STWF Sports|Nov. 19, 2025 – Gustavo Trujillo has lived a life more harrowing — and more extraordinary — than any fighter he will ever face. Long before he became the BKB heavyweight world champion, before the knockout streaks and the comparisons to Mike Tyson, Trujillo was fighting simply to survive.

Born in Morón, Cuba, Trujillo grew up in the kind of poverty that shaped every inch of his hardened demeanor. As he prepares to headline BKB 48 this Saturday night against former WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight champion Lucas Browne, his story stands as one of the most remarkable in modern combat sports.

“I Fought for My Food” — A Childhood of Survival

Speaking to talkSPORT.com through his wife and translator, Zelia, Trujillo described a childhood defined by scarcity and struggle under Cuba’s authoritarian regime.

“Growing up in Cuba was very difficult. There was a dictatorship. We didn’t have the basics,” he said.
“I fought for my food. My house was made of wood, and there was no floor — just dirt.”

His family’s poverty forced him into a fight-or-starve existence. But amid that desperation, he discovered wrestling — the one avenue in Cuba that offered a chance of a better life.

A Rising Star in Cuban Wrestling

Trujillo embraced Greco-Roman wrestling with relentless determination. His natural strength propelled him through the national ranks until he became Cuba’s No.1 wrestler at 97kg, traveling the world as part of the national Olympic program.

But even as he represented his country, the economic hardships endured by his family remained unchanged.

A decision was looming — one that would change the direction of his life forever.

Defecting to the Dominican Republic — and Homelessness

At just 20 years old, while competing at an international event in the Dominican Republic, Trujillo took the biggest risk imaginable.

“I made the decision to abandon the national team,” he said. “I stayed in the streets for five months, eating from the garbage.”

For five long months, the national champion lived homeless, scrounging for food and shelter while plotting a path to freedom.

Eventually, the opportunity came.

Crossing to the United States in an Inflatable Boat

Leaving the Dominican Republic with nothing but hope, Trujillo made the treacherous crossing to the United States in a small inflatable zodiac boat. It was a desperate gamble — but one that paid off.

Upon arriving in Florida, fate delivered him to one of the world’s elite fight camps: American Top Team, home to stars like Yoel Romero, Hector Lombard, and Jorge Masvidal.

The raw talent he showed in wrestling translated into MMA success. He went 3-2 as a professional, but it soon became clear that his most dangerous weapon was not his grappling — it was his fists.

A Natural Bare-Knuckle Predator

Trujillo transitioned to bare-knuckle boxing, where his concussive, one-punch power immediately terrorized opponents.

“In MMA, if I didn’t knock them out, they would take me down,” he said.
“In bare-knuckle boxing, that isn’t a problem. It was a natural fit.”

Natural might be an understatement. Trujillo demolished his first seven opponents by first-round knockout, capturing the BKB heavyweight title and earning comparisons to a prime Mike Tyson for his style and finishing instincts.

The Lucas Browne Test

This Saturday at the Charles F. Dodge Center in Florida, Trujillo faces the most experienced opponent of his career: Australian veteran Lucas Browne, a former WBA champion known for his size, toughness, and punching power.

Trujillo, however, refuses to be drawn into predicting another quick finish.

“He has a lot of experience and is a tough opponent,” he said. “I go into my fights just trying to win. Maybe it ends early, maybe it doesn’t. It comes naturally — it’s never planned.”

A Life Beyond the Ring

For Trujillo, every punch thrown and every victory earned is a reminder of how far he’s come — from dirt floors in Cuba to the world stage in America.

This weekend, as he steps into the ring once again, he carries not just the confidence of a champion but the unbreakable resolve of a man who has overcome more than most fighters will ever know.