Austin Trout facts for kids

Austin Dwayne Trout (born September 18, 1985) is an American athlete who competes in both professional boxing and bare-knuckle boxing. In professional boxing, he was the World Boxing Association (WBA) light middleweight champion from 2011 to 2013. More recently, in 2024, he became the welterweight champion in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). As of April 2025, he is ranked among the top bare-knuckle fighters.

Early Life and Amateur Boxing

Austin Trout grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He went to Mayfield High School there.

Amateur Boxing Success

Before turning professional, Austin had a great amateur boxing career.

• In 2004, he won the title of U.S. National Amateur Welterweight Champion.
• He also tried out for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team and was the runner-up.
• Austin finished his amateur career with an impressive record of 163 wins, 42 losses, and 1 draw.

Professional Boxing Career

Starting Out in Professional Boxing

Austin Trout began his professional boxing journey on September 1, 2005, when he was 19 years old.

• His first fight was in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he won by TKO (Technical Knockout) in the third round.
• He quickly showed his skill, winning his second fight in the first round.
• Throughout 2006 and 2007, Austin continued to win all his fights, often by knockout. By the end of 2007, his record was 13 wins with no losses.
• In November 2009, he won his first major title, the vacant WBC Continental Americas light middleweight title.
• His success helped him become a top contender for a world championship.

Becoming a World Champion

In 2011, Austin Trout got his chance to fight for a world title.

• On February 5, 2011, he fought Rigoberto Álvarez (the brother of famous boxer Canelo Álvarez) for the vacant WBA (Regular) light middleweight title in Mexico.
• Austin won the fight easily by a unanimous decision, becoming a world champion!

Defending His Title

Austin successfully defended his WBA title several times.

• In June 2011, he defended his title against David Alonso López. Austin won by unanimous decision. There was a brief issue with a drug test after this fight, but it was quickly cleared up.
• In November 2011, he defended his title again, this time against Frank LoPorto in Texas. Austin won by TKO in the sixth round.
• On June 2, 2012, Austin fought Delvin Rodríguez. He completely dominated the fight, winning by a wide unanimous decision.

Big Fight Against Miguel Cotto

One of Austin's biggest wins came on December 1, 2012, when he defended his title against the famous boxer Miguel Cotto.

• The fight took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City, a very famous venue for boxing.
• Austin started strong, using his speed and combinations. He also moved well to avoid Cotto's punches.
• Even though Cotto fought back hard in the middle rounds, Austin regained control later in the fight.
• Austin won by a clear unanimous decision. This was a huge victory for him, as Cotto had never lost at Madison Square Garden before.

Challenging for More Titles

After his win against Cotto, Austin faced some tough challenges.

• On April 20, 2013, he fought the undefeated Canelo Álvarez in Texas. This was a big fight, with nearly 40,000 fans watching.
• Canelo won the fight by unanimous decision, giving Austin his first professional loss. Canelo also knocked Austin down for the first time in his career.
• Later that year, on December 7, 2013, Austin fought Erislandy Lara for another WBA title. Lara won by unanimous decision, meaning Austin had lost two fights in a row.

Making a Comeback

After these losses, Austin took some time off and then started working his way back up.

• In August 2014, he returned to the ring and won a unanimous decision against Daniel Dawson, even after being knocked down twice.
• He continued to win, with victories over Luis Grajeda in December 2014, Luis Galarza in May 2015, and Joey Hernandez in September 2015.

More Title Challenges

Austin continued to challenge for world titles.

• On May 21, 2016, he fought Jermall Charlo for the IBF light middleweight title. It was a very close fight, but Charlo won by unanimous decision.
• On October 14, 2017, Austin challenged Jarrett Hurd for his IBF light middleweight title. Austin fought well early on, but Hurd's power took over. Austin's corner stopped the fight after the tenth round to protect him. This was the first time Austin had been stopped in a professional boxing match.
• On June 9, 2018, Austin fought Jermell Charlo (Jermall's twin brother) for the WBC title. Charlo won by majority decision, knocking Austin down twice during the fight.

Recent Boxing Matches

Austin continued to box after these title challenges.

• On May 25, 2019, he fought Terrell Gausha. The fight ended in a split draw, meaning the judges couldn't agree on a winner.
• In February 2020, Austin won by TKO against Rosbel Montoya.
• On February 6, 2021, he won a unanimous decision against Juan Armando Garcia in Mexico.
• He continued his winning streak with victories in 2022 and 2023, including winning the vacant Texas State light middleweight title in December 2022.

Bare-Knuckle Boxing Career

In addition to traditional boxing, Austin Trout has also competed in bare-knuckle boxing, which is boxing without gloves.

• On February 2, 2024, he made a big splash in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) by defeating Luis Palomino to become the new BKFC welterweight champion.
• Austin successfully defended his BKFC title against Ricardo Franco on October 12, 2024, winning by unanimous decision.
• He defended his title again on April 4, 2025, against Carlos Trinidad-Snake in Dubai. After a close fight, Austin won by split decision, keeping his championship belt.

Outside of Sports

Austin Trout has also appeared on television.

• In 2012, he was featured in an episode of the reality TV show Say Yes to the Dress called "His Opinion...", where his fiancé Taylor chose her wedding dress.

Championships and Accomplishments

Bare-Knuckle Boxing

• Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
  • BKFC Welterweight Championship (One time, current)
    • Two successful title defenses

Boxing

• WBA Regular light middleweight title (4 Defenses)
• Texas State light middleweight title
• WBC Continental Americas light middleweight title
• WBA Fedelatin light middleweight title
• WBA International light middleweight title
• U.S. National Amateur Welterweight Champion

Filmography