Yonkers bare-knuckle boxer earns knockout win in championship debut

Call it a knockout first impression. One minute and 24 seconds into his first ever bare-knuckle boxing championship fight. In Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Sir Douglas Labasso showed everyone he's the real deal. Behind that big victory is the hard work taking place here in Yonkers at Animals MMA, where Labasso trains. It's pretty much a six day a week thing, you know, it's a lot of cardio conditioning and then we work on the actual skill of bare knuckle boxing itself with my coaches. Douglas Labosso began boxing when he was around 15 years old. Now he's trying to make a name for himself in a tough guy league where boxers don't use gloves. Coming up as a kid, I used to actually box for the Yonkers Police Department. And then a couple years after that, I found Animals MMA. That's where he met his coach, Butters Salazar. We've been doing two pads twice a week for five years. And he's pretty much going to keep up that consistency. I want him to take it as far as he wants to take it. It's completely up to him. It's always up to him. Now riding the momentum of his debut win, Labasso is back in the gym preparing for whatever comes next in the bare knuckle ring. He hopes his journey can inspire others to give their doubts a knuckle sandwich and chase their goals, no matter what they might be. It's your life. You can create whatever you want to be. In Yonkers, Westchester County, Lauren DelVal, News 12.