Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship confirms advanced talks with Shaquille O'Neal over an investment deal

• Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship and Shaquille O'Neal are close to agreeing an investment deal.
• O'Neal is a renowned fight fan and recently marveled at BKFC competitors.
• "We just have to make sure the deal fits for everybody, and I think it does," boss David Feldman told Insider.

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) boss David Feldman says he's in advanced talks with Shaquille O'Neal over an investment deal.

The former four-time NBA champion previously marveled at bare knuckle athletes, and called BKFC "the future of fighting" after he watched from ringside the combat sport firm's KnuckleMania event in February.

Feldman said last month that he was talking to O'Neal about investment, and recently told Insider that they're working on a deal right now.

"I've gotten to know him a little bit and he's a good dude," Feldman told us. "If something can happen, and I hope it does because not only do we want money and popularity, obviously, but we want to do business with people who are really good people. And he's just a great person. He really is.

"If that deal comes to fruition, which I think it will, it will be a tremendous thing. And then we have some other names who are in the mix."

Feldman only founded BKFC in 2018 but the company has already held 21 events and is promoting its 22nd show, BKFC 16, on Friday - a night of fights that will be broadcast on the BKFC app in the US, and on Fite TV internationally.

Three years ago Feldman was actively seeking investment and said the difference between those days and now is that he's being routinely approached by people wanting to get involved.

"I'm living my dream," he said. "I set out to make this thing an internationally known combat sport, and it's happening. The team we've put together, the fighters, it's all an amazing place to be."

'Yo, it's Shaq, pick up'

As for the possible deal with O'Neal, Feldman said it almost didn't get off the ground because he didn't recognize the incoming contact on his phone.

"He tried to FaceTime me and I didn't know who it was, so I didn't answer. Then he texted me saying, 'Yo, it's Shaq, pick up.'

"We talked a lot. After I was just, like, damn. Shaq just FaceTimed me. It was unbelievable. He likes what we're doing and we just have to make sure the deal fits for everybody, and I think it does.

"There's other celebrities reaching out, as well. The people who might be getting involved will shock a lot of people.

"They see that this has been around for a long time, since the 1800s. But I, and a lot of people I speak to, see it as the future of combat sports.

"It's fast-paced and it gives people what they want. They want to see action, they want to see knockouts and great fights. So they tune into Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship."

Feldman has big plans for the growth of bare knuckle, and wants to start promoting two shows a month.

One show each month would be their main numbered event, like BKFC 16, BKFC 17, and so on. While the other would be a Toe The Line promotion - a feeder league designed to funnel winning talent into the numbered events.

Feldman is also looking to do more international shows following an event at the Insanity Nightclub in Bangkok called Bare Knuckle Kingdom 1. Additionally, a Toe The Line show will take place every other month in the UK, Feldman said.

Feldman is also continuing to work with US states where he can hold events. The sport is approved in 13 states currently, but he expects there to be six further states he can take BFKC to by the end of 2021.

His eyes widened when asked how much further he can take BKFC in the next three to five years, considering the growth since 2018.

"I've aged about 10 years in the past two, so I don't look forward to that," he joked. "But I feel it'll be easier now we've broken through more, and we're going through a funding round.

"I think we can become one of the top three or four combat sports promotions in the world in the next five years, I really truly do.

"It's something other sports don't give the fans - non-stop action.

"And the good thing about this sport, and our company, is that once you watch it once, you'll watch for the rest of your life."