Photo credit to BKFC's youtube.
Joey Beltran on BKFC 13 heavyweight title defense
Joey Beltran will toe the line against Marcel Stamps at BKFC 13. It’s happening on Saturday, October 10 and the event emanates from Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina, Kansas.
Beltran is aiming to defend the BKFC world heavyweight championship and the Police Gazette world heavyweight championship for the first time. The Mexicutioner has been with BKFC since their inaugural event and seems confident heading into this main event attraction for their 13th card.
Though he had to adjust somewhat, training during a pandemic was largely uninterrupted for Beltran. “Not so much. I mean it’s just kind of a train with the lights off kind of deal. I work at the UFC gym in Oceanside. The gym, allows me to come in and do my work.”
Joey Beltran
In Beltran’s title-winning effort at BKFC 9, it was not positioned in the main event. This was a bit of a source of saltiness for both competitors but Beltran is very much feeling the love heading into this top of the marquee fight. “No complaints here. They’re definitely pumping up the volume as far as like social media, interviews, and stuff like that. Pumping it up. No complaints for me this time around.”
The respect for Saturday’s opponent Marcel Stamps is there but Beltran is ready to do whatever he needs to do to remain champion.
“I mean, obviously you have to respect anybody who’s willing to toe the line. To get out there and bare-knuckle fight. I don’t expect him to bow down and say ‘well you know I really, really hope Joe doesn’t hurt me’. Everything’s just par for the course. People are gonna say what they’re going to say. It’s just a matter of me doing what I want to do on October 10th.”
BKFC 13
He has seen a bit of footage on Stamps including the title contender’s KO win over Kendall Grove at BKFC 3. That being said, Beltran isn’t the type of fighter that agonizingly breaks down every microsecond of tape that he can.
“I do a little bit… I’ll watch them maybe like five times throughout the few months. Just to see if I don’t see something that I didn’t see the initial time. At the end of the day, I would hope people are training and working to evolve to become better martial artists and fighters, day in and day out the way I am.”
Joey Beltran continued, “You’re never really going to get the same person you’re going to get from the last fight. But overall just to get an idea of like the level of athleticism. Also like his reaction, like how he reacts when people come forward, how he fights going backwards, stuff like that. Big, strong, fast guy but I’m used to that by now.”
Bringing the BKFC strap and Police Gazette world diamond belt to the youth striking class he teaches was an impactful thing but the love for Beltran permeates all throughout his community.
“It was phenomenal. To be able to bring home world titles to the students at my gym…The whole community. It was weird the first couple of times it happened. I’m going out to grab food in my town and it’s like ‘Hey, champ! What’s up, champ?’ People driving by in their car. Definitely like it is an honor to represent.”
Beltran vs Stamps
Also of note, Valor BK heavyweight champ Mark Godbeer recently signed with BKFC and will presumably face the winner of Beltran vs Stamps for the belts. Beltran was able to address the looming presence of Godbeer while being mindful and respectful of his BKFC 13 adversary Marcel Stamps.
“Well, I mean, normally it would be like I was totally overlooking Marcel Stamps and disrespecting him. But to be honest, Mark Godbeer was the original opponent that I was scheduled to fight for April 11th. So I had to switch from focusing on fighting a big brawler type guy to a leaner, faster type dude. A more athletic type of fighter…I have absolutely zero problem fighting that guy (Godbeer). And I think that my skill set will match up well with his and put on an entertaining fight.”
You can check out BKFC 13 on the Bare Knuckle TV app and check out Joey Beltran defending his BKFC and Police Gazette world heavyweight titles against challenger Marcel Stamps.
