DUBAI: As the sport of bare-knuckle boxing continues to gain popularity, more big names are dropping the gloves and making the jump.

Just this year, fight fans have seen former boxing world champions including Victor Ortiz, Lee Selby, JoJo Diaz Jr., Yuriorkis Gamboa, and the Vargas brothers, Fernando and Amado, make successful debuts in BKB, and more big names are likely to follow.

Among those prizefighters who have made a successful transition to the gloveless version of the sweet science is Iraq-born Adel Altamimi, who made his name as a mixed martial artist, competing for promotions including Bellator, BAMMA, King of The Cage, IFC, and the Gladiator Challenge.

On Saturday, Oct. 10, the fighter from Baghdad will take part in BKB 60 at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, England.

But while MMA pretty much jumpstarted his professional fighting career, Altamimi has been a lifelong martial artist.

“Martial arts has been my life since I was a kid,” he said.

“I started with Kyokushin karate, then added jiu-jitsu and MMA, and every discipline has taught me something different. Bare-knuckle boxing is another chapter in that journey.”

Born and raised in Baghdad, Altamimi’s connection to martial arts began long before he made his way to the US and embarked on his professional fighting career.

His journey from Iraq to the international combat sports stage has also given him a strong sense of pride in representing the region and inspiring the next generation of fighters.

He also wants to improve his own game.

“I’ve always been looking for new challenges in martial arts, and bare-knuckle boxing gave me an opportunity to test everything I’ve learned in a completely different environment. When I stepped inside the Trigon, I knew this was something I wanted to pursue,” Altamimi added.

The 37-year-old made his bare-knuckle boxing debut in 2025, scoring a third-round knockout. He then announced his arrival in BKB with a first-round knockout win over Jay Eggleston before stopping Eduardo Perez dela Paz in the fourth round at BKB 56 in Los Angeles last July.

Now 3-0 in his bare-knuckle boxing career, Altamimi fully understands what makes the sport different from all the other disciplines that he has competed in.

“I’ve competed in karate, jiu-jitsu and MMA, and each one has its own challenges, but BKB is completely different,” Altamimi explained. “There’s nowhere to hide in the Trigon. It’s just you, your opponent and your ability to fight, and that makes every exchange mean something.”

While stacking wins will definitely lead to bigger and better opportunities in terms of his career in bare-knuckle boxing, Altamimi maintains that it is bigger than just building a record.

“My goal has always been bigger than just winning fights. I want to show what is possible when you believe in yourself, keep working and never give up, and I want to inspire other athletes, especially the Middle East, to chase their dreams.”

That mission will continue at BKB 60 when Altamimi takes on Liam Howell in a lightweight contest.

“I’m 3-0 in BKB with three knockouts, but I’m not satisfied. I’m coming to Newcastle to make another statement, keep building my name in this sport and show the fans what I’m all about.”