BKB 60: Dy and McHugh Headline Newcastle Debut

BKB makes history on Saturday, October 10th, when it stages its first event in Newcastle at Utilita Arena Newcastle.

BKB 60 is headlined by a super-welterweight world championship bout between defending champion Rolando “Dy Incredible” Dy and five-time BKB champion Scott “The Mute” McHugh.

Champion Faces Veteran Challenger

Rolando Dy enters the main event with a 6-1 record and five knockout victories.

The 35-year-old Filipino fighter is the son of boxing legend Rolando Navarrete and spent 11 years competing in MMA, including four UFC appearances. Since moving into bare-knuckle boxing, Dy has quickly established himself as one of BKB’s leading champions.

He won the BKB super-welterweight world title and Police Gazette Diamond Belt by defeating Liam Reese in December 2025. Dy then strengthened his reputation with a second-round knockout over former two-division boxing world champion Paulie Malignaggi.

His combination of MMA experience, physical strength and finishing power makes him a difficult champion to dethrone.

McHugh’s Championship Experience

Scott McHugh brings a 17-5 record and seven knockouts into the contest.

The Leeds fighter is one of the most experienced competitors in modern bare-knuckle boxing. He is a five-time BKB champion, a Bare Knuckle Hall of Fame inductee and has competed more than 20 times inside BKB’s triangular Trigon ring.

McHugh has also won five consecutive fights heading into his title challenge. His experience could be crucial against Dy, particularly if the bout develops into a tactical contest rather than an early firefight.

The challenger will be aiming to add another championship to his résumé, while Dy will look to prove that his recent success was the beginning of a reign rather than a short-lived run.

A Changed Main Event

The headline bout was not originally scheduled to top BKB 60.

Newcastle heavyweight Mick Terrill was initially set to headline against Kamil Sokolowski, but Terrill suffered a facial cut during a short-notice championship fight and was forced to withdraw.

Dy versus McHugh was subsequently elevated to the main event, while Sokolowski remains on the card to face Mark O’Neil in the heavyweight co-main event.

JoJo Diaz Makes British Debut

One of the card’s biggest crossover attractions sees former IBF super-featherweight world champion and U.S. Olympian Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. make his British bare-knuckle debut.

Diaz holds a 1-0 record in BKB and faces Brian Hyslop, who has a 2-1 promotional record. The contest gives Diaz another opportunity to adapt his traditional boxing skills to bare-knuckle competition, while Hyslop will look to spoil the former champion’s appearance in Newcastle.

The matchup is one of the event’s most intriguing stylistic contests.

Full Main Card

The announced BKB 60 lineup includes:

- Super-welterweight world championship: Rolando Dy vs. Scott McHugh.

- Heavyweight: Mark O’Neil vs. Kamil Sokolowski.

- Super lightweight: Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. vs. Brian Hyslop.

- Super welterweight: Adel “Kyokushin” Altamimi vs. Liam Howell.

- Super middleweight: David Winiarski vs. Geraint Goodridge.

- Cruiserweight: Dec Spelman vs. Andrea Bicchi.

- Light heavyweight: Jon Telfer vs. Mick Kelly.

- Lightweight: Liam Teruel vs. Tom Pratt.

The preliminary card features Logan Morgan versus Nick Bass, Rob Barry versus James McCorrie, John Hamilton versus Florian De La Motte and Keiron Harland versus Nathan Conroy.

A Historic Night for BKB

BKB 60 represents a significant moment for the promotion as it expands into Newcastle.

The event combines a world championship fight, a decorated bare-knuckle veteran, a former traditional boxing champion and a heavyweight co-main event that survived a late change at the top of the card.

Dy will attempt to retain his title with another explosive performance. McHugh will rely on experience, composure and championship pedigree to claim the belt.

When BKB enters Newcastle for the first time, the super-welterweight championship will provide the night’s central question: can Dy’s power overcome McHugh’s experience?