Johnny Bedford wants winner of Malignaggi – Lobov, willing to move up
Johnny Bedford will toe-the-line on Saturday night when he competes in the finals of the BKFC Lightweight Tournament in a showdown for the BKFC Lightweight Championship. The man standing across from him in the squared circle, Reggie Barnett Jr.
The two combatants have eliminated everyone else in the 135-pound tournament and it all comes down to their meeting on June 22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds.
Trash talk has escalated over the past few weeks, even getting ugly today during the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 6 press conference at Brandon Harley Davidson in Tampa, Florida.
Even though gold is on the line, Bedford is already looking forward to the future, even stating he would want to take on the winner of the BKFC 6 headlining fight between boxing sensation Paulie Malginaggi and fellow former UFC competitor, Artem Lobov.
When asked who Bedford might like to defend the belt against should he win on Saturday, he said: “There’s not that man 135ers out there that, I don’t know who they’d match up. Ideally I’d like to go get that money fight. Let me have the winner of Artem and Paulie. It’s only a 10-pound difference. I don’t have to cut weight. I think I match up well against both of those guys too so.. give me that money fight. After I beat Reggie Barnett I want the winner of Artem and Paulie.”
Bedford was then asked for a prediction for Saturday night’s main event.
“I hoping… I’m rooting for Artem,” Bedford said. “I think Paulie, obviously, brings real skills to the table, he stays behind the jab. Obviously he is a two-time world champion boxer. He has the abilities to out box Artem. But this isn’t boxing. I’m rooting for Artem. I’m an Artem fan. I like the guy personally. I like his style. I’m a ‘fighter’, fighter. I’m not a decision guy. I want to see guys that want to go fight, and Artem is that guy.”
