PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Victor Hugo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Koichi Kano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Koichi Kano will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Hugo
vs
Kano

188 cm
27
250 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

203 cm
26
255 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

KAISER

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Victor Hugo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Koichi Kano!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Kenichi Hosakawa and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Hugo, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kano scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kano loads up on a big right hand but Hugo slips the punch.
Hugo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kano lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kano misses with a looping right.
Kano scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Hugo looks to land a combination but Kano avoids it well.
Hugo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kano looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kano throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Kano.
Kano keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kano connects with an inside leg kick.
Hugo blocks a jab.
Kano takes a jab right on the kisser.

It looks like Koichi Kano has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kano tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Hugo is able to avoid easily.
Victor Hugo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hugo misses with an attempted mid kick.
Hugo misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kano thuds his shin into the meat of Hugo's side.
Kano misses the shot to the body.
Hugo looks to land a combination. Kano sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kano.
Kano scores with a decent looking hook.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kano stuns Hugo with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Hugo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kano pushes Hugo away with a front kick.
Hugo is breathing heavily.
Kano works Hugo's body with a nice hook.
Hugo ducks right into an uppercut from Kano.
Hugo throws a sloppy head kick and Kano moves out of range easily.
Kano with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Kano throws a leg kick
and Hugo counters with a left to the body.
Hugo gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Hugo finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Hugo chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kano can pounce on him.
Hugo takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hugo looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

It looks like Victor Hugo has been cut.
Hugo gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Hugo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hugo takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

Kano moves into range and clinches up with Hugo.
Nice body punch from Kano - that landed with a thud.
Kano scores with a shoulder strike.
Hugo is trying to maintain a safe position but Kano gets an underhook and turns Hugo into the cage.
Hugo scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kano.
Hugo takes an elbow to the temple.
Hugo lands a body punch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kano softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Kano prevents a body shot from Hugo.
Kano lands a hook to the side of the head.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kano as Hugo tries to tie him up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Koichi Kano dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kano throws a half hearted mid kick.
A punch combination from Hugo misses.
Hugo on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Kano lands a nice looking body shot.
Kano blocks a head kick by Hugo.
Hugo throws a head kick but Kano moves out of range.
Kano scores with a leg kick.
Kano throws a quick inside leg kick.
Hugo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hugo misses with a shot to the body
and Kano counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kano does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Kano swings for the body but Hugo moves out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kano misses with a head kick.
Hugo avoids the head kick by Kano.

Kano clinches up with Hugo and pushes him back against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kano creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kano works on Hugo's body with a couple of short punches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hugo is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kano is defending well for now.
Hugo misses with a body punch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Kano just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hugo's brow.
Kano gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Kano tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hugo is trying to force a seperation but Kano has the dominant position.
Hugo trying to land knees to the body.
Hugo effectively controlling the action here.
Kano lands a shoulder strike.
Hugo is trying to break the clinch but Kano is controlling him.
Kano avoiding damage as Hugo throws knees to the body.
Hugo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kano goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hugo scores a nice knee to the body.
Kano lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hugo avoiding damage as Kano throws knees to the body.
Kano tries to land knees in the clinch but Hugo avoids the damage to the body.
Kano has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hugo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Kano misses with the head strike.
Hugo tries to stall but Kano uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kano tries to work over Hugo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kano keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hugo's efforts to push away.
Kano lands a nice elbow.
Hugo tries to break free but Kano pushes him back against the cage.
Kano throws an elbow that misses.
Kano will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Hugo up against the cage.
Hugo prevents a body shot from Kano.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kano will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Hugo up against the cage.
Hugo is trying to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Koichi Kano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kano looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kano takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Hugo tries to land a front kick but Kano steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Hugo on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kano. Kano obviously looking to wear him down.
Hugo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hugo looks to land a combination but Kano avoids it well.
Kano swings for the body but Hugo moves out of range.
Kano tries a head kick but it misses.

Kano forces Hugo back against the cage and clinches.
Hugo avoids a wild elbow strike from Kano.
Hugo comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Kano lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Kano stalling against the cage.
Koichi Kano seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Hugo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kano misses with the head strike.
Hugo trying to control the position but instead, Kano has worked for underhooks and has pushed Hugo into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hugo blocks the elbow strike.
Hugo can't find room to land a body shot as Kano controls the action.
Kano cracks Hugo with a nice body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kano goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hugo is looking to control Kano's arms but Kano gets an underhook and turns him. Now Hugo has his back to the cage.
Hugo missing with knees to the body.
Kano avoiding damage.
Kano tries to work over Hugo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hugo misses with a body punch.
Kano lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Hugo looking to stall.
Hugo is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Kano lands an elbow inside that Hugo shrugs off.
Hugo is trying to maintain a safe position but Kano gets an underhook and turns Hugo into the cage.
Kano misses with an elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is keeping an eye on Kano - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kano receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
A short right from Kano.
Kano is pushing Hugo up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Hugo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kano.
Hugo prevents a body shot from Kano.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kano.
Kano lands an elbow that stopped Hugo in his tracks for a moment.

Victor Hugo's cut is getting worse.
A short body shot lands from Kano as the two fighters clinch.
Kano lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Victor Hugo's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kano tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hugo avoids it.
Hugo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kano has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kano leaning his opponent against the cage.
Hugo struggles to land a body shot inside as Kano controls his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Koichi Kano really dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hugo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kano avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hugo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kano.
Kano with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Kano lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Hugo at a distance.
Hugo tries to close the distance and clinch but Kano swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hugo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kano is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Hugo throws a big shot that misses.
Hugo misses with a double jab.
Kano cracks a nice hook into Hugo's ribs.
Kano finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Hugo swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Kano counters with a left to the body.
Kano scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kano tests Hugo's chin there with a solid looking shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Kano closes the distance and clinches.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
A shot in the inside from Kano.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hugo misses with a knee strike.
Kano blocks a body shot from Hugo.
Kano lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Kano lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Kano tries to land knees in the clinch but Hugo avoids the damage to the body.
Kano avoiding damage as Hugo throws knees to the body.
Hugo tries to land knees in the clinch but Kano avoids the damage to the body.
Kano lands a left hand.
Kano working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Hugo tries to land knees in the clinch but Kano avoids the damage to the body.
Hugo blocks an elbow strike.
A right hand to the body from Kano.
Kano stalling.
Hugo's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Jeez, Victor Hugo's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hugo tries to circle away but Kano has him pinned against the cage.
A short left from Kano.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kano.
Kano tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hugo avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hugo takes an elbow to the temple.
Kano lands a hook to the side of the head.
The referee is keeping an eye on Kano - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Kano lands a body shot in the clinch.
Kano lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Victor Hugo's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:31 of round 4, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Koichi Kano!
During a confident post fight interview, Koichi Kano thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.