PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Carlos Batistuta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Giovanni Niccoli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Batistuta might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Megadeth - Symphony of Destruction. Giovanni Niccoli has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Batistuta
vs
Niccoli

200 cm
18
275 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

194 cm
18
245 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Lethal high kicks
Self confident

Excellent MT
Granite chin

TFP Graphics - Pit Inc

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Carlos Batistuta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Giovanni Niccoli!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Nard Betker and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Niccoli showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Batistuta.
Batistuta throws a leg kick but Niccoli checks it.
Niccoli walks forward, straight into a front kick from Batistuta.
Batistuta throws a head kick but Niccoli moves out of range.
Batistuta throws a right and a left that both miss.
Carlos Batistuta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Batistuta lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Giovanni Niccoli has been cut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Batistuta throws a quick inside leg kick.
Batistuta throws a head kick but Niccoli moves out of range.
Batistuta misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Batistuta throws a body kick that misses.
Batistuta avoids a kick to the body.
Batistuta throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Batistuta throws the kick towards the body but Niccoli avoids it.
Batistuta throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Niccoli counters with a good low kick that Batistuta was not able to check.
Niccoli moves out of range as Batistuta throws a body kick.
Niccoli throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Batistuta sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Batistuta checks a low kick from Niccoli.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batistuta throws a lazy body kick
and Niccoli counters with a head kick. That will keep Batistuta thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
A head kick from Batistuta lands but Niccoli takes it in his stride.
Nice defenses there by Batistuta.
Batistuta is looking to clinch.
Batistuta throws out a loose jab but Niccoli uses good head movement to avoid it.
Niccoli tries to land a front kick but Batistuta steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Batistuta tries to score with a low kick but Niccoli moves his leg out of the way.
Batistuta throws a sloppy head kick
and Niccoli counters with a big head kick but Batistuta shrugs it off.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Batistuta throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Niccoli throws a jab when Batistuta was well out of range.
Niccoli tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Niccoli pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Batistuta misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Niccoli is looking to land body kicks.
Niccoli misses with a low kick.

Batistuta darts in and clinches Niccoli up against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Batistuta tries to break free but Niccoli pushes him back against the ropes.
Batistuta wants to get back to striking at distance but Niccoli won't allow it.
Niccoli doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Batistuta is trying to push Niccoli away but Niccoli has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Niccoli controlling the action here for a moment.
Niccoli misses with a punch on the inside.
Niccoli misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Batistuta wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Batistuta is trying to break the clinch but Niccoli has him pressed against the ropes.
Batistuta is looking to break free of the clinch but Niccoli has double underhooks.
Batistuta wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Batistuta wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Niccoli has him pressed against the ropes.
Batistuta wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Niccoli has him pressed against the ropes.
Niccoli trying to stall but Batistuta improves his position.
Niccoli seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Batistuta breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Batistuta throws a lazy head kick
and Niccoli counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Niccoli scores with a nice head shot.
Batistuta throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Batistuta scores with a push kick.
Batistuta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Niccoli paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Batistuta attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Batistuta comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Niccoli looks gassed!
Niccoli fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Batistuta checks it well.
Batistuta misses with a body kick.
Batistuta lands with a kick to the temple. Niccoli shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That has opened up Giovanni Niccoli's cut even more.
Batistuta moves out of range of the body kick from Niccoli.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Niccoli.
A looping hook to the body misses from Batistuta. Niccoli does a little dance to reset his feet.
Batistuta throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Batistuta looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Batistuta gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Niccoli counters with an outside leg kick.
Batistuta ducks under a wild hook from Niccoli.
Niccoli avoids the head kick by Batistuta.
Batistuta misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Batistuta throws a body kick the misses
and Niccoli makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Niccoli throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Batistuta's head.

It looks like Carlos Batistuta has been cut.
Batistuta takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Niccoli throws a head kick but Batistuta moves out of range.

Niccoli rushes Batistuta and presses him up against the ropes.
A frustrated look appears on Batistuta's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Niccoli works on Batistuta's body with a couple of short punches.
Batistuta tries to land knees in the clinch but Niccoli avoids the damage to the body.
Niccoli lands with a short shot to the head.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Niccoli lands a right hand.
Batistuta tries to break free but Niccoli pushes him back against the ropes.
Batistuta wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Niccoli has him pressed against the ropes.
Batistuta blocks a body shot from Niccoli.
A shot in the inside from Niccoli.
Niccoli doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Batistuta wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Niccoli misses with the head strike.
Niccoli prevents Batistuta from breaking the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Batistuta.
Niccoli keeps control of Batistuta as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Niccoli taking a breather.
Batistuta working hard to break the clinch.
Niccoli tries to throw a body punch but Batistuta avoids it by throwing Niccoli back against the ropes.
Niccoli keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Batistuta's efforts to push away.

Niccoli escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Batistuta lands a high kick!

The cut above Giovanni Niccoli's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Niccoli lands with a slapping head kick.
Batistuta throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A looping hook to the body misses from Batistuta. Niccoli does a little dance to reset his feet.
Batistuta throws a sloppy head kick and Niccoli moves out of range easily.
Batistuta walks into a left hand.
Niccoli throws out a powerful jab.
Niccoli throws a shot to the body.
Niccoli scores with a leg kick.
Niccoli misses with a looping right.
Batistuta moves out of range as Niccoli throws a body kick.
Niccoli throws a nice inside leg kick.
Niccoli swings for the body but Batistuta moves out of range.
Niccoli misses the jab.
Niccoli cracks the inside of Batistuta's front leg.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Batistuta takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A left lands for Niccoli.
A big right from Niccoli misses.
A nice inside leg kick there by Niccoli. That's going to slow Batistuta down.
That kick from Niccoli tenderised Batistuta's leg. Batistuta is trying to keep his angry face on.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Niccoli connects with a body shot.
A head kick misses from Niccoli.
Niccoli fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Niccoli lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Batistuta takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Niccoli connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Niccoli lands a head kick that sends Batistuta down! Batistuta is flopping around the mat trying to get back up, leaving the referee no choice but to wave off the fight! Niccoli is victorious!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 7:50 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Head Kick). Giovanni Niccoli!
After winning the bout, Giovanni Niccoli thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.