Exciting times in the B-BAD camp with new owner Joe 'Bbad' Brown taking over the
reigns from Andy Topliffe. Andy has been driving B-BAD forward until recently when he sold the promotion To Joe. I caught up with Joe after he returned from his trip to
America with Aaron 'Popeye' Watts, James Quinn and fighters James
McCrory and Decca Heggie. If you don't know already both our guys won.
B-BAD is the biggest name in Bare Knuckle Boxing at least in this country although other promotions have popped up,
one of particular note in Leicester that I hear good stuff about. A
name is a good start but a name on its own won't carry things through.
So has B-BAD got Badder since Joe took over? Lets find out.
Hi Joe thank you for taking the time to do this interview
Q/ Your background is not from fight promotion. Personally I feel
you being an accountant is a solid base for any promotion although I am
sure some football managers would complain bitterly because the
accountant won't let them buy new players. But why would someone not
already in the business buy a Bare Knuckle promotion?
A/ Yes I agree 100%, I was approached by Andy Topliffe with the view
of buying B-BAD fight events and so I looked into this and I could see a
massive following behind B-BAD and B.K.B. in general within the UK. I am also good pals with David Feldman and Bobby Gunn so could straight away put together a
joint venture that would involve the best of UK going to America for
fights and the other way around. I do run B-BAD as a business since I
took over but that I hope has helped make B-BAD Promotions stronger.
Q/ Did you not consider just starting another promotion of your
own? Gloved boxing or Cage Fighting would have been easier to arrange.
Now anyone reading this thinking they are not easier I am not saying
they are 'easy' but there is a bigger pool of fighters to start with and
many Mixed Martial Arts shows end up incorporating boxing and K1 to help fill the
card.
A/ I did genuinely not think about starting a Bare Knuckle company at
all until Andy approached me. I could see a sleeping giant so grabbed
the opportunity with both hands and I hope to make this company grow
even more.
Q/ Historically B-BAD shows have ended up with maybe a maximum of
four bouts. The Newcastle show mixed things up a bit with gloved boxing
on the card. Do you think this kind of show is the way forward or do you
intend 'when times permit' going back across to full bare knuckle
boxing shows.
A/ Yes the Newcastle show had mixed gloved and bare knuckle that was
purely because the local area had a great amount of gloved boxers so I
thought we should use them as im a massive fan of both gloved and ungloved. Bradford is on 14th Nov and this again will be mixed.
Q/ Since the recent media invasion it has bought about a lot of
interest from the likes of MP's wanting to make a name for themselves
forcing the police to take a look at what is going on. They say there is
no such thing as bad publicity, but the media can be a double edge
sword as they will jump on a band wagon and off at the next new thing.
On the other side of things me ole mate Damo is recording your shows at
the moment we did all of the early B-BAD video and written stuff both
amateurs with may I say a great hobby but how does the enthusiastic
amateur (photographers,websites,video) fit in with B-Bad's plans against
the pros in respect to the future. The pro crews have a more polished
product but the amateurs are unlikely to have 'Lock up your daughters,
bar the windows, get the oil on the boil look what's coming to town' as
their headline.
A/ I have been approached by BBC television on two occasions to do a
documentary about B-BAD, both times I said no as I was not happy with
what they offered in truth, I said they follow the fighters then they
have to pay them for their time not me not 1 pence to me or bbad but the
fighters and both times I was told the BBC don't do that, so I politely
said well you wont be filming then, Damo I spoke to at Newcastle and he
will continue to do all our shows going forward, he is an asset to B-BAD
and I for one am very grateful for what he has done.
Q/ Tell me about your team and their roles and why you enrolled them?
A/ I have a great team behind me, Aaron Watts is my right hand man,
and does not stop he is Mr Organiser to the fullest, we have to many to
mention but we have 12 admin on the fan page that is running at ten thousand followers they again are none stop so I am very grateful for the B-BAD
team, I am very aware without a great team there is no B-BAD full stop.
Q/ I first saw James fight Dave Radford at B-BAD 2 then Decca at
B-BAD 6 and James again at B-BAD 7 when he fought Jason Young. They both seem different since then
not just fight wise but in themselves. James now looks ten years younger
and Decca doesn't seem so intense. Image can be a big part of things
whatever people may think about that. Something as simple as writing in
all CAPITALS on forums etc is considered bad form, although I appreciate
it's also done as an announcement. Have you or Aaron had any thoughts
on image and had input with the guys or thoughts on how shows are
conducted or even as a company especially as things move towards the
main stream?
A/ Yes 100% I have spoken to both in depth about image and what our
plans are going forward, they have both told me they trust in me 100% as
I would never tell them something is happening that isn't, both have
been made crazy promises in the past that was 100% unrealistic to say
the least, but I speak to all the B-BAD fighters from time to time and no
man is bigger than the next its all about the B-BAD team and I hope it
is coming across the fighters and fans are starting to see changes and
loving them
Q/ It is good to see B-BAD moving into the USA but with the event
of Pay Per View won't this leave the hardcore stuck at home unable to
see the fights? Why are the states so important?
A/ Its a case of getting bare knuckle a global and accepted sport, the
pay per view will be screened across the world so any fan can watch
this in full, also many have already booked tickets and are actually
coming to America to watch the fights live, in time it will be a case
that American fighters come to the UK and we fight there... its all
about making the sport mainstream.
Q/ What do the Americans think of UK Bare Knuckle Boxing in general?
The feed back is amazing, I get tons of messages they seem to love
the dedication above all and don't forget B-BAD have been to America
twice this year already and both times won, so we have a 100% record so
that helps.
Q/ Sadly when you stick your head above the wall it will attract
comments. Comments are great but it also attracts the primates of the
internet with nothing to say apart from spouting crap. Gibbons aside,
some people just have non favourable remarks which if put like an adult
they are entitled to. I know you comment on Facebook but with regards to
video do you read them and what do you think about it?
A/ I do and I don't, at first I have to be honest I was bothered by
all the negative comments, then I took a step back and it is always the
same 2-4 people so in truth I now laugh, its a shame when I see somebody
doing something for the good of anything I say to myself "good on them"
I have learned over the past 6 months not all think like me.
Q/ One sentence to sum up the American trip.
A/ History making very important to do then say rather than say and do nothing.
Q/ I believe Andy is still part of B-BAD but has since started
another promotion. Don't you think this is rather a conflict of interest
having a foot in each camp or is there some kind inter promotion
co-operation there. I'm asking this because I was asked by someone who I
hardly know, with the follow up and I quote 'don't you think its a bit
sneaky selling one and starting another one so soon'. Not being a mind
reader I had to tell them how the hell do I know maybe you could tell us
your thoughts about it.
A/ I in truth was surprised and that's the truth but I can only worry
about myself I have no control over anybody else, so I will continue to
do what I do and stick to the plan of making B-BAD mainstream.
Q/ If I was a member of the public who really didn't have a clue
about BKB apart from what I have read in the sun newspaper or the like
what would you tell me the difference was between say B-BAD, and a
travellers fight. I realise they are different from a tear up in
Gillingham High Street on a Saturday night after too many beers and a
kebab but a B-BAD fight is pre arranged and with refs and as such a
travellers fight is although the later is usually over some kind of
dispute I believe. Why should I come and see a B-BAD show?
A/ B-BAD is run 100% safely, we now have our own team of medics for
the fighters and the fans, they follow us around and every single
fighter gets a prefight medical and if not fit wont fight 100% safety
is first and foremost, all fights are fully controlled and matched 100%
to experience and size, age record, the B-BAD shows are genuinely more
like a family gathering and the fans get each other birthday cakes, we
all have a good time.
I have loads more too ask but lets tie things up with two quick question with one sentence answers.
Q. Is bare knuckle boxing going to grow or get sucked into main
stream gloved boxing when the novelty wears off?Sorry that was a shit
way to put it but the most straight forward.
A/ Bare Knuckle I can see going mainstream alone, the momentum is there the passion is there, that is the aim of B-BAD and the team.
Q. Are Bobby Gunn and James Quinn cool now. Some people would like
to see something come of it but personally I think it would do the sport
no favours the press would love it and use it as a stick to beat the
shit out of bare knuckle boxing.
A/ Bobby and James are cool, it was nothing and all made up now in front of my eyes.
Well there you have it thank you very much for your time, B-BAD
looks as it is in very good hands and I look forward to it's and B.K.B.'s
continuing rise. I'm sure there's a lot more to come.
Thank you Jon I really enjoyed answering the questions and hope the
fans will come out in force and support this great sport that belongs
to everybody.
If you want a good read you can get Nick Towles book about Dave Radford by clicking here
Q/ Your background is not from fight promotion. Personally I feel
you being an accountant is a solid base for any promotion although I am
sure some football managers would complain bitterly because the
accountant won't let them buy new players. But why would someone not
already in the business buy a Bare Knuckle promotion?
Q/ Since the recent media invasion it has bought about a lot of
interest from the likes of MP's wanting to make a name for themselves
forcing the police to take a look at what is going on. They say there is
no such thing as bad publicity, but the media can be a double edge
sword as they will jump on a band wagon and off at the next new thing.
On the other side of things me ole mate Damo is recording your shows at
the moment we did all of the early B-BAD video and written stuff both
amateurs with may I say a great hobby but how does the enthusiastic
amateur (photographers,websites,video) fit in with B-Bad's plans against
the pros in respect to the future. The pro crews have a more polished
product but the amateurs are unlikely to have 'Lock up your daughters,
bar the windows, get the oil on the boil look what's coming to town' as
their headline.
Q/ I first saw 
Q/ One sentence to sum up the American trip.