Jake Bostwick and Erick Lozano clash in the co-main event of BKFC 45 on June 23rd.
The fistic fireworks broadcast on Fite TV as well as the Bare Knuckle TV app. The pugilistic proceedings emanate from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Bostwick spoke to Dylan Bowker of Bare Knuckle News before the bout. Excerpts from the chat are below.
Jake Bostwick
What were the initial thoughts when this Lozano bout offer came your way?
“Honestly, yeah I was like, you know, he’s got power obviously. He’s still game, he’s still a very tough opponent. Even though the weight class is still ten pounds up, I still feel with my ability and my skillset, I’ll be able to take Lozano out. So I was quite pumped about it. I thought it was an exciting one. I’m ready for the test. Yeah, ready to clash with him, for sure.”
BKFC
You and Lozano last fought at BKFC 38 and had exemplary showings versus your respective opponents. What were your main takeaways from your own fight vs Isaac Doolittle and from Lozano’s KO versus Francesco Ricchi?
“I wasn’t too sure on the scorecards how that was going. I was ready to go for the sixth round. Thought we were good to go and then when he said nah, the fight is over I was like oh maybe I pinched it. I still feel I did more in that fight with Doolittle, you know? Even with the knockdown I still feel I was the aggressor, I landed more shots, or whatever. I don’t know. It was tricky one to really like say. So yeah, after I got given the draw, I just had to take it on the chin.”
“Accept it for what it was and just yeah, just saw it as another five rounds of knowledge I’ve picked up, trying new things out. You can watch my fights back to back and see how much I’ve evolved; changing and adapting. So it’s good even watching back on that fight, studying myself and like things I didn’t like what I was doing. So that I’m happy with.”
BKFC 45
Bostwick continued, “At the end of the day, man, like I’m never in a boring fight, brother. I’ve had forty professional fights. Actual contracted fights, I believe about forty. MMA fights and then boxing, kickboxing, thai boxing. I’ve never heard the word boo, bro. Like I’ve never heard the word boo. I’m never ever boring. I’m always going out on my shield. Always trying to be explosive, trying to look good. Everyone’s always excited when I’m fighting.”
“So again, I’m super pumped to be able to co-main event again and be able to hopefully display some good skills and put on an absolute show yet again (laughs)… Honestly yeah, I was shocked. I was like damn, I couldn’t believe it. Not that I couldn’t believe it but like especially for something to happen like that so fast on in the fight. (Francesco) Ricchi was like just sort of finding himself in there and got clipped. So it’s tough to see the fight end that way because Ricchi is actually a really good dude.”
“Although I’ve even fought him and lost to Ricchi on a decision, I had a really good fight against Ricchi. So the fact that that happened it’s like I feel like me getting a win over Erick eliminates, I feel, that loss for me when I did fight him in a weird way. So yeah, I was shocked, bro.”
“One minute in, it sucks but this is the fight game and this is bare knuckle. Bare knuckle’s dangerous, mate, and it’s not to be played with. It takes nothing to get damaged, to cut you, knock you out whatever. So this game is dangerous for anybody that does step into it anyway. Crazy but fun.”
Jake Bostwick vs Erick Lozano
Do you have a predominant visualization for how this Lozano fight ends?
“I’m looking for that stoppage, mate. I’m definitely looking for that stoppage but obviously so is he. So I put my mind where I need to put it which is like; for me, when it comes to the visualization and like the flow state yeah, I do. I think about the fight and so forth. Think about what I want to deliver, what I might catch him with. But sometimes it doesn’t always work out that way. So when it doesn’t work out that way, I don’t know. I don’t feel, I don’t know. I like to turn up because I’ll think about the fight on the fight day.”
“I’m thinking about the fight now but I’m not stressing about it. Not thinking about it like whatever. I’m really like whatever. But when it comes to the weigh-ins, actually making weight, and seeing my opponent, and that night and so forth, then I start getting excited about it. I’m excited to perform because I want to go in and do my performance. I know how and what I want to do to stop him. So it’s just like when that happens I don’t know but I just like legit just deal with it there and then.”
Jake Bostwick continued, “I have no control over what’s really gonna happen other than me showing up to do my thing. That’s it. I don’t care about a crowd, don’t care about the cameras, the spotlight, whatever. I’ll have fun with all that but as soon as it’s like knuckle up, I’ve got to just do what I’ve got to do and that is it.”
