Joey Dawejko was born to fight.
It doesn’t matter the sport, when it comes to competitive fisticuffs, Dawejko is down to try it.
So when the longtime heavyweight boxer had a chance to enter the world of competitive bareknuckle fighting, he jumped at the opportunity.
And the 34-year-old boxer isn’t starting at the low level. He’s dove right into the Bareknuckle Fighting Championship.
“I always had my eye on BKFC,” said Dawejko, a former Abraham Lincoln High School student who has been boxing professionally for 15 years. “I was still making good money in boxing, so I wanted to keep that going. But I figured now BKFC is growing so much, it’s time for me to make my jump.”
It’s more like a giant leap.
Dawejko will be on the card Jan. 25 at the Wells Fargo Center For Knucklemania 5. The card will be broadcast live on DAZN as a pay-per-view event, but the live show is expected to be a party.
The headline fight is North Catholic grad and former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez taking on fellow former UFC star Jeremy Stevens. The card features 13 fights. Dawejko will battle Steve Banks in a heavyweight tussle.
If you’ve ever seen Dawejko fight, you know he’s not afraid to throw huge punches and in this one, there will be no padding protecting his foe.
But he’s approaching this fight like he did the boxing.
“I am preparing the same as I would for a 10-round boxing match, but focusing more on the bare-knuckle style, which is a little more aggressive and your punches have to be very accurate,” said Dawejko, who lives in Tacony. “A lot is different, the range, the timing, the rounds, the ring. So it’s gonna be a big change that way, but I’m a fighter so I will adapt quickly.”
Dawejko might be a fighter, but the bareknuckle style is new to him.
Unlike many fighters growing up, Dawejko has been involved in the sport since his grandfather got him involved as a kid. He was fighting out of Harrowgate Boxing Club for as long as he can remember and did some Golden Gloves fighting before he turned pro. That means he didn’t get his start throwing hands on the playground.
BKFC has been compared to street fighting by some, but Dawejko, who isn’t a street fighter, isn’t worried.
“Believe it or not, I’ve never had too many street fights,” Dawejko said with a laugh. “I always stayed away from it. Maybe a few when I was younger, before boxing. But I’ve never had an actual street fight as an adult.”
That doesn’t mean he’s not prepared for it.
Dawejko is a Philly guy, and he knows this is going to be a very popular event. It’s something he’s ready for. In fact, he’s looking forward to it.
“This is one of the biggest combat sporting events to hit Philly in a long time,” Dawejko said. “It means everything to me because I know that I have a future in bare knuckle, and all my fans get a chance to witness the start of it. We’re making history! I have a bunch of people coming. I sold out all of my tickets and I could have sold more. But this is gonna be a great event.”
As a competitor, Dawejko is looking forward to the fight. But he never fights for himself.
Every time Dawejko competes, he’s doing it for his girls. That group includes his soon-to-be-wife Maria, who has been by his side for most of his life. He also fights for their daughters Hailey (19), Jayla (12), Giamaria (9) and Meadow (7).
Whenever he steps in the ring, he’s in there for them, and his BKFC debut will be no different.
While they don’t like seeing daddy take a punch, they’re always excited to see him win. And they know better than anyone why he gets in there.
“My girls are a little upset knowing that I’m still fighting. I promised them after my last boxing match that I was done, and they wouldn’t have to worry about me getting hurt anymore,” Dawejko said. “My 12-year-old wants to come to the fight, but I know it will be brutal for her to watch. This is a huge opportunity for me. So maybe when I fight for the BKFC heavyweight title in the near future, they can all come to that one!
“I fight to better the lives of my soon-to-be wife Maria, and my children. I want them to know how much I love them all, and that I would do anything for them to be OK.”
HIs family is doing better than OK, and his hard work is the reason for it.
Dawejko might retire from professional fighting someday, but he’ll never stop fighting for his family.
“I’m a fighter at heart,” Dawejko said. “Traditional boxing or bare knuckle, it doesn’t matter to me. Just let me know when and where to be. I don’t care who I’m fighting ever. I do this for my family.”
