Kai Stewart is set to defend his featherweight title this week at BKFC 87 in Hollywood, Florida. While his immediate focus remains on his challenger, Nico Gaffie, the reigning 145-pound champion is also eyeing opportunities to claim additional BKFC championships.
Stewart has openly expressed his interest in pursuing the 135-pound bantamweight title, currently held by Justin Ibarrola. Furthermore, he is keen on a shot at the vacant lightweight title, potentially facing the winner of the upcoming bout between Austin Trout and Ben Bonner. Additionally, former decorated professional boxer Jamel Herring is another high-profile opponent on Stewart’s list of prospective clashes.
The young champion believes his age and considerable potential present him with a multitude of options, extending beyond just world titles. Stewart stated, “The cool thing about me is I’m so young, and I have such a ceiling that god forbid something bad were to happen, look at all the exciting fights that we can make with people that I can’t fight because of the title.” He specifically challenged Luis Palomino, who holds the ‘King of the Streets’ belt, remarking, “He talks s**t about me. Let’s put up or shut up.” Stewart also mentioned Tony Soto as a potential adversary, driven by their mutual animosity despite Soto’s recent fight record.
Stewart confidently outlined his ambitious goals, saying, “I do think that I’m going to be a three-division champion. I do believe that I’m going to move forward as a record-breaking six-time world champion for BKFC, but time will tell. God will tell.” He underscored the importance of his upcoming defense, asserting, “First things first, we got to get through Nico Gaffie.” Stewart maintains a strong belief in his own abilities, adding, “At the end of the day, I don’t think anybody compares to me.”
Discussing a potential move to the 155-pound division, Stewart expressed reluctance to fight Austin Trout if Trout secures the lightweight belt. He views Trout as a friend and holds immense respect for him, noting that Trout even studied Stewart’s clinch work for his own fights. Stewart explained, “Bare knuckle boxing a homie is pretty f***ed up.” However, he confirmed his willingness to challenge Ben Bonner for the 155-pound title should Bonner emerge victorious.
Stewart also has a long-term goal of achieving ten featherweight title defenses, a milestone he links to an equity deal discussed at a previous Champion’s Summit. His overarching strategy is to maintain a high level of activity, aiming for three fights this year. He concluded, “Really whatever happens happens. I just do plan to be active. So I just hope the belt doesn’t hold me back and I get to remain as active as possible this year with fighting three times. I’m hoping three fights this year.”
