PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Martin King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frankie Shepherd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shepherd has chosen Eye Of The Tiger as his entrance music. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

King
vs
Shepherd

160 cm
19
135 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

172 cm
19
143 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Martin King!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Frankie Shepherd!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Colin Fotheringham and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab from Shepherd.
Shepherd misses with a straight left.
King tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shepherd swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shepherd connects with a nice looking jab.
Shepherd takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Shepherd misses the jab.
Shepherd misses with a wild body shot.
King throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

King moves into the clinch.
Shepherd takes an elbow to the temple.
King is looking to control Shepherd's arms but Shepherd gets an underhook and turns him. Now King has his back to the cage.
Shepherd takes a knee right on the jaw!
Shepherd takes an elbow to the forehead.
King lands an elbow just above Shepherd 's eye.
King misses with a knee strike.
King comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Shepherd takes an elbow to the temple.
Shepherd wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
King scores with a knee to the head.
Shepherd avoids the elbow strike from King, against the cage.
Shepherd misses with a punch on the inside.
King scores with a knee to the head.
King landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
King lands an elbow inside that Shepherd shrugs off.
Shepherd wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but King has him pressed against the cage.
King has Shepherd pressed against the cage, preventing Shepherd from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Shepherd takes an elbow to the forehead.
King with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Shepherd looks gassed!
A nice glancing elbow lands by King.
King misses with a knee strike.
King using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
King lands an elbow inside.
Shepherd takes an elbow to the forehead.
King stalling in the clinch.
Shepherd looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Shepherd has a couple of punches blocked by King.
King scores a nice knee to the body.
King is looking to control Shepherd's arms but Shepherd gets an underhook and turns him. Now King has his back to the cage.
Shepherd throws a head punch that misses.
Shepherd doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
King is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
King pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Knees to the body from King.
King lands an elbow that stopped Shepherd in his tracks for a moment.
Shepherd lands a shoulder strike.
King taking a breather.
King lands a nice elbow.
A frustrated look appears on Shepherd's face as he tries to break the clinch.
King prevents a body shot from Shepherd.
Shepherd is trying to break free.
King using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Shepherd has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Shepherd is trying to break free.
King misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from King.
King looking to throw knees to the head but Shepherd is blocking nicely.
King creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Shepherd's defenses.
Shepherd swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Shepherd lands a left hand.
Shepherd takes an elbow to the temple.
Shepherd lands with a light punch inside.
Shepherd wants to break free but King has control.
Shepherd letting King take a breather here.
King lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Shepherd misses with a hook from the clinch.
King tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Shepherd avoids it.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Shepherd creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Shepherd throws a punch but it's blocked by King.
King lands an elbow inside.

Shepherd breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Shepherd lands a body shot.
Shepherd staying out of range there.
Shepherd connects with a body shot.
King is looking to clinch.
King misses with a head kick.
King ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shepherd moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd cracks King with a good jab.
Shepherd scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Shepherd throws a hook but King blocks it.
King uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Shepherd.
Shepherd is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
King with a hook.
King slips a straight right by Shepherd.
Frankie Shepherd seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters circling a little - King finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Shepherd avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
King tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shepherd paws at him with a jab and circles away.
King ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shepherd moves away.
King steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Shepherd.
Shepherd misses with a few strikes there.
Shepherd paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Shepherd looks to land a left hand but King moved out of range nicely.
King takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Shepherd tries to clinch but King moves out of range.
King looks to land a combination but Shepherd avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
King has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Shepherd finds it's way round the side to connect with King's head.
King slips a jab and a cross from Shepherd.
Shepherd checks a leg kick.
King closes the distance and lands a one-two.
King tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shepherd swats him away and circles back towards the center.
King swings for the body but Shepherd moves out of range.
King misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Shepherd.
A telegraphed right hand from King misses the target.
Shepherd is looking to clinch but King is avoiding it.
Shepherd slips a jab and a cross from King.
Shepherd fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
King thumps Shepherd with a low kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Shepherd misses the target.
King slips under a jab.
Shepherd jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin King 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.

King connects with a looping right hand.
Shepherd takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Shepherd tests King's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Shepherd throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Decent striking displayed by Shepherd there.
A clash of legs there as Shepherd blocks the low kick.
Good shot there by King.
Shepherd scores with a nice right hand.
Shepherd thows a left - swing and a miss!
Shepherd ducks under a wild hook from King.
King displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Shepherd throws out the jab.
Shepherd lands with an uppercut that bounces King off the cage and back into rage.
Shepherd throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting King counter with a right hand.
King avoids a punch combination nicely.
Shepherd misses with a double jab.
Shepherd fakes high and swings low for a body shot but King manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Shepherd bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Shepherd misses with a looping right.
King throws a head kick but Shepherd moves out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from King misses the target.
King avoids the body shot from Shepherd.
Shepherd scores with a hook.
Shepherd checks a low kick from King.
A chopping leg kick lands by King.
Shepherd is breathing heavily.
A telegraphed right hand from Shepherd misses the target.
King feints and then cracks Shepherd's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Shepherd down.
Shepherd takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
King will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
King jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Shepherd has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Shepherd throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
King scores with a sloppy right hand. Shepherd should have avoided that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by King. That's going to slow Shepherd down.
King looks to score with a jab to the body but Shepherd is just out of range.
Shepherd takes a swing at King's ribcage but misses.

King clinches with his opponent.
King trying to land knees to the body.
King landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
King has Shepherd pushed against the cage.
King landing knees to the head.
King looking to throw knees to the head but Shepherd is blocking nicely.
King gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Shepherd misses with some punches.
King lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Shepherd takes an elbow to the forehead.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as King takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Shepherd wants to get back to striking at distance but King won't allow it.
Shepherd looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
King misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Shepherd.
Shepherd wants to break free but King has control.
Shepherd wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Shepherd wants to get back to striking at distance but King won't allow it.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd digs a right hand underneath King's ribcage. King let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. King obliges.
Shepherd is trying to break the clinch but King has him pressed against the cage.
King scores with a knee to the head.
Shepherd throws a head punch that misses.
Shepherd looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
King leaning against his opponent.
King keeps control of Shepherd as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
King with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shepherd doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Shepherd fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
King lands a good knee to the midsection. Shepherd won't want to take too many of those.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
King landing some nice looking knees to the body.
King lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
King connects with a knee to the head.
King looks to throw an elbow but misses.
King misses with an elbow strike.
King with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Shepherd tries to break free but King pushes him back against the cage.
A body shot lands from Shepherd.
Shepherd lands a right hand.
King tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shepherd lands with a light punch inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd working hard to break the clinch.
King gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Shepherd is looking to break free of the clinch but King has double underhooks.
Shepherd avoiding damage as King throws knees to the body.
Shepherd misses with a short punch on the inside.
Shepherd tries to circle away but King has him pinned against the cage.
Shepherd takes a knee right on the jaw!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Shepherd.
Shepherd wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but King has him pressed against the cage.
Shepherd can't break the clinch.
King keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Shepherd's efforts to push away.
Shepherd wants to break free but King has control.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
King lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Shepherd wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
King crunches a lovely knee into Shepherd's ribcage.
Nice elbow from King.
King throws an elbow but it misses.
Shepherd misses with some punches.
Shepherd lands an uppercut.

Shepherd escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Shepherd throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and King counters by clinching up.
Shepherd can't break the clinch.
Shepherd lands a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin King dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A good leg kick by King.
Shepherd misses with a telegraphed body shot

and King counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by King.
King tries to land a knee to the head but Shepherd blocks with his arms.
King tries to stall but Shepherd uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
King missing with knees to the body.
King keeps control of Shepherd as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
King unloads a knee to the mid-section. Shepherd lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Shepherd wants to get back to striking at distance but King won't allow it.
A head punch on the inside from Shepherd fails to land.
Shepherd digs a right hand underneath King's ribcage. King let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Shepherd is trying to break the clinch but King is controlling him.
Shepherd misses with a short punch on the inside.
King lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Shepherd takes a knee right on the jaw!
King pressing his opponent against the cage.
King creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Shepherd's defenses.
Shepherd blocks an elbow strike.
King pushes off an throws an elbow but Shepherd leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shepherd on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shepherd wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
King using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Shepherd has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Shepherd is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. King is defending well for now.
King misses with an elbow strike.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd tries to break the clinch but King is controlling the position.
King keeps control of Shepherd as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Shepherd pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Shepherd throws out a loose jab but King uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shepherd throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Shepherd throws a hook to the side of King's head but King sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

King closes the distance and clinches.
King lands an elbow inside.
Shepherd scores with a hook to the body.
King misses with a knee to the head.
With the fighters up against the cage, King throws an elbow but misses.
King lands an elbow inside that Shepherd shrugs off.
Shepherd lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Martin King has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Shepherd is trying to break the clinch but King is controlling him.
King tries a knee to the head but Shepherd blocks it.
King has Shepherd pushed against the cage.
Shepherd tries to circle away but King has him pinned against the cage.

Shepherd's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Shepherd falls off balance throwing a combination
and King counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Martin King is winning the standup battle so far.
Shepherd misses with a looping right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Shepherd misses with a straight right.
King blocks a jab.
King connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Shepherd tries to bum rush King with a series of wild strikes but King uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
King steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Shepherd.

King fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Shepherd, pushing him back against the cage.
King connects with a knee to the head.
King lands a knee to the body.
Shepherd wants to break the clinch but can't.
Shepherd misses with a short punch on the inside.
Shepherd can't find room to land a body shot as King controls the action.
King looking to stall.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. King obliges.
King lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Shepherd doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
King throws an elbow but it's blocked.
King looking to slow down the pace here.
King controlling the action here for a moment.
Shepherd is trying to break the clinch but King is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King lands a damaging elbow.
Shepherd has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Shepherd wants to break free but King has control.
King lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
King pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
King tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Shepherd tries to work over King's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
King lands a nice knee to the body.
Shepherd throws a head punch that misses.
A frustrated look appears on Shepherd's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Shepherd scores with a nice short uppercut.
King lands an elbow just above Shepherd 's eye.
Shepherd takes a knee right on the jaw!
Shepherd wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Shepherd lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Shepherd working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
King lands an elbow that stopped Shepherd in his tracks for a moment.
King stalls.
A nice glancing elbow lands by King.
Shepherd managing to block the knees to the body from King.
Shepherd swings wildly with an uppercut but King uses good head movement to avoid it.
King misses with an elbow over the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
King pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Shepherd gets through King's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Shepherd lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Shepherd working hard to break the clinch.
King scores with a knee to the head.
King blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
King prevents Shepherd from breaking the clinch.
Shepherd on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, King throws an elbow but misses.
Shepherd is working King over against the cage.
King throws an elbow that misses.
King tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
King missing with knees to the body.
Shepherd wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Shepherd lands a right hand that snaps the head of King backwards.
Shepherd has had enough of the clinch but King keeps him there for the moment.
King blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
King tries to land a knee to the head but Shepherd blocks with his arms.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Shepherd.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Shepherd escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A punch combination from King misses.
Shepherd throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Shepherd smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin King clearly takes that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Shepherd connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between King's hands.
Shepherd throws a combination. King tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
King on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Shepherd fails with an attempt to clinch.
King scores with a decent looking hook.
Shepherd wants to clinch up but King keeps it at a distance.
Shepherd wants to clinch.
Shepherd slips a jab and a cross from King.
King is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King dodges the punch combination from Shepherd.
Shepherd swats away the attempt to clinch by King.
Shepherd displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Shepherd is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King dodges the punch combination from Shepherd.
King is looking to clinch but Shepherd is avoiding it.
Shepherd lands with a nice body punch.
Shepherd swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by King.
King lands with an uppercut that bounces Shepherd off the cage and back into rage.
The fighters circle momentarily. Shepherd darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Shepherd is looking to clinch but King is avoiding it.
King goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Shepherd throws a hook but King blocks it.
Shepherd looks to land a left hand but King moved out of range nicely.
Shepherd takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
King throws a quick inside leg kick.
King is looking to clinch.
A combination from Shepherd does no damage.
Shepherd tries to clinch but King moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd lands a really nice looking cross but King seems unphased.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from King, right into the meat.
King throws a leg kick which misses Shepherd's front leg but catches the back leg as Shepherd tries to avoid it.
King scores with a nice head shot.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
King working Shepherd over with knees to the body.
King blocks a body shot from Shepherd.
King lands a nice elbow.
King lands a nice elbow.
Shepherd wants to break the clinch but can't.
King utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
King lands an elbow inside that Shepherd shrugs off.
Shepherd's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
King lands an elbow that stopped Shepherd in his tracks for a moment.
King scores a nice knee to the body.
King lands a damaging elbow.
King gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
King comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
King crunches a lovely knee into Shepherd's ribcage.
Shepherd working aggressively here.
A knee to the head by King.
King landing knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd takes an elbow to the forehead.
King misses with a knee to the head.
King blocks a punch to the side of the head.
King tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
King prevents Shepherd from breaking the clinch.
Shepherd swings wildly with an uppercut but King uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Shepherd.
Shepherd takes an elbow to the forehead.
Shepherd misses with a hook to the ribs.
King is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
King wants to stall.
Shepherd doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
King working Shepherd over with knees to the body.
King connects with a knee to the head.
Shepherd lands a right hand.
King just leaning against Shepherd, taking a breather.
Shepherd lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
King looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
King keeps control of Shepherd as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
King working Shepherd over with knees to the body.
King landing knees to the head.
King throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Shepherd misses with a hook from the clinch.
Shepherd working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
King tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Shepherd avoids it.
Shepherd dodges an elbow strike from King.
Shepherd wants to break the clinch but can't.
King using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Shepherd has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Shepherd scores with a shot to the side of King's head.
Shepherd blocks the elbow strike.
Shepherd is trying to break the clinch but King has him pressed against the cage.
A looping hook to the body misses from Shepherd. King does a little dance to reset his feet.
Shepherd scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Shepherd closes the distance but King moves to the side
and King cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Martin King is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
King wants to clinch.
Shepherd rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but King moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
King lands a nice leg kick that just misses Shepherd's sensitive parts.
Shepherd throws a lazy right hand but King sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

King gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
King taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Shepherd has had enough of the clinch but King keeps him there for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin King had his way with Frankie Shepherd in that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Shepherd misses with a wild body shot.
Shepherd just misses with a punch to the body.
Shepherd throws a hook but King blocks it.
Shepherd looks to throw the jab but King is out of range.
Shepherd misses with a series of wild punches.
Shepherd misses with a shot to the body
and Shepherd takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
King scores with a hook to the body. Shepherd takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Shepherd throws a looping overhand right but King ducks down to avoid it.
Shepherd avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Shepherd throws a right and a left that King avoids nicely.
King ducks under a wild hook from Shepherd.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shepherd paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shepherd is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
King throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Shepherd slips under a jab.

King closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Shepherd misses with a hook from the clinch.
King misses with a knee to the head.

Shepherd breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shepherd will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
King tries to clinch there but Shepherd circles away.

King gets a clinch.
Shepherd wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but King has him pressed against the cage.
King gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
King pushes off an throws an elbow but Shepherd leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
A knee to the head by King.
King unloads a knee to the mid-section.
King with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Shepherd escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Shepherd swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
King misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
King needs to keep his hands up - Shepherd had a free shot at his head there.
Shepherd throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Shepherd uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from King.
Shepherd swats away the attempt to clinch by King.
Shepherd throws a jab when King was well out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
King swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Shepherd changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Shepherd throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and King makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

King gets in close and instigates a clinch.
King displaying some good clinch control by pressing Shepherd up against the cage.
King keeps control of Shepherd as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
King lands an elbow inside that Shepherd shrugs off.
Shepherd misses with some punches.
Shepherd swings wildly with an uppercut but King uses good head movement to avoid it.
King wants to stall.
King gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Shepherd.
King tries to land knees in the clinch but Shepherd avoids the damage to the body.
Shepherd is trying to break the clinch but King has him pressed against the cage.
Shepherd doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
King unloads a knee to the mid-section. Shepherd lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Shepherd is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Shepherd can't break the clinch.
King is trying to maintain a safe position but Shepherd gets an underhook and turns King into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shepherd wants to get back to striking at distance but King won't allow it.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
King tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
King has Shepherd pressed against the cage, preventing Shepherd from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
King with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Frankie Shepherd has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shepherd has had enough of the clinch but King keeps him there for the moment.
King keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Shepherd's efforts to push away.
King stalling in the clinch but Shepherd improves position.
King blocks an uppercut.

Shepherd breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Shepherd checks the leg kick.
Shepherd scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Shepherd missing with a left hand there. King was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
King walks into a stiff left hand from Shepherd.
King throws a right and a left that Shepherd avoids nicely.
King keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
King tries to clinch but Shepherd moves out of range.
Shepherd misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from King.
Shepherd throws a hook but King avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
King chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Shepherd slips under a jab.
Shepherd takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Some wild striking there from Shepherd.
King slips under a jab from Shepherd.
Shepherd fails to land with a series of punches.
Shepherd throws a body punch but King moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - King looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shepherd loads up on a big right hand but King slips the punch.
King wants to clinch up but Shepherd keeps it at a distance.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Shepherd slips under a jab.
A big right from Shepherd misses.

King has taken the fight to the clinch.
Shepherd misses with a shot to the kidneys.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martin King showed his dominance in that final round.
Well King has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 50:45
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 50:45
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 50:45

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin King!
Martin King retains his bantamweight title!