PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Joshua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ralph Gardner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ralph Gardner is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Joshua
vs
Gardner

198 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Sully's Bar & Grill

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Anthony Joshua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of London, Ralph Gardner!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Colin Fotheringham and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gardner throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Joshua sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Nice cross by Gardner.
Nice uppercut there from Joshua.

Gardner rushes Joshua and presses him up against the cage.
Come on Gardner - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Joshua working hard to break the clinch.
Joshua has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Gardner breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gardner misses the shot to the body.
Joshua will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gardner bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Joshua's head backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardner misses with a wild body shot.
Joshua appears to be looking for a big counter.
Gardner walks into a straight right hand from Joshua.
Gardner misses the jab.
Joshua lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Gardner misses with a looping right.
Joshua looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Joshua misses with a wild combination.
Gardner dodges the punch combination from Joshua.
Gardner wants to counter the offense by Joshua and move into the clinch position.
Gardner misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Joshua.

Joshua gets a clinch.
Joshua wants to break free but Gardner has control.
Joshua is trying to break the clinch but Gardner has him pressed against the cage.
Gardner is stalling here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joshua wants to break the clinch but can't.
Joshua is trying to break the clinch but Gardner has him pressed against the cage.
Gardner presses Joshua against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Joshua tries to break free but Gardner pushes him back against the cage.

Gardner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Joshua moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Joshua uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gardner.
Gardner throws a right hand that Joshua ducks under and follows up with a left that Joshua also avoids with ease.
Gardner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gardner moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gardner cracks a nice hook into Joshua's ribs.

Joshua closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Gardner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gardner just misses with a punch to the body.
Gardner throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Joshua misses with a double jab.
Gardner dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Joshua lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Joshua moves into the clinch successfully.
Joshua can't break the clinch.
Joshua wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gardner has him pressed against the cage.

Gardner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gardner misses the shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joshua throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gardner on the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Joshua looks to land a combination but Gardner avoids it well.
Joshua fails to land with a series of punches.
Joshua rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Gardner counters by clinching up.
Gardner lands a body punch.
Joshua wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Joshua has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Joshua is trying to break the clinch but Gardner has him pressed against the cage.
Gardner is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Gardner breaks from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Anthony Joshua will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Joshua scores with a body shot.
Joshua jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Joshua throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Gardner counters by clinching up.
Gardner keeps control of Joshua as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gardner pushes Joshua back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Gardner.

Gardner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gardner misses with a looping left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gardner uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Joshua.
Gardner takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Joshua throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Joshua throws a series of punches but Gardner avoids them all with ease.
Gardner throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Joshua sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Joshua lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gardner circles away quickly and effectively.
Gardner looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gardner pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Joshua back to the cage. Gardner follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Gardner throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Joshua appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Gardner slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Gardner digs a good body shot into Joshua's ribs.
Gardner's corner calls for a 1-2. Gardner obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Gardner pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Joshua throws a lazy uppercut
and Gardner counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Joshua pushes Gardner up against the cage in a clinch.
Gardner stalling the fight.
Gardner prevents Joshua from breaking the clinch.
Gardner keeps control of Joshua as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gardner lands a body punch in the clinch.
Gardner pushes Joshua back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gardner lands a right hand that snaps the head of Joshua backwards.
Gardner misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Joshua has had enough of the clinch but Gardner keeps him there for the moment.

Gardner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Joshua misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sloppy strikes from Joshua. Those never looked like landing.
Gardner tries to counter with a clinch but Joshua shakes him off and moves away.

Joshua gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Ralph Gardner seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Joshua can't break the clinch.
Gardner has Joshua pushed against the cage.
Joshua is trying to break the clinch but Gardner is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gardner lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Joshua.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gardner keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Joshua's efforts to push away.
Joshua has had enough of the clinch but Gardner keeps him there for the moment.
Joshua swings wildly with an uppercut but Gardner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice body punch from Gardner - that landed with a thud.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The referee calls for Gardner to work.
Gardner has Joshua pushed against the cage.
The crowd are getting on Gardner's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Gardner as the two fighters clinch.
Joshua can't break the clinch.
Gardner displaying some good clinch control by pressing Joshua up against the cage.
Joshua looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ralph Gardner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gardner has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Gardner takes a swing at Joshua's ribcage but misses.
It looked like Joshua wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Joshua missing with a left hand there. Gardner was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gardner is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Joshua.
Joshua is looking for a counter combo.
Gardner tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Joshua was well out of range. Poor timing from Gardner.
Gardner connects with a single shot there.
Joshua misses with a straight right.
Joshua misses with a hook. Gardner ducked under it nicely.
Joshua throws a series of punches but Gardner avoids them all with ease.
Joshua throws a series of punches but Gardner avoids them all with ease.
Joshua throws a left and a right that both miss
and Gardner counters with a straight right hand.
Joshua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Anthony Joshua is winning the standup battle so far.
A telegraphed right hand from Joshua misses the target.
Gardner tries to counter with a clinch but Joshua shakes him off and moves away.
Joshua keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Left hook, right uppercut from Gardner.
No joy there for Joshua, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gardner throws a jab when Joshua was well out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gardner gets a clinch.
Joshua wants to break free but Gardner has control.
Gardner misses with a hook to the ribs.
Joshua is looking to break free of the clinch but Gardner has double underhooks.
Gardner working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Gardner.
Joshua tries to break the clinch but Gardner is controlling the position.
Gardner tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gardner keeps control of Joshua as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gardner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Joshua's elbow.
Joshua is trying to break the clinch but Gardner has him pressed against the cage.
Joshua is trying to break the clinch but Gardner is controlling him.
Gardner slows down the pace here.
Gardner cracks Joshua with a nice body shot.
Joshua wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gardner has him pressed against the cage.
Joshua wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Gardner - that landed with a thud.

Gardner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gardner scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Gardner jabs at Joshua's body.
Joshua throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gardner avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A telegraphed right hand from Gardner misses the target.

Gardner forces Joshua back against the cage and clinches.
Joshua wants to break the clinch but can't.
Joshua wants to break free but Gardner has control.
Gardner prevents Joshua from breaking the clinch.
Joshua is trying to break the clinch but Gardner is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joshua tries to break the clinch but Gardner is controlling the position.
Gardner is struggling to control the position.
Gardner stalling.
Joshua tries to break the clinch but Gardner is controlling the position.
Joshua wants to break free but Gardner has control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gardner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Gardner tries to keep at a distance but Joshua has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gardner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Joshua's elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ralph Gardner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gardner 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 James Atkins scores the fight 28:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ralph Gardner!