Julian Fernandez is heading into BKB 59 expecting a hard fight, and the Tijuana champion says he has prepared accordingly for Dan “Big Pod” Podmore. Fernandez will defend his BKB Super Cruiserweight World Championship in the main event of the promotion’s first card in Mexico on September 19.
Fernandez has a simple message before his homecoming title defense: he is ready for war. The undefeated Mexican bare-knuckle fighter knows Podmore brings a résumé that demands attention, so he has been studying the former three-division BKB champion ahead of their meeting at Auditorio Municipal de Tijuana.
Julian Fernandez Readies for BKB 59
“I’ve been doing my homework,” Fernandez said of his preparation for Podmore, a veteran who has collected titles across multiple BKB weight classes. The champion is not treating the matchup like a routine first defense, especially with the stakes attached to BKB‘s debut in Mexico.
Fernandez, known as “Pit Bull Jr.,” will have the hometown backing when he walks out in Tijuana, Baja California. Still, the 32-year-old is preparing for a fight that could become physical early. His own BKB results leave little doubt about his intent: Fernandez owns a 3-0 bare-knuckle record, with all three wins ending by stoppage, while his fight with Yordan Fuentes was ruled a first-round no contest.
Fernandez won the super cruiserweight belt with a first-round TKO of Alex Wilson at BKB 52 in March. That performance added another early finish to his record and put the title around his waist less than a year after his BKB run began. BKB lists his victories over Kevin Greenwood and Lino Sanchez Orozco as stoppages as well, with the Orozco win ending in the second round.
Podmore enters as the more experienced bare-knuckle titleholder. The British fighter is listed at 9-4 and has held BKB championships in three divisions, giving Fernandez a challenger with experience in big-fight situations. It is a different test from Wilson, who Fernandez stopped before the opening round reached its conclusion.
BKB 59 is scheduled for Saturday, September 19, at Auditorio Municipal de Tijuana. The event represents BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing’s first show in Mexico and comes through its partnership with Zanfer Promotions, one of Latin America’s established boxing promoters.
The card will feature two world title fights. Fernandez vs. Podmore headlines the show, while Cecy Ulloa faces Andy Nguyen for the vacant BKB Super Flyweight World Championship in the co-main event. Ulloa is listed at 2-1, while Nguyen enters at 1-1.