Charles Rosa didn’t think he’d ever get the chance to compete at Fenway Park.

Rosa is from Boston and grew up down the road from Fenway Park, attending Boston Red Sox games. When he got into combat sports, fighting at TD Garden in Boston was the pinnacle, which he was able to do in the UFC, and he holds the most all-time wins at TD Garden.

Yet, when Rosa heard BKFC was going to host an event in Fenway Park, he knew he had to be part of it and was glad BKFC offered him a one-fight deal to be on the card.

“I’m a prizefighter; I like to fight for the biggest opportunities, the biggest opportunities,” Rosa said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I had a great time, 10 years in the UFC, fought the best of the best. I was able to win some world titles after leaving the UFC. But now, it’s what gets me excited. A big bare-knuckle tournament came up in Gamebred’s promotion, with $500,000 in prize money. Now, I get to fight for BKFC. They have been ringing my name for a while, and in my head, this is as real as it gets. … This is a big fight, a big card, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Rosa expects to have nearly a hundred people, just family and friends, in attendance when he faces Charon Spain at BKFC 92 on Saturday. However, for Rosa, the opponent didn’t matter as all he cared about was fighting at Fenway.

“It’s such an iconic venue. It’s hard at this point in my career to get me excited about something,” Rosa said. “I’ve been around the world, from Tokyo to Las Vegas to the O2 Arena in London to the TD Garden, where I have the most all-time wins. You got the wheels turning and got me excited, and I’m excited to make a statement at Fenway. I grew up down the street from Fenway; it’s a dream come true.”

Charles Rosa expects to score a KO win at BKFC 92

Although Charles Rosa was known for his grappling in the UFC, he said his striking has gotten much better over the year.

In his last MMA fight, he got a KO on the feet, and Rosa is gunning for another highlight-reel KO at Fenway Park.

“When you take gloves off, all it takes is one punch. He’s game, he comes to fight, and I’m going to be ready for him. … I defended my last world title with one of the best knockouts of my career. I’m going to go out there and knock this kid out. I’m trying to knock this guy out, and I’m confident I will get it,” Rosa added.

If Rosa gets the win, he isn’t sure what is next, as he only signed a one-fight deal with BKFC. But he believes a win at Fenway Park will be the biggest milestone of his career.

“I think it’s the tip of the iceberg,” Rosa concluded.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM