend, teammate, and he's doing great things for BKFC. You'll hear something real soon coming from him. But like I said, I think he's dealing with a little hand injury, and he'll bounce back, man. Like I said, he [will be] the double champ. That interim title don't mean nothing. Interim champion means temporary champion."
Villanueva continued, "Once you get the real champ under that name, then it's something serious. But there's nothing to be worried about... I believe that's the goal he wants to go to [BKFC double champ], and like I said, I'll let him make that official. But the birds that are chirping, that's what we're hearing."
Austin Trout and his bare-knuckle boxing speed run
Austin Trout came into the world of gloveless combat with a decorated boxing resume and has taken over the world of BKFC in lightning quick fashion. After a victory via fourth-round doctor stoppage over former UFC title challenger and TUF season one champion Diego Sanchez, Trout was off to the races.
His sophomore bout in bare-knuckle boxing saw him defeat then number-one pound-for-pound ranked BKFC fighter Luis Palomino to claim the welterweight belt at BKFC 57. Trout has since gone on to notch masterclass title defenses against Rico Franco and Carlos Trinidad-Snake at BKFC on DAZN 1 and BKFC 71, respectively.