Brutal photos reveal the bloodthirsty world of British bare-knuckle boxing where fighters trade punches to the face without any gloves or headgear.
The incredible shots, taken at the Ultimate Bare-Knuckle Boxing (UBKB) event in Manchester on Saturday, shed light on a sport in which fights often end in knockouts.
Fighters are often left with serious facial injuries including broken noses and gaping cuts, but organisers insist the fights are legal.
Brutal photos reveal the bloodthirsty world of British bare-knuckle boxing where fighters trade punches to the face without any gloves or headgear. Above: Fighters face-off at the Ultimate Bare-Knuckle boxing (UBKB) event at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester on Saturday
Fighters are often left with serious facial injuries including broken noses and gaping cuts, but organisers insist the fights are legal. Above: Bloodied fighter Lucas Marshall at the event after winning his fight. Organisers insist bare-knuckle fighting is legal as long as permission has been given by the local authority and safety measures are in place
UBKB is owned and run by Amanda and Shaun Smith who has been dubbed the UK's 'Scariest Debt Collector'. Above: A medic examines Lucas Marshall after winning his fight
Right hook: Boxers trade blows at the event in Manchester, which consisted of three two-minute rounds. The British Boxing Board of Control, which regulates licensed boxing, said the fights operate in a grey area
Fighter Chris Wheeldon (right) fights Seamus Devlin. There were boxers at the event who were fighting for the first time, while others were bare-knuckle veterans
Competitors can only punch and bouts are often stopped by the fighters' own team, or the referee seeing it as an unfair contest. Above: Chris Wheeldon celebrates victory, despite a nasty-looking injury to his right eye
Another boxer celebrates winning their fight. Of the sport's legality, the general secretary of the British Boxing board of control said: 'It is a cloudy area, but I do believe it is illegal. Police deal with it as a public order matter and stop it'
However, the British Boxing Board of Control, which regulates licensed boxing, said the fights operate in a grey area.
Rob Smith, the board's general secretary, previously said: 'It is a cloudy area, but I do believe it is illegal.
'Police deal with it as a public order matter and stop it.
'It is crazy, there is an inherent risk in licensed boxing and we work very hard to ensure it is as safe as possible.'
Those involved in the sport say it is legal as long as
