All Episodes

May 2, 2024 50 mins

Last week, I interviewed legendary champion bare-knuckle fighter Bobby Gunn. My guest today is the journalist who wrote the book Bare Knuckle about Bobby's life. Stayton Bonner was at the top of the journalism world, working for GQ and later as a senior editor for Rolling Stone. But he gave it all up when he became fascinated by Bobby’s life and the brutal underground world of bare-knuckle fighting. He spent 12 years researching to tell this story of survival, honor, grit, and the beginning of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

  • Why Bobby’s real-life Rocky/Fight Club story is so captivating and inspiring
  • Why Stayton was willing to take a leap and give up his career at Rolling Stone to become an author
  • How he got unprecedented access to a world that usually does not trust reporters
  • Details of underground fights that are a mix of both savagery and honor
  • How Bobby has been an integral part of the $400 million Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, the fastest-rising combat sport in the world

Get your copy of Bare Knuckle on Amazon today

Leave a review of this podcast on your favorite platform; it helps us get these stories out to more people who need to hear them!

To give specific feedback directly to us on what you like about the podcast and what you don’t, fill out this 5-minute survey.

Don’t let fear win. Get your FREE copy of the Unbeatable Army Survival Guide HERE.

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
Paper Ghosts: The Texas Teen Murders

Paper Ghosts: The Texas Teen Murders

Paper Ghosts: The Texas Teen Murders takes you back to 1983, when two teenagers were found murdered, execution-style, on a quiet Texas hill. What followed was decades of rumors, false leads, and a case that law enforcement could never seem to close. Now, veteran investigative journalist M. William Phelps reopens the file — uncovering new witnesses, hidden evidence, and a shocking web of deaths that may all be connected. Over nine gripping episodes, Paper Ghosts: The Texas Teen Murders unravels a story 42 years in the making… and asks the question: who’s really been hiding the truth?

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.