PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Hearn (ranked 215 p4p, 411 weight class) and Ezequiel Canizares (ranked 30 p4p, 54 weight class). Hearn kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Professor X - Dave. Canizares is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by El Loco. 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.

Hearn
vs
Canizares

185 cm
34
180
26 - 16 - 0

183 cm
30
173
12 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

New Standard

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Hearn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Ezequiel Canizares!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Summer Carpenter and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good exchange - Hearn coming out on top.
Hearn has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Hearn keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Canizares.
Canizares scoring well with a low kick there.
Hearn is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Canizares.
Hearn throws a predictable looking body shot
and Canizares counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Canizares misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hearn.
Canizares misses with a low kick.
Hearn lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Hearn looks to land a left hand but Canizares moved out of range nicely.
Hearn pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Canizares missing with a left hand there. Hearn was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Canizares checks the leg kick nicely there.
Canizares doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Canizares throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Canizares avoids the body shot from Hearn.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Canizares scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Hearn connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hearn doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Hearn scores with the left hand. Canizares knows he should have avoided that one.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hearn tried to score with a low kick but Canizares checks it.
Hearn misses with a left hand
and Canizares counters with a nice body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hearn slips a jab from Canizares.
It looked like Hearn was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Canizares on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Canizares misses with an attempted mid kick.
Hearn appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Thomas Hearn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Canizares tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Hearn misses with a wild body shot.
Canizares misses with an uppercut. Hearn saw that one coming.
Canizares misses with a wild body shot.
Canizares scores with a sloppy right hand. Hearn should have avoided that one.
Hearn throws a front kick aimed at Canizares's knee but Canizares avoids it well.
Canizares uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Hearn has time to react.
Hearn takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Canizares misses the jab.
Hearn misses with a body punch
and Canizares counters with a left to the body.
Canizares connects with a single shot there.
A lazy left from Canizares finds it's target.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hearn throws a jab when Canizares was well out of range.
Canizares has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Canizares throws a jab but it's blocked by Hearn.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hearn has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Canizares.
Canizares throws a big shot that misses.
Canizares bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Hearn's head.
Hearn throws a leg kick but Canizares moved away.
Canizares slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Hearn walks into a left hand.
Canizares fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hearn manages to avoid it.
A little feinted left hand from Hearn on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Hearn misses the shot to the body.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Canizares - that will leave a mark!
Canizares scores with a shot to the body.
Canizares dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Hearn. That did some damage!
Hearn throws a combination. Canizares tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Hearn throws a body shot but no joy.
Canizares wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Hearn throws a poor cross that misses
and Canizares counters with an outside leg kick.
Canizares scores with a kick to the body.
Hearn checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Canizares throws a jab but it's blocked by Hearn.
Hearn misses with the combination.
Good shot there by Hearn.
Canizares misses with an attempted mid kick.
Canizares misses with a hook.
Hearn slips a jab from Canizares.
Hearn fires out a quick counter leg kick but Canizares just manages to avoid it.
Hearn defending well as Canizares loads up on a big left hand.
Canizares throws a push kick but Hearn slaps the foot to one side.
Hearn swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Hearn tries to work over Canizares's front leg with a kick but Canizares checks it.
Canizares is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Hearn had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Canizares on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Hearn. Hearn obviously looking to wear him down.
Hearn fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Canizares feints and then cracks Hearn's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hearn down.
Canizares lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Hearn throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Canizares stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hearn throws a head kick that misses.
Canizares is looking to land body kicks.
Hearn scoring well with a low kick there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hearn has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Canizares.
Hearn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Canizares lands an overhand right.
Canizares throws a good cross that connects.
Hearn avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Hearn misses with a looping right.
Hearn takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Canizares lands a slapping body shot.
Hearn drops his hands momentarily and Canizares takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Canizares throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Canizares just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromHearn.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hearn takes one to the chin there.
Hearn steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Canizares.
Canizares moves out of range of the leg kick from Hearn.
Canizares connects with a looping right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ezequiel Canizares dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Hearn cracks Canizares with a right hand to the side of the head.
Hearn throws out a loose jab but Canizares uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice straight punches there by Canizares. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Canizares.
Hearn throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Canizares is looking for the big counter here.
Canizares lands with a kick to the ribs.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hearn.
Canizares looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Hearn throwing a counter right hand but Canizares manages to avoid it.
Canizares throws a quick inside leg kick.
Hearn checks the leg kick.
Hearn misses with a lunging right hand
and Canizares connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hearn fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Canizares looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Hearn lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Canizares throws a hook but Hearn blocks it.
A slow jab from Canizares misses its intended target.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hearn lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Hearn moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Canizares ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hearn moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hearn throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Canizares throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Hearn blocks a head kick by Canizares.
Hearn swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Canizares dodges the punch combination from Hearn.
Hearn steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Canizares.
Hearn takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Hearn throws a front kick that sends Canizares stumbling back into the cage.
Hearn throws an overhand right that lands on Canizares's shoulder, as Canizares tries to avoid the shot.
Canizares misses with a low kick.
A quick step to the side and Hearn tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hearn lands with a hook. Canizares tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Canizares misses the shot to the body.
Canizares throws out a loose jab but Hearn uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hearn bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Canizares misses with a looping right.
Canizares misses with a hook. Hearn ducked under it nicely.
Ezequiel Canizares seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Canizares misses with a wild body shot.
Canizares has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hearn throws a body punch but Canizares moves out of range.
Hearn throws a hook but Canizares blocks it.
Canizares throws a wild body kick that Hearn sees coming a mile off.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hearn.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A leg kick checked by Canizares.
Canizares connects with a solid leg kick.
Canizares throws a shot from downtown. Hearn moves away and avoids it.
Hearn throws a head kick that misses.
Canizares uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Canizares is looking to land body kicks.
Hearn throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Canizares connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Hearn throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hearn looks to land a body kick but Canizares moved away.
Hearn's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Canizares connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Hearn scrambles back to his feet.
Hearn is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good work by Hearn as he checks the leg kick.
Hearn checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
A little feinted left hand from Hearn on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Hearn throws a low kick but Canizares moves out of range easily.
Hearn misses with a body kick.
Hearn misses with a left hand
and Hearn takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hearn looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Hearn throws a lazy head kick
and Canizares counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A big left from Hearn misses.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Hearn might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
A low kick from Canizares is predictable there
and Canizares takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hearn uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Canizares.
Hearn misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Canizares.
Canizares throws a low kick but it's checked well by Hearn.
Canizares blocks a low kick nicely.
Canizares ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hearn moves away.
Canizares slips under a jab from Hearn.
Canizares lands a nice shot that snaps Hearn's head back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hearn misses the jab.
Hearn throws a nice head kick!
Canizares throws a body shot but no joy.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hearn wants to land a leg kick but Canizares is out of range.
Canizares throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Hearn looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
A swing and a miss from Canizares.
Nice body punch from Canizares.
A punch combination from Hearn misses.
Hearn walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Canizares checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Canizares only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Canizares keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Hearn lets loose with a powerful body kick. Canizares will feel that in the morning.
Hearn throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Some bone on bone action there as Hearn checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Hearn takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Canizares looks to score with a jab to the body but Hearn is just out of range.
Canizares scores with a nice body kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ezequiel Canizares showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hearn uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Canizares.
Canizares takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Canizares swings for the body but Hearn moves out of range.
Canizares misses the shot to the body.
Canizares uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hearn.
Canizares moves out of range of the strikes.
Hearn swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hearn uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Canizares.
Hearn ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Canizares moves away.
Canizares misses the jab.
Canizares stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hearn takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hearn.
Canizares cracks Hearn with a good jab.
Hearn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hearn throwing a counter right hand but Canizares manages to avoid it.
Hearn misses with a straight left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Hearn misses.
Hearn throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hearn takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Canizares lands a right hook to the body.
Hearn throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Canizares let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Hearn misses with a hook. Canizares ducked under it nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A head kick misses from Canizares.
Hearn was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Hearn has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Hearn there as he acknowledges the shot.
Canizares lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Canizares uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hearn.
Hearn slips a straight right by Canizares.
Canizares pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Canizares fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hearn manages to avoid it.
Canizares lands with a right hand.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Canizares checks a leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Canizares.
Thomas Hearn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hearn throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Canizares on the side of the head.
Hearn dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Canizares scores with a leg kick.
Hearn throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A telegraphed right hand from Canizares misses the target.
Hearn wants to land a leg kick but Canizares is out of range.
It seemed like Canizares was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Hearn blocks a low kick nicely.
Canizares tries to work over Hearn's front leg with a kick but Hearn checks it.
Canizares throws a half hearted mid kick.
It looked like Hearn was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Canizares.
Canizares connects with a solid leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Canizares.
Canizares scores with a jab to the jaw.
Hearn connects with a body shot.
Canizares getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Canizares lands a lovely overhand right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hearn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Canizares manages to avoid it.
Hearn with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Canizares to score with a decent uppercut.
Canizares defending well as Hearn loads up on a big left hand.
Canizares lands a lovely overhand right.
Canizares lands a jab.
Canizares fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Hearn has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Canizares changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Canizares misses with a body kick.
Canizares lands a glancing blow to the side of Hearn's head.
Canizares moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Hearn throws a body shot but no joy.
Canizares connects with an inside leg kick.
Canizares moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hearn throws a leg kick but Canizares sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Canizares lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Nice body kick there by Canizares.
Nice defenses there by Hearn.
Hearn tried to counter with a leg kick but Canizares avoided it.
Hearn throws a sloppy head kick
and Canizares counters with a nice body shot.
Nice jab there from Canizares.
Hearn moves out of range of the body kick.
Canizares throws a shot to the body.
Ezequiel Canizares is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Hearn attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
A countering left hand to the body from Canizares misses.
Hearn takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Nice uppercut lands for Canizares. That snapped Hearn's head back.
A good leg kick by Canizares.
Hearn will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Hearn tries to land a body kick
and Canizares counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hearn tries to land a leg kick but Canizares saw it coming and moves away.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Hearn crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Canizares - the referee stops the clock and Hearn gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Canizares. Hearn manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Hearn looks to throw a body kick
and Canizares counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ezequiel Canizares comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Canizares has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ezequiel Canizares!
A victorious Ezequiel Canizares thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.