James "Lights Out" Lilley Wins by First-Round KO at BKFC Newcastle

James "Lights Out" Lilley added another knockout to his growing bare knuckle boxing record with a devastating first-round finish of Yannick Van Dinther at BKFC Fight Night Newcastle on Saturday 14 March 2026. The KGB GYM welterweight needed just 38 seconds to put Van Dinther away at the Utilita Arena in front of a packed Newcastle crowd. Van Dinther stepped in as a late replacement after the original opponent, Gary Fox, was forced to withdraw due to injury, but the change made no difference to Lilley's game plan. From the opening bell, Lilley controlled the distance with his trademark southpaw stance and tight boxing fundamentals. He landed 16 of 27 punches thrown (59.3% accuracy) compared to Van Dinther's 10 of 22 (45.5%), dropping his opponent with a perfectly timed combination that ended the fight with a single knockdown. The victory continues an impressive run for the Welsh bare knuckle fighter, who trains out of KGB GYM in Briton Ferry under head coach James Wallis. Following his previous knockout victory over Fran Suarez in June 2025, Lilley has now established himself as one of the most dangerous welterweights on the BKFC roster. "There's no luck in these shots," said Lilley's corner team after the fight. "It's something that's drilled and drilled and drilled until one comes after the other naturally. He doesn't work on luck, he works on precision and accuracy." The BKFC Fight Night Newcastle card also featured the inaugural UK heavyweight title fight, won by Mick Terrill, making it a landmark night for bare knuckle boxing in the United Kingdom.