Luis Palomino is coming off a loss, but there’s no question in his mind he’s still the GOAT.
How does Palomino (9-1) reach this conclusion when he assesses his place in the bareknuckle boxing history books? Well, look no further than the stats.
“We can just talk numbers. Numbers don’t lie,” Palomino recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m the only eight-time world champion in BKFC history and the only champion to defend his title six times successfully, consecutively. So yeah, I’m the GOAT, man.”
Palomino, now 44, jumped on the bareknuckle boxing bandwagon early. He was one of the sport’s first MMA notables to make the leap, debuting at BKFC 10 in February 2020.
He won his first nine bareknuckle boxing fights and captured BKFC gold at both 155 pounds and 165 pounds. He vacated the 155-pound title and then lost the 165-pound title to former WBA champion Austin Trout.
Palominio doesn’t like the unfamiliar feeling of not holding gold. Though the rematch was offered to him, the math didn’t add up.
“To be honest and brutally clear, I had to first vacate the 155-pound title that I defended six times,” Palomino said. “I’m 8-0 undefeated. I had to vacate it after I earned the 155-pound title to in order to defend the 165-pound title, in which fight I faced Trout. So I had to vacate 155 to be able to defend 165 and then I lost that fight against Trout. And to be honest with you, they offered me the fight but the numbers did not make sense. I was offered to fight in the guy’s hometown, which meant I had to go and travel over there for at least 21 days to acclimate which was high-altitude. Then, I’m not selling tickets. I’m losing money there. I’m losing money doing a 21-day camp over there with my team. Then, there was a pay cut of about 30 percent. It was numbers that did not make sense for us.
“So technically-speaking, they offered it to me but the numbers didn’t make sense for us. We’ve been waiting since then to fight again. I got tired of waiting for that rematch. I got tired of forcing my body to hold onto weight that I cannot hold onto. Because I walk around at 170, man. Out of shape, I’m 173, 174. I walk around 170. When I’m in shape, I’m 165 to 170. I have no business at 155. I was only aiming to defend that title and it’s not on the table any more. I have not heard anything about it. I decided to come back down to 155. That’s where I’m at right now.”
Palomino returns March 27 at a BKFC Fight Night event in Hollywod, Fla. against rising contender Howard Davis (7-2-1). He sees the bout as a potential title eliminator and hopes it’ll propel him halfway to holding gold again.
“(Davis) has only lost to top-level,” Palomino said. “From what I’ve seen, he’s being groomed to be next in line for the 155-pound title. So me being the king at 155, I say give me the best. Give me who is supposed to fight next. If I can’t go for the title off a loss, if I can’t go for a title, then give me the best. That’s what they gave me.”
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