Fighter Alan Belcher has voiced his frustration, joining a growing number of fighters who are unhappy about GFL`s decision to cancel its debut shows. The promotion has offered little clarity regarding its future launch plans.
Belcher, a former BKFC heavyweight champion, had signed with GFL and was scheduled to make his debut on May 24th and 25th in Los Angeles against Stuart Austin. However, he and the rest of the fight community were informed of the cancellation. GFL founder Darren Owen attributed the cancellation to the organization`s “primary investor” failing to meet their financial commitments.
In his statement, Owen mentioned his intention to launch GFL at a later time but allowed athletes to request an immediate release from their contracts. While Belcher has not explicitly requested a release, his comments suggest strong dissatisfaction with how the situation has been handled.
“GFL is f*cking cancelled, guys,” Belcher stated on Instagram. “Firstly, my sympathy goes out to anyone who booked flights. Many people were planning to support me – although it seems tickets weren`t even sold – some had already rearranged their schedules and purchased flights to Los Angeles to see my fight.”
He continued, “It appears to be a complete, for lack of a better term, scam. I`m unsure what else to call it. That’s certainly how it appears. There was no evidence of the funds supposedly allocated for fighter payouts. We`ve all been deceived in this instance.”
Despite the widespread uncertainty surrounding GFL`s future, reports suggest Owen is attempting to move forward. Belcher revealed that he was asked to remain on the debut card but without a guaranteed purse.
“He is still trying to make the fight happen,” Belcher explained. “I spoke with Darren recently, and he proposed a revenue-sharing agreement if I would agree to fight without a guaranteed payment.”
In his social media post, Belcher tagged several promoters, including Mams Taylor of Misfits Boxing and BKFC president David Feldman, hinting at future opportunities by adding, “new fight announcement will come soon I’m sure.”
Belcher was among several veteran fighters who signed with GFL following its announcement in 2024. Unfortunately, doubts about the promotion`s viability have escalated with each delay of its debut event.
Ultimately, the initial two events were announced and subsequently cancelled within a matter of weeks, leaving the actual launch of GFL and any future events in considerable doubt.
