Kenzie Morrison was all the time proud to comply with in his father’s footsteps when he determined to change into an expert boxer however the state of affairs within the sport he’s all the time beloved left him a bit jaded.
Because the son of former heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison, who additionally rose to fame for his look alongside Sylvester Stallone in Rocky V, the 34-year-old fighter undoubtedly received extra consideration than the common fighter making his approach up the ranks. However regardless of placing collectively a 22-1-2 document, Morrison says delays in reserving fights and the stagnant nature of sport compelled him to search for different choices exterior of boxing.
So now Morrison is signed with BKFC the place he hopes to make an entire completely different type of affect when he takes the gloves off for his first bare-knuckle struggle on Friday.
“All of it simply actually began with the state of boxing being the place it’s,” Morrison advised MMA Combating about leaving boxing for BKFC. “There’s simply lots of issues that they want to determine and within the midst of that, I really feel like there’s lots of nice fighters with lots of expertise which can be being shelved because of the state of it.
“It’s actually simply the YouTube influencer boxing and it’s modified to the place it’s not the perfect struggle the perfect. It’s extra about probably the most adopted struggle probably the most adopted for probably the most cash. Everyone is making it a facet present. I feel BKFC is the place I’m presupposed to be. I prayed about it and I’m upset that I’ve to depart boxing in a approach however I additionally know I’ve the chance of a lifetime.”
As a lot as he didn’t benefit from the rise of influencer boxing, Morrison admits he tried to embrace it after he first noticed Jake Paul make an affect together with his devastating knockout on the undercard of an occasion headlined by Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr.
He tried to pursue that chance principally out of necessity as a result of there simply weren’t significant fights out there to him inside the rankings of the heavyweight division.
“Everytime you couldn’t take the fights that you just had been presupposed to take to enhance your rankings as a result of these fights are drug out so lengthy, these obligatory challenges after a defeat they usually take a yr and these high 10 guys struggle annually,” Morrison defined. “So when you’re within the high 20 and also you’re sitting there ready, it’s only a loopy deal.
“So I used to be ready and I noticed Jake Paul come into the game and I used to be truly sitting in a deer stand every time he fought Nate Robinson and knocked him out, I referred to as him out on a YouTube video approach again when. I simply did it for shits and giggles. Because it grew and grew, it was like hell yeah and I used to be difficult him and I mentioned I’d struggle him free of charge simply to type of finish the entire ordeal. Simply because I knew what it was doing to the game. My purpose all alongside was to change into a standard boxing champion the best way that my dad did and the best way that my brother was trying to comply with his profession. To chase the household legacy and depart one thing for my son.”
Whereas he’ll all the time love boxing as a result of it’s the game he shared together with his father and his brother, Morrison can also be joyful to stroll his personal path beginning together with his debut at BKFC 76.
He’s proud to hold on his household’s identify as a result of he loves being referred to as Tommy Morrisons’s son however Kenzie can also be excited for the prospect to say a championship in bare-knuckle combating.
“I used to be fortunate sufficient for [my dad] to be so profitable that he left me a legacy,” Morrison mentioned. “Carved me a solution to strive boxing. If he was right here, I feel that entire factor would have went completely different. However I’m additionally grateful to have the ability to create my very own legacy. I’m grateful that David Feldman was in a position to assist me out. He’s enthusiastic about it. I feel everyone’s enthusiastic about it and I simply need to make it price it.
“My entire purpose of combating isn’t just as a result of I find it irresistible however as a result of I exploit it to handle my household. I need to make my mother and my dad proud. That’s actually the drive that I’ve on a regular basis once I get up.”
In fact competing at heavyweight in bare-knuckle, Morrison is aware of there’s loads of potential hazard awaiting him however he’s embraced each side of his new job.
He’s actually not oblivious to the variations between conventional boxing and bare-knuckle combating so he took his time preparing and now Morrison plans to unleash fury on Friday evening.
“It solely takes one,” Morrison mentioned about getting hit at heavyweight. “I simply hold telling everyone I’m a little bit bit nervous however I’m an entire lot decided. I’ve been combating lengthy sufficient to know that I attempt to be skilled about it, I don’t let lots of feelings get entangled. However yeah, it’s nerve-racking and completely different however we’re coming.”
