Bare-knuckle fighting was green-lighted Monday at Iola’s City Council meeting. Camille Lavon, Thrive Allen County’s vice president of economic development, had requested the council discuss the topic to gauge interest in hosting fights in Iola.
Council members seemed eager to support the idea. “I’m fine with it,” Council member Jon Wells said. “For a while there was a big boxing community here, and a lot of sparring. If we’re going to let some 18-year-old strap himself to a bull for entertainment, I don’t see this as any more dangerous, as long as they have insurance.”
Bare-knuckle fighting is a full-contact combat sport that features participants sparring without any form of padding on the hands.
“There is interest, there is absolutely interest” in such events, said Council member Jeremiah Ivy.
Lavon said the Kansas Department of Commerce, headed by Lieutenant Governor David Toland, reached out to economic development agencies across the state to see if communities would be interested.
Mayor Steve French said Iola certainly would, asking Lavon to bring back more information.
Lavon mentioned there was interest in holding fights in the Riverside Park Recreation Building and that such a request would also likely include serving alcohol. There have been no concrete proposals yet.
Council member Mark Peters seemed the only member skeptical of the idea, asking about the costs involved. He noted that many associations take a percentage of ticket sales and said the city of Hutchinson took steps to restrict bare knuckle fighting because it was said to lead to a surge in fight clubs and street fighting.
Lavon told the Council she’d move forward and keep the Council informed.
Kansasfights.com, a site administered by Kansas Commerce, features information on state-sanctioned combat sports and upcoming events.
According to the website, Elwood, Kan., a town of about 1,000 near St. Joseph, Mo., will host “Battle at the Ballpark” on July 25, featuring professional boxing, Mixed Martial Arts and bare-knuckle fighting. The event is promoted by Carden Combat Sports of Topeka.
