Controversial bare-knuckle boxing championship blocked from hosting first Australian event

A bare-knuckle boxing event described as a “blood sport” has been canned following backlash from political leaders and health authorities.

In a decision handed down on Thursday, Western Australia’s Combat Sports Commission blocked the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship’s application to hold an event at Perth’s RAC Arena in July.

“The board was not satisfied the event met the required criteria,” a spokesperson said.

Tickets to the Australian-first event - including $6000 ‘Notorious Access’ packages featuring a meet and greet with celebrity fighter Conor McGregor - had already been on sale before it was rejected by the commission’s board.

The event’s promotion had sparked a political brawl, with medical professionals raising serious concerns about the health and safety of fighters and the message the event sent to the community.

The downsides of the sport were “so obvious they barely needed repeating”, Australian Medical Association WA branch president Michael Page said in a statement before the commission’s decision.

“We are in the grip of a domestic violence crisis and an epidemic of drug- and alcohol-fuelled street violence,” Dr Page said.

“Turning the act of bare-knuckle fighting into a ‘sport’ sets an incredibly bad example for children and adults alike.

“The physical health of the fighters involved is also of concern.”

Dr Page described the event as “blood sport”, while state opposition spokesperson Peter Rundle labelled it “state-sanctioned violence”.

WA Sports Minister Rita Saffioti told reporters Perth had hosted dozens of combat sports events, with fans having flocked to UFC mixed martial arts bouts.

“It’s very hard to differentiate this type of event, compared to mixed martial arts and UFC,” she said prior to the decision.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had expressed concern about the event.

“I think one of the things that might be relevant here is the concern that’s there about concussion in general,” he told Perth radio 6PR on Tuesday.

“It’s not really my responsibility as PM, but I do think that we need to be really cognisant about health advice when it comes to these issues because they are really prevalent.”

In 2021, fighter Justin Thornton reportedly died weeks after he suffered an injury following a knockout at a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship event in the United States.

The Perth event had been scheduled to take place at RAC Arena on July 19.