Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) Welterweight sluggers Mike Perry vs. Jeremy Stephens will throw down TONIGHT (Sat., Oct. 4, 2025) inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
“The King of Violence” title is on the line in “The Garden State!” What is a “King of Violence” belt? It’s sort of the BKFC equivalent of a BMF belt, adding some prestige to a match up deemed too-high profile to not have a belt involved somehow. That said, Perry is a deserving champion. He’s really found a home in the BKFC promotion, and the iron-chinned pugilist absolutely thrives in their gritty environment. Stephens is a natural fit for bare knuckle boxing as well. “Lil Heathen” has been scrapping it out for more than 2o years, and he still seems to have a surprising amount left in the tank. Allegedly, the victor of this fight could fight Conor McGregor somewhere down the line, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on that detail.
Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:
DES MOINES, IOWA – MAY 03: Jeremy Stephens looks for an opening to move forward against Mason Jones of Wales during UFC Fight Night at Wells Fargo Arena on May 03, 2025 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Randy Thomas/Getty Images) Getty Images
Perry vs. Stephens Betting Odds
Mike Perry victory: -330Jeremy Stephens victory: +250Odds via BetOnline.ag
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 10: (R-L) Mike Perry punches Daniel Rodriguez in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on April 10, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Perry has a cinderblock for a chin and two bricks for fists. He also seems to have a definite appetite for the blood and carnage that bare knuckle boxing provides in a way that most opponents simply cannot match. He’s got a few tricks, but I would never paint Perry as a technical boxer — he just thrives in chaos.
The key to this fight is imposing his physicality on Stephens. There’s no doubt that Stephens hits hard enough to hurt Perry, but we’re talking about a career Welterweight versus a man who spent quite a few years at 145-pounds. The size difference isn’t going to be drastic on its own, but Perry is the younger man too. He’s going to have a considerable edge in a one-to-one exchange of punches if it comes down to that.
Generally, I would like to see Perry trying to draw out the right hand of Stephens. In the cage, Stephens was able to use low kicks as his range finder and still over-swung his right hand all the time. Without that weapon, Stephens doesn’t have much in the way of a distance tool and is even more likely to miss big on huge home run swings.
If Perry touches a jab, pulls back, and then unloads, he probably finds the target.
DES MOINES, IOWA – MAY 03: Jeremy Stephens waits backstage during the UFC Fight Night event at Wells Fargo Arena on May 03, 2025 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC)
Stephens is a hard-nosed slugger perfectly built for BKFC. 3-0 in his new sport with stoppage wins over more “skilled” boxers in Eddie Alvarez and Jimmie Rivera, Stephens is yet another example of how the best BKFC boxers are the ones who really don’t mind getting punched in the face sans gloves.
On paper, this is a something of a mirror match. Both men love blood and haymakers, and they’re comfortable in any kind of brawl. The big difference that stands out on paper is Perry’s aforementioned size and youth advantages, and it’s up to Stephens to overcome those deficits. Fortunately, there’s definite opportunity to crack Perry, who is far from a defensive master.
Stephens has to approach this fight more like a boxer than a brawler. Perry’s stance is horrible from a boxing perspective, square and upright. It’s why he’s so hittable. If Stephens can bend his knees a bit and hide behind his lead shoulder, he’s going to really improve his odds during those pocket exchanges. Stinging Perry early would be huge, as Stephens has to earn his opponent’s respect and prevent the bigger man from bullying him into the ropes.
TAMPA, FLORIDA – JULY 20: Mike Perry reacts prior to their cruiserweight fight against Jake Paul at Amalie Arena on July 20, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) Getty Images
Perry vs. Stephens Prediction
This is a chaotic match up in a chaotic sport. Either man could spark or split open the other in the first exchange — that’s just the nature of this game. However, all the important factors seem to line up on the size of Perry. He’s bigger, hits harder, and has been stopped by strikes fewer times. In a fight that seems likely to be “trade punches until somebody falls down,” why wouldn’t you side with the combatant still in his prime?
Prediction: Perry via knockout