PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Boxer (ranked 3275 p4p, 3920 weight class) and Steve Durbans (ranked 417 p4p, 511 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Boxer
vs
Durbans

187 cm
25
202
3 - 2 - 0

185 cm
26
210
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, James Boxer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Steve Durbans!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Peter Branson and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Boxer rushes Durbans and presses him up against the cage.
Boxer looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Durbans tries to circle away but Boxer has him pinned against the cage.
Durbans wants to break free but Boxer has control.
Durbans is trying to break free.
Boxer prevents Durbans from breaking the clinch.
Durbans has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
We've been informed that Durbans has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Durbans wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Boxer scores with a nice hook to the head.
Durbans wants to break free but Boxer has control.
Durbans wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Boxer has him pressed against the cage.
Durbans looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Durbans blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Durbans wants to break the clinch but can't.
Boxer lands a shoulder strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durbans is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Durbans is trying to break the clinch but Boxer has him pressed against the cage.
Durbans blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Durbans wants to break the clinch but can't.
Boxer prevents Durbans from breaking the clinch.
Durbans wants to break free but Boxer has control.
Durbans wants to get back to striking at distance but Boxer won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boxer lands an uppercut.
Durbans is trying to force a seperation but Boxer has the dominant position.
Durbans is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Boxer with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Boxer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Boxer misses with a series of wild punches.
Durbans is looking for the big counter here.
Durbans throws a front kick that sends Boxer stumbling back into the cage.

Boxer forces Durbans back against the cage and clinches.
Durbans is looking to break free of the clinch but Boxer has double underhooks.
Boxer keeps control of Durbans as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Boxer leaning his opponent against the cage.
Durbans wants to break the clinch but can't.
Durbans has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Boxer wants to get back to striking at distance but Durbans won't allow it.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Boxer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boxer tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Durbans avoids it.
Durbans wants to break the clinch but can't.
Durbans can't break the clinch.
Boxer lands a right hand that snaps the head of Durbans backwards.
Boxer is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Durbans is defending well for now.
Durbans can't break the clinch.
Durbans is trying to break the clinch but Boxer has him pressed against the cage.
Boxer keeps control of Durbans as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Boxer breaks from the clinch.
Boxer thuds a left hand into Durbans's body.
Durbans connects with a high kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Boxer fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Durbans, pushing him back against the cage.
Boxer working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Durbans wants to get back to striking at distance but Boxer won't allow it.
Durbans wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Durbans tries to break free but Boxer pushes him back against the cage.
Durbans is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Boxer is keeping busy.
Boxer working hard to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boxer working hard to break the clinch.
A body shot lands from Boxer.
Boxer is trying to break free.
Durbans wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Durbans tries to break free but Boxer pushes him back against the cage.
Good body shot from Boxer.
Boxer is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Durbans is defending well for now.
Durbans tries to break free but Boxer pushes him back against the cage.
Boxer lands a body shot.
Boxer stalling against the cage.
Durbans can't break the clinch.
Durbans prevents Boxer from breaking the clinch.
Durbans wants to break free but Boxer has control.
Boxer tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Boxer throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Boxer lands a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boxer stalling.
Durbans is trying to break the clinch but Boxer has him pressed against the cage.
Boxer lands a body shot in the clinch.
Durbans blocks an elbow strike.
Durbans can't break the clinch.

Boxer breaks from the clinch.
Durbans rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Boxer moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Boxer pushes Durbans up against the cage in a clinch.
Boxer working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Durbans is looking to break free of the clinch but Boxer has double underhooks.

Boxer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Boxer has closed the distance and engaged Durbans in a clinch.
Durbans is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Boxer lands with a short shot to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Durbans has Boxer pressed against the cage, preventing Boxer from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Durbans looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Boxer trying to land knees to the body.

Boxer manages to break the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

James Boxer dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Boxer takes the fight into the clinch.
Boxer lands a nice uppercut.
Boxer looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Durbans has Boxer pressed against the cage, preventing Boxer from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Boxer throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Durbans wants to get back to striking at distance but Boxer won't allow it.
Durbans can't break the clinch.
Durbans is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Durbans is looking to break free of the clinch but Boxer has double underhooks.
Boxer looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Boxer manages to break the clinch.
Boxer throws a body kick that misses.
Durbans now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Boxer moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durbans wants to get back to striking at distance but Boxer won't allow it.
Durbans is looking to break free of the clinch but Boxer has double underhooks.

Boxer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A thudding body kick lands there by Durbans!
Durbans scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durbans throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Boxer is rocked!
Boxer gets hit by the mother of all head kicks and drops to the canvas in a crumpled heap! Woooow, the Internet is going to be talking about this one for weeks!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:10 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Steve Durbans!