PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Tiger Chu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrea Mangiacapre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Chu
vs
Mangiacapre

170 cm
25
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Excellent MT
Good chin

Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tiger Chu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Andrea Mangiacapre!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Mauricio Rocha and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Mangiacapre.
Chu keeps Mangiacapre at a distance using the push kick.
Chu moves in looking to clinch but Mangiacapre pushes him off.
Mangiacapre swinging wildly here.
Chu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mangiacapre swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mangiacapre circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mangiacapre throws a lazy right hand but Chu sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mangiacapre missing with a left hand there. Chu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Chu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mangiacapre swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mangiacapre looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Mangiacapre jabs at Chu's body.
Mangiacapre works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Chu takes the fight into the clinch.
Chu slowing the pace effectively.
Mangiacapre takes an elbow to the forehead.
Chu lands a shot to the body.
Mangiacapre looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Mangiacapre breaks from the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mangiacapre circles away from the clinch attempt.
Chu has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Chu there as he acknowledges the shot.
Mangiacapre lands with a hook. Chu tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Chu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Chu fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mangiacapre, pushing him back against the ropes.
Chu lands a damaging elbow.
Chu unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Mangiacapre working hard to break the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Chu lands an elbow inside that Mangiacapre shrugs off.
Chu slows down the pace here.
Mangiacapre throws a head punch that misses.
Chu keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mangiacapre's efforts to push away.
Chu lands an elbow inside.
Chu stalling against the ropes.
Chu has Mangiacapre pressed against the ropes, preventing Mangiacapre from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Chu blocking some punches.
Chu is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mangiacapre is defending well for now.
I was talking to Chu's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chu lands an elbow inside that Mangiacapre shrugs off.
Chu lands with a right to the head.
Chu looking to stall.
Mangiacapre has had enough of the clinch but Chu keeps him there for the moment.
Chu is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Chu is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
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!
Chu content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Chu lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Chu lands with a light punch inside.
Mangiacapre is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Nice elbow from Chu.
Chu tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Mangiacapre creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Chu is trying to stall.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mangiacapre being controlled against the ropes.
Chu lands a damaging elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiger Chu dominated that round.
That's time! Chu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Mangiacapre misses with a wild combination.
Mangiacapre misses with a low kick as Chu jumps back.
Chu blocks a head kick by Mangiacapre.
Mangiacapre misses with a double jab.
Chu displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mangiacapre throws out the jab.
Chu tries to clinch but Mangiacapre is having none of it.
Mangiacapre tries to bum rush Chu with a series of wild strikes but Chu uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mangiacapre misses with a jab, cross combination.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Good leg kick by Chu there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Chu darts in and clinches Mangiacapre up against the ropes.
Stalling in the clinch from Chu.
Mangiacapre swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Mangiacapre wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Chu has him pressed against the ropes.
Chu unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mangiacapre lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Chu takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A short body shot lands from Chu as the two fighters clinch.
Mangiacapre is trying to break free.
Chu lands a knee to the body.
Mangiacapre takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chu keeps control of Mangiacapre as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mangiacapre wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Chu has him pressed against the ropes.
A right hand to the body from Mangiacapre.
Chu unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mangiacapre lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Mangiacapre takes a knee right on the jaw!
Chu is trying to stall.
Chu lands a hook that snaps the head of Mangiacapre backwards.
Mangiacapre can't break the clinch.
Chu keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mangiacapre's efforts to push away.
Chu gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Mangiacapre misses with the head strike.
Mangiacapre is trying to push Chu away but Chu has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Chu comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Chu lands an elbow that stopped Mangiacapre in his tracks for a moment.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Chu unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mangiacapre lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Chu tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mangiacapre wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mangiacapre has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Chu slows down the pace here.
Chu prevents Mangiacapre from breaking the clinch.
Mangiacapre missing with knees to the body.
Chu lands a knee to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Chu tries to work over Mangiacapre's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Chu working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Chu is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Mangiacapre tries to break free but Chu pushes him back against the ropes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Chu wants to stall.
Chu lands a good knee to the midsection. Mangiacapre won't want to take too many of those.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiger Chu dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Chu stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Mangiacapre.
Mangiacapre lands with an uppercut that bounces Chu off the ropes and back into range.

It looks like Tiger Chu has been cut.
Chu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Chu tries to clinch up but Mangiacapre circles away and keeps his distance.
Chu wants to clinch.
Mangiacapre throws a good cross that connects.
Chu slips a jab and a cross from Mangiacapre.

Chu rushes Mangiacapre and presses him up against the ropes.
Chu lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Tiger Chu has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Chu gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Mangiacapre is trying to push Chu away but Chu has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Chu stalling in the clinch.
Chu lands a knee to the head.
Mangiacapre is trying to force a seperation but Chu has the dominant position.
Chu lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Chu.
Chu with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Chu lands a nice knee to the body.
Mangiacapre with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mangiacapre misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mangiacapre wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Chu has him pressed against the ropes.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Mangiacapre has had enough of the clinch but Chu keeps him there for the moment.
Mangiacapre is trying to break free.
Mangiacapre managing to block the knees to the body from Chu.
Mangiacapre is looking to break free of the clinch but Chu has double underhooks.
Chu lands a knee to the body.
Chu has Mangiacapre pressed against the ropes, preventing Mangiacapre from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice elbow from Chu.
Mangiacapre is trying to force a seperation but Chu has the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mangiacapre is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Chu unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Chu dodges an elbow strike from Mangiacapre.

Mangiacapre breaks from the clinch.
Mangiacapre looks for the body kick but Chu saw that one coming.
Chu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Mangiacapre paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Andrea Mangiacapre has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mangiacapre thows a body shot but no joy.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Chu tries to close the distance and clinch but Mangiacapre swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Andrea Mangiacapre seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Mangiacapre instigates a clinch.
A short right from Chu on the inside.
Chu creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mangiacapre's defenses.
Chu blocks an elbow strike from Mangiacapre.
Knees to the body from Chu.
Chu misses with a knee to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Chu throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Mangiacapre looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Mangiacapre is trying to break the clinch but Chu is controlling him.
Tiger Chu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mangiacapre misses with a shot to the kidneys.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tiger Chu.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Chu, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tiger Chu!
During a confident post fight interview, Tiger Chu thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.