Todd Duffee criticized Ben Rothwell for withdrawing from their BKFC 56 fight due to flu, suggesting Rothwell’s real issue was making weight, while Rothwell defended himself and suggested the fight be rebooked for February 2024.
So, Todd Duffee showed up at the BKFC 56 press conference. And boy, did he let Ben Rothwell have it for pulling out of their fight.
BKFC’s big boss, David Feldman, broke the news about Rothwell’s withdrawal. Apparently, the guy’s been hit hard by the flu. But Duffee? He wasn’t buying it. He straight up questioned if Rothwell was genuinely ill.
His words? “I think it’s sad that Ben’s stuck in 2020 and thought this was a stay-at-home job,”. Duffee didn’t hold back, calling it “terrible.”
Now, Duffee’s no newbie. The guy’s a seasoned UFC vet. He was all set to make his bare-knuckle debut on Saturday against Rothwell. And Rothwell? He was gunning for his third BKFC win and a shot at the title.
Duffee had more to say, though. He claimed he’d fought with COVID during his last fight. So, he reckoned Rothwell’s real fight was with the scale. He even took a jab at Rothwell’s Thanksgiving, calling it his biggest opponent.
“I’ve fought with COVID. I know what that’s like. But you make a commitment, you try to get out there and make it happen,” he said. He didn’t think Rothwell was weak, but he did think he’d lost his biggest fight to Thanksgiving.
Rothwell, though, wasn’t silent. He texted MMA Fighting, confirming his flu bout. He also had a few choice words for Duffee.
“Like wtf kinda comment is that,” Rothwell wrote. “You knowingly fought with COVID. OK. Let’s just get the fight rebooked in Feb. It’s the only way I want to settle this.”
He also mentioned his flawless record of making weight for over 50 professional fights. His message to Duffee? “Just stop.”
So, what’s next? Feldman announced that the heavyweight bare-knuckle fight will be rescheduled for February 2024. And the co-main event? That’s a title rematch between flyweight champ Christine Ferreira and ex-champ Bec Rawlings.