Knuckles are being laid bare on Saturday for BKFC 34 Hollywood, which sees Palomino vs Shoaff and Ricchi vs Mundell.
MMA odds have Palomino as the firm favorite to win the Lightweight Championship, but there’s always room for an upset in bare-knuckle fighting.
Let’s check the latest Boxing picks, stats, and Boxing predictions. We’ve plenty of Boxing expert picks for you to consider.
Palomino Looking to Remain Unbeaten
Luis Palomino has made his impact in the industry after going 7-0 and the current lightweight champion is expected to retain his title.
The Peruvian has the backing from the sportsbook and we think he will give Tom Shoaff too much to handle. Shoaff is only 4-3, so there are questions about whether he deserves his chance to fight for the title.
However, he has won three on the bounce after beating Bruce Lutchmedial, so he is at the forefront of matchmakers’ minds. Despite Shoaff’s recent winning form, Palomino has better credentials.
He got the better of Elvin Brito at BKFC 26 and having experience in championship fights helps. It’s his fifth title defense, which is an impressive number.
“I’ve repeated that over and over in my head – fifth world title defense, fifth world title defense – but it feels even better to hear someone else say it,” Palomino told Bareknuckle.tv.
“That’s a big deal, and we’re going to do it with a flash, we’re going to do it with a bang, we’re going to do it with a knockout. It’s going to be very memorable.”
We’re not sure if Palomino will end the fight before the final bell, but the class act should be getting his hand raised at the end of the night.
Scoop on Free Play from the Locker Room
Ricchi Riding Momentum
Francesco Ricchi rides a five-fight winning streak when he defends his middleweight championship belt at BKFC 34.
He’s up against David Mundell, who is 5-1 and worthy of his title shot after three consecutive wins. He lost to UFC legend Hector Lombard at BCKF 10, but he rebounded well and he has been making short work of his opposition.
However, Ricchi has yet to taste defeat and his win over Uly Diaz signaled his intentions. He also looked good winning at Knucklemania II against Jake Boswick, so his form checks out.
Betting online markets have Ricchi favored to win and we expect him to get the job done.
The proud Italian thinks one of them will be knocked out.
“I’ve adapted to the American culture, of course, but I still feel very much Italian inside,” the 28-year-old Fort Lauderdale-based fighter said. “Everything that makes our culture great, I still keep that near and dear to my soul every day.
“One of us is getting knocked out. The way we fight, I definitely don’t see this one going the distance.”
We would love to see a knockout and we think it comes from Ricchi. Bettors will get better odds for Ricchi to end the fight early, so include that in selections.
