Marko Martinjak contends for the Police Gazette cruiserweight world diamond belt in a rematch against Jarome Hatch at BYB 18 on June 25th.
This huge cross-promotional event between BYB Extreme and BKB emanates from Indigo at The O2 Arena in London, England, and broadcasts in North America on BeIN Sports.
Martinjak spoke to Dylan Bowker of Bare Knuckle News before this US versus UK showdown Excerpts from the chat are below.
Marko Martinjak
Were you expecting to get the immediate rematch versus Hatch after your initial historic fight in Dubai?
“Well listen, fight went like it went. I dropped him two times down and I felt cocky. I lower my guard and he caught me, you know. After the fight when they were stitching my ear, I talked to Jim (Freeman) from BKB. To him and I tell him listen, tell Mike (Vazquez) I want a rematch. I want the rematch in June because I know I’m a better fighter than him, you know. He caught me two times. Two times was enough to knock me out.”
“But personally everybody who saw the fight who were not fans of Jarome. The guys who are neutral, said I was better fighter and I should get the rematch. I get the rematch because of this. Some of the guys; listen it was a hairy knockout, you know. It was the first time somebody knock me out like that. Because I have over four hundred fights in boxing, amateur boxing, kickboxing, and stuff like that.”
Marko Martinjak continued, “Somebody would rest like six months no sparring sessions, no nothing. But not me, my head is crazy. I said to them if they want, I want to fight the next day. I have no problem with that.”
BYB vs BKB
As someone who fought on the first ever BKB event, how does it feel to be a part of this Ryder Cup-style BYB vs BKB card?
“Listen, from the first day I was fighting for them and fighting some like; It was a low class person. No offense to BKB but you have to start with something. But every show they have now is O2 Arena. So I don’t know any promotion in the world that gets five-six times a year this kind of arena. I’m very glad because I love BKB, I like to fight. I love bare knuckle and I’m really happy because I’m on the team of Team Europe and that is it.”
BYB 18
You’ve never once gone the distance in a bare-knuckle boxing bout. Does that trend continue on June 25th?
“Listen, in my fighting career, too many fights were robbed by the judges, you know. Like in professional boxing, I fought in Italy and I won against a guy but he won against me. Obviously I won and they gave him the win. I don’t like that, so I never leave stuff to judges and I always go for the win. Listen but this time I’m gonna out-box. I’m not gonna get into brawling with him. Gonna box him and I’m not going to talk pushing something. I will let him hit the floor.”
Jarome Hatch vs Marko Martinjak II
There are several titles tied up in this fight. Can you speak to your championship status in BKB and the rich Police Gazette prize on the line here?
“Listen, I am already the BKB super middleweight champion and the Police Gazette super middleweight champion of the world. So like BYB and BKB have some similarities with the weights. But they call it cruiserweight, we call middleweight. So I think it’ll be the best that the orgnizations have. Same weights you know. So there is no confusion with that. Listen, every fight I fight is for a title.”
“I have like nine fights in bare knuckle, first fight was for the belt. Third fight was for the belt and every fight from then I was defending my cruiserweight belt. Then I won in December super middleweight, two belts. So yeah, I like belt so (laughs). Everybody likes belts.”
