PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Pubo Richard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Riley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Riley told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Richard
vs
Riley

175 cm
25
152 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
158 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Excellent boxer
Big right hand

Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Pubo Richard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, James Riley!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Richard forces Riley back against the ropes and clinches.
Richard wants to stall.
Richard avoiding damage.
Come on Richard - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Richard leaning against his opponent.
Richard tries to work over Riley's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riley blocks a body shot from Richard.
Riley doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Riley is trying to break the clinch but Richard has him pressed against the ropes.
Richard taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richard will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Riley up against the ropes.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Pubo Richard.
Riley misses with a two punch combination.

Richard clinches up against the ropes.
Richard has Riley pushed against the ropes.
Riley is looking to break free of the clinch but Richard has double underhooks.
Richard stalling.
Richard presses Riley against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Richard controlling the action here for a moment.
Riley told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Riley wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Richard has him pressed against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richard has Riley pressed against the ropes.
Richard can't find room to land a body shot as Riley controls the action.
Richard tries to work over Riley's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Riley is trying to push Richard away but Richard has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Richard misses with a punch on the inside.
Richard misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Richard looking to stall.
Richard misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pubo Richard dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Nice shot by Riley.
Richard is looking to clinch.
Richard closes the distance looking to clinch
and Riley counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Richard tries to close the distance and clinch but Riley swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Riley waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Richard.
Richard closes the distance but Riley moves to the side
and Riley counters with a stiff right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Riley gets tackled into the ropes by Richard. Richard maintains the clinch.
Richard tries to throw a body punch but Riley avoids it by throwing Richard back against the ropes.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Riley as Richard tries to tie him up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley is trying to force a seperation but Richard has the dominant position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Richard.
Richard gets through Riley's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Richard wants to stall.
Richard can't find room to land a body shot as Riley controls the action.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Richard takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Richard stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Richard for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Riley tries to break free but Richard pushes him back against the ropes.
Nice body punch from Riley - that landed with a thud.
The referee calls for Richard to work.
Richard working aggressively here.
Richard just leaning against Riley, taking a breather.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Pubo Richard.
Richard throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Riley swats away the attempt to clinch by Richard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Richard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Riley swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Richard throws a hook but Riley avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but James Riley will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Richard tries to clinch up.
Riley connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Richard tries to clinch up
enabling Riley to counter with a crisp jab.
Richard is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Riley! But no joy.
Richard seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Richard takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Richard fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Richard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Riley lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Richard clinches with his opponent.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Richard stalls.
Richard looking to stall.
Richard has Riley pressed against the ropes, preventing Riley from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Richard throws a punch but it's blocked by Riley.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Riley.
Richard leaning his opponent against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Richard pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Come on Richard - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Pubo Richard.

Richard rushes Riley and presses him up against the ropes.

Riley breaks from the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Richard forces Riley back against the ropes and clinches.
Richard struggles to land a body shot inside as Riley controls his hands.
Riley is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but James Riley just about did enough to take it.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Riley lands with a hook. Richard tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Richard misses with a looping right.
Richard throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Riley! But no joy.
Richard tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Riley manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Riley misses with an uppercut.
Richard swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Richard closes the distance but Riley moves to the side
and Riley counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Richard tries to clinch there but Riley circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Richard tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Riley counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Richard is looking to clinch.
Despite the aggression on Riley's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Richard tries to clinch up but Riley circles away and keeps his distance.
Richard wants to clinch up but Riley keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Richard is struggling to control the position.
Richard tries to work over Riley's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Richard can't find room to land a body shot as Riley controls the action.
A frustrated look appears on Riley's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Riley is trying to break the clinch but Richard is controlling him.
Riley wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Richard has him pressed against the ropes.
Richard scores with a hook to the body.

That's two 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.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
A right handed body shot lands from Richard.
Richard content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Riley is looking to break free of the clinch but Richard has double underhooks.
The referee calls for Richard to work.
The referee calls for Richard to work.
Riley wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Richard lands a body shot.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Richard takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close fourth round but James Riley will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Richard wants to clinch up but Riley keeps it at a distance.
A countering left hand to the body from Riley misses.
Richard is looking to clinch but Riley is avoiding it.
Richard moves in looking to clinch but Riley pushes him off.
Riley connects with a jab.
Richard tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Riley counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Riley keeps the fight on the outside.
Richard tries to clinch there but Riley circles away.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Riley! But no joy.
Richard tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Riley counters with a right hand to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Richard tries to clinch up
and Riley counters with a left and a right that stings Richard.
Riley swats away the attempt to clinch by Richard.
Riley looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley keeps the fight on the outside.
Richard throws a right hand that misses
and Richard takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Richard drives through and clinches with Riley against the ropes.
Richard swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Richard stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Riley is trying to push Richard away but Richard has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Pubo Richard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A frustrated look appears on Riley's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A hook to the body from Richard.
Riley wants to break the clinch but can't.
Richard keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Riley's efforts to push away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richard misses with a hook from the clinch.
Richard misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Richard tries to work over Riley's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Richard keeps control of Riley as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
Richard lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Riley.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Richard tries a body shot but Riley blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Riley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Riley has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 46:49
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 46:49
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 48:48

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... James Riley!