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David Tetreault is betting BKB 59 can turn Mexico’s deep boxing culture into a launchpad for bare-knuckle boxing. The BKB CEO says the move is about meeting an audience already built around combat sports, with Tijuana serving as the first stop in a long-term plan rather than a one-night visit.

BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing makes its Mexico debut this Saturday, September 19, with BKB 59 at Auditorio Municipal de Tijuana. The show represents the promotion’s first event outside the United States and United Kingdom, and it begins a multi-event partnership with Zanfer Boxing, the Mexican promotional company led by Fernando Beltran.

BKB CEO David Tetreault Explains Why Mexico Is Next For Bare-Knuckle Boxing

Tetreault laid out the thinking during a Sportico interview, saying Mexico was the right next market because boxing is woven into everyday culture there. “In Mexico, boxing is part of the fiber and fabric of its people. We’re just boxing with bare knuckles,” he said.

His point is straightforward: BKB does not have to introduce fans to striking, rivalry or championship stakes. It has to offer a familiar sport in a format that moves faster and carries a different kind of risk.

The CEO has described the Tijuana event as BKB “planting our flag in Mexico,” while the Zanfer agreement gives the company a local partner with a long history in traditional boxing. The partnership was announced July 1 and is designed to support future live events, sponsorships and media distribution in the region.

BKB’s decision comes as it tries to convert digital attention into attendance and television audiences. The company has recently pushed its content on TikTok, while adding recognizable boxing names to its roster, including Paulie Malignaggi, Victor Ortiz, Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr., Alfredo Angulo, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Lee Selby. Mexico presents a natural test because the fan base already follows fighters and title fights closely.

Tetreault said Mexican fans, like those in the U.K. and U.S., grow up around the sport and actively seek it out. Rather than launching in Mexico City first, BKB chose a border city with an established fight culture and practical links to the U.S. market. Tijuana also gives BKB a hometown centerpiece.

Julian “El Guerrero Mexicano” Fernandez, a 32-year-old Tijuana fighter, will defend his BKB super cruiserweight world title against Dan “Big Pod” Podmore. Fernandez enters 3-0 in bare-knuckle competition, with each of those wins ending before the final bell. Podmore is 9-4 and has previously held BKB championships in three weight classes. That pairing gives the promotion a clear local hook while putting its champion in with an experienced former titleholder. For a first event in a new country, the formula is simple: a local titleholder, an established challenger and a belt on the line.

The co-main event adds another Mexico-focused title opportunity, as Cecy Ulloa faces Andy “The CrAsian” Nguyen for the vacant BKB super flyweight championship. Ulloa is 2-1, while Nguyen enters at 1-1. BKB later confirmed a 12-fight lineup, featuring seven main-card bouts and five fights set for TikTok Live.

The main card includes Mexican fighters across the weight classes: Romario Ovalle vs. Marco Chino Villa at super middleweight; Pablo Felipe Anguiano vs. Ricardo Ramses Rueda at cruiserweight; Adrian Gonzalez vs. Javier Santiago Valverde and Felipe Abraham Huerta vs. Erick Eduardo Soria at lightweight; and Jonathan Duran vs. Kevin Millan Sanchez at heavyweight.

Tetreault said Tijuana is only the starting point. He cited the city’s fight history and Mexican icons including Julio Cesar Chavez when explaining the choice, with Mexico City among the markets BKB is considering for 2027.