Don King Signs BJ Flores to Promotional Deal

BJ Flores has signed a promotional deal with Don King and says he'll next fight on October 15, and then will look to make a run at a title, according to the Springfield News-Leader.

Flores (25-1-1, 16 KO) has had some promotional issues over his career, and has at times kept a very inactive schedule. He's also found it hard to cultivate a notable fanbase because his fighting style has been frequently criticized, but Flores has been considered a legitimate contender at cruiserweight in the past, and he does have a fanbase at home in Missouri. That plays to King's strengths as a promoter these days. He is good at promoting fighters who have a local following, and Missouri has been his stronghold in recent years, with fighters like Cory Spinks and Devon Alexander drawing good crowds in St. Louis.

The October 15 card in Missouri will be another half-and-half boxing/MMA show, like Flores main evented on July 23, beating Nicholas Iannuzzi in the main event. That was Flores' first fight since a loss to Danny Green in Australia back on November 17, 2010.

King intends to have Flores fight in China next February, and then perhaps look for a title shot against current WBA cruiserweight beltholder Guillermo Jones, another King fighter who has a record of inactivity. King is also expected to help Flores find an opponent for the October 15 date, which will be short notice and shouldn't be expected to be any sort of major fight.