Who Won The Weekend: Bare Knuckle Edition

Heading into the Cinco de Mayo boxing weekend, the NYFights team can't officially say goodbye to the final boxing weekend in April without weighing in on Who Won The Weekend. This week, the candidates vying for honors including a wild Bare Knuckle event and a Golden Boy Boxing regional card with crowd-pleasing action fights and plenty of time to hit the town after the card.

Take it away, team.

Where There's Bare Knuckle, There's – Conor McGregor?

Marquis Johns, writer: “Without question, BKFC won the weekend with all eyes of the combat sports world. It felt like a UFC Class reunion cause… it was. Still, wherever Conor McGregor goes, people usually follow.”

Wherever he goes, Conor McGregor draws a crowd, including the Bareknuckle Fighting Championship 41 event on Saturday in Denver. Photo: BKFC

Jeopardy Answer: Who Is Victor Morales

Lucas Ketelle, writer: “For me, Victor Morales Jr. Got a big win over a famous fighter, and despite being a great amateur, has been largely unknown for most of his career.”

Victor Morales Jr. of Vancouver, Washington emerged as an unlikely action start Saturday. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

Michael Woods, editor-in-chief/founder: “Victor Morales won the weekend. My criteria are this: I want to see him again more than anyone I watched on the Zepeda vs Arboleda card.

The aggression on display, the intensity of his will to win against Diego De La Hoya came through loud.

Love me an upset. And Morales is added to my Watch List.”

Ryan O'Hara, writer: “Winner: Victor Morales won the weekend with his second-round destruction of Diego De La Hoya. Let's be honest, though. De La Hoya is a part-time fighter. The guy didn't fight at all in 2020 or 2021, and serious guys don't do that, especially when they're still developing. However, I'm excited to see how Morales goes and how he follows up. I'm proud of him for not carrying Diego and just taking him out. That's how you should always handle a fighter who isn't at your level, and he exemplified that.”

STATEMENT MADE by Victor Morales, Jr. 🔥🔥#ZepedaArboleda pic.twitter.com/7DehUNd70u

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) April 30, 2023

El Cameron Comes Through

William Zepeda put on a body punching clinic at the expense of Jaime Arboleda Saturday in Texas. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

Colin Morrison, UK Bureau Chief: “William Zepeda. On the Saturday following a week where the lightweight division had been in the spotlight, Zepeda put his name on the frame for big fights with an emphatic victory. The Mexican southpaw has an eye-catching record and a different style from most of the other top lightweights on the scene at the moment. He should get the opportunity to test himself against the division's best before too long.”

Gayle Falkenthal, West Coast Bureau Chief: “Ever since I first saw William Zepeda ringside when he blew out the then-undefeated Hector Tanajara, I've been impressed. El Cameron's style is easy to enjoy. He gets right down to business and outworks every opponent put in front of him. Golden Boy's got a winner here. In a red-hot division, Zepeda can carry the banner for the significant Mexican and Mexican-American fan base. Let's hope he gets an opponent who offers him more of a test before the year is out. ”

Down Goes Arboleda…for the second and third time…
with knock down #3 causing the most damage.
Arboleda does not get up from this one.#ZepedaArboleda | LIVE on DAZN pic.twitter.com/9unwaxRwAx

— Golden Boy (@GoldenBoyBoxing) April 30, 2023

Where there are winners, there are also losers. Ryan O'Hara offers up a pair.

Loser: Mike Alvarado: “It's time to hang them up. I hear he has become more of a training figure at his Aurora, Colorado gym, and I think he should focus on that and build up some solid fighters. Religion is a big part of his life now, and he seems that he's in a better place than he was during his heyday. I don't think his story is over yet. He can do a lot of good for some of these kids.”

Bill Hutchinson pulled his weight and showed up at Saturday's press conference, blasting Adrien Broner for his disrespect toward the media and the event. Photo: Gayle Falkenthal, NY Fights

Adrien Broner: “Not a whole lot to say here. He didn't show up to his presser which angered a lot of people, including close friends and the media. All good with me, A.B. The breakfast was pretty yummy besides those eggs. My goodness were those nasty. Jokes aside, we haven't seen Broner in this good a shape in eight years. He can do this, but he has to want this for himself. If he doesn't, it's a lost cause. Enough with the Instagram essays.”