Kai Stewart Defends BKFC Title Against Bryan Duran Aboard Cruise
In their June 2024 meeting, Stewart landed 127 punches to Duran’s 91, scored a fourth-round knockdown and won every scorecard; Duran has since compiled three wins and a draw.
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has announced an initial seven-bout card for its BKFSea Bruise Cruise, with featherweight champion Kai Stewart defending his title against Bryan Duran on January 23, 2027. The event will take place aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jewel during a three-day Atlantic voyage. The fight-card announcement did not include a statement from Norwegian Cruise Line.
The cruise has been in development for nearly a year. Its headline bout pairs the promotion’s No. 2-ranked pound-for-pound fighter with its second-ranked featherweight contender, whose only defeat came against the defending champion.
Championship rematch leads the program
Stewart enters with a 10-0 record after securing his fifth successful title defense in August, when he defeated Harry Gigliotti by unanimous decision at Fenway Park. Duran improved to 9-1-1 in September with a decision victory over Felony Charles Bennett.
Their first meeting took place on June 21, 2024, during Stewart’s second title defense. The champion landed 127 punches to Duran’s 91, scored a fourth-round knockdown and won on every scorecard. The challenger has since compiled three wins and a draw.
The scheduled co-main event matches British welterweight George Thorpe, whose record stands at 3-1-1, against Australia’s Josh Kuhne, who is unbeaten in two appearances.
Thorpe comes off an upset victory over previously undefeated Leigh Cohoon. Kuhne made his bare-knuckle debut in April and competed at both of BKFC’s first two Australian events, winning each fight by knockout in less than a minute.
Undercard includes Rivera’s return
Featherweight Nathan Rivera will face Brandon Meneses as he seeks to recover from a loss to Tray Martin at BKFC Nashville. Rivera brings a 5-1 record to the contest, while Meneses is 3-2-1.
Four other matchups complete the announced program:
- Julio Perez (4-2) against Gabriel Mota (2-3), ironweight.
- Joey Gambino (2-0) against Matt Denning (1-1), featherweight.
- Stephen Townsel (6-6) against Brady Mesiter (3-3), ironweight.
- Gustavo Balart (1-0) against Justyn Martinez (2-6), flyweight.
The lineup remains subject to adjustments before departure. Lightweight Cole Ferrell was among the first six fighters announced for the sailing, but he has not yet been assigned a matchup.
