Amado Vargas made a spectacular first impression in bare-knuckle boxing, but much of the attention following BKB 57 focused on his opponent’s controversial actions before the eventual knockout.

The son of boxing veteran Fernando Vargas survived a dramatic encounter against James Springer during his promotional debut in London at the Indigo at the O2 last night, when he was sent tumbling through the ropes. During a clinch exchange, Springer threw a kick that knocked the 26-year-old out of the ring, causing immediate outrage among those watching the event.

But rather than staying down or letting the incident rattle him, Amado Vargas got back to his feet, smiled, danced outside the ring to taunt Springer, stepped back inside, and immediately made him pay.

Moments after getting thrown out of the ring, the unbeaten boxing prodigy dropped the Englishman with a brutal knockout to secure a Performance of the Night bonus.

The very controversial sequence also raised major questions about the officiating. Kicking an opponent is an illegal foul under the Association of Boxing Commissions’ Unified Bare Knuckle Rules, and referees can issue an official warning, a necessary two-point deduction for an intentional kick, or even a disqualification if the foul is deemed severe.

However, despite Springer’s kick appearing to send the 13-0 boxer through the ropes, the referee didn’t issue a warning, point deduction, or disqualification, allowing the fight to continue. BKB has yet to officially explain why no penalties were imposed, but fans online are already making sure that the instance stays in the spotlight.

It also wasn’t the first time James Springer found himself involved in a controversial finish. Back in 2025, his fight against Alex Laimable at Streetbeefz UK: The Equalizer One was declared a no-contest after the fight descended into chaos.

The bout got off to a rocky start as Laimable threw some punches even before the opening bell. Tensions erupted in the second round after Springer landed numerous elbows during a clinch before appearing to throw another illegal kick at his opponent, resulting in a massive brawl that required security intervention.

Amid the commotion, the English fighter sustained a serious cut above his eye, prompting officials to wave off the bout and declare it a no-contest. And now, seeing him go all out berserk again, fans are not holding back and letting their honest thoughts be known.

Fans rip James Springer for the illegal tactic while Amado Vargas earns major praise

As clips of the finish spread across social media, fight fans had little sympathy for James Springer after the illegal kick. “Springer is a f—— loser,” one fan wrote.

Another viewer questioned why the contest was allowed to continue at all: “The fight should have been stopped since the kick.”

Others simply reacted to the violence of the finish itself. One fan tweeted, “Fok! That was brutal!” Another shared a similar sentiment.

“Damn, that’s dirty af.”

But while the Englishman drew criticism, Amado Vargas earned some good spotlight after making controversial headlines earlier this year for clashing with his brother Fernando Jr. in a Las Vegas hotel. But unlike that fight, this one earned him plenty of praise for the way he bounced back after being kicked out of the ring.

“From being thrown off to KO your opponent,” one fan wrote, summing up the wild sequence. Another simply declared, “Amado is a beast.”

The American’s confidence also won over fight fans after he danced before climbing back into the ring. “I love this guy 😂,” one user posted. Another felt the ending couldn’t have been more fitting: “Well deserved crashout win tbf.”

With the knockout already making the rounds online, Amado Vargas’ BKB debut delivered everything fans could have hoped for: drama, controversy, and a highlight-reel finish.

For James Springer, however, the post-fight talk has been dominated less by the loss itself and more by the ugly and very illegal kick, which many believe should have resulted in a penalty even before the knockout ever happened.