PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Leonardo Atunes (ranked 1238 p4p, 191 weight class) and Saenchai Sor. Khamsing (ranked 3308 p4p, 462 weight class). Sor. Khamsing has chosen Wai Kru as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Atunes
vs
Sor. Khamsing

180 cm
26
180 lbs
13 - 4 - 1

177 cm
34
182 lbs
20 - 12 - 1

World class MT
Granite chin

World class MT
Good gas tank

Sully's Bar & Grill

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 1, fighting out of New York, Leonardo Atunes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Saenchai Sor. Khamsing !
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Ren Mimura and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sor. Khamsing uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Atunes.
Sor. Khamsing throws a hook but Atunes avoids it easily.
Atunes tries to clinch but Sor. Khamsing is having none of it.
Sor. Khamsing throws an overhand right that lands on Atunes's shoulder, as Atunes tries to avoid the shot.
Atunes swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Atunes throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Sor. Khamsing wants to counter the offense by Atunes and move into the clinch position.

Atunes forces Sor. Khamsing back against the ropes and clinches.
Sor. Khamsing is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Atunes is keeping busy.
Atunes working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Atunes blocks an elbow strike from Sor. Khamsing .
Atunes lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Sor. Khamsing backwards.
Sor. Khamsing misses with a short punch on the inside.
I was talking to Atunes's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Atunes blocking some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Atunes can't find room to land a body shot as Sor. Khamsing controls the action.
Atunes scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Atunes tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Atunes lands with a short shot to the head.
Sor. Khamsing throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Atunes blocks it with crossed arms.
Sor. Khamsing misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Atunes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atunes tries a body shot but Sor. Khamsing blocks it.
Atunes is trying to stall.
Atunes trying to stall but Sor. Khamsing improves his position.
Atunes struggles to land a body shot inside as Sor. Khamsing controls his hands.
Sor. Khamsing has Atunes pushed against the ropes.
A head punch on the inside from Atunes fails to land.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Atunes.
Atunes goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sor. Khamsing throws a punch but it's blocked by Atunes.
Sor. Khamsing throws a knee to the head but misses.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Atunes.
A head punch on the inside from Sor. Khamsing fails to land.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Atunes.
Sor. Khamsing tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Atunes tries a body shot but Sor. Khamsing blocks it.
Atunes is struggling to control the position.
Sor. Khamsing looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Atunes swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Atunes can't find room to land a body shot as Sor. Khamsing controls the action.
Atunes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sor. Khamsing 's elbow.

Atunes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sor. Khamsing misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Decent striking displayed by Sor. Khamsing there.
Sor. Khamsing jabs Atunes right on the nose. Atunes blinks but takes it well.

Sor. Khamsing has closed the distance and engaged Atunes in a clinch.
Atunes struggles to land a body shot inside as Sor. Khamsing controls his hands.
Sor. Khamsing lands a nice uppercut.
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!
Atunes lands a nice uppercut.
Atunes leaning against his opponent.
Atunes looking to slow down the pace here.
Sor. Khamsing scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Atunes is working Sor. Khamsing over against the ropes.
Atunes stalling in the clinch but Sor. Khamsing improves position.

Atunes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice shot lands for Sor. Khamsing .
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Saenchai Sor. Khamsing will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sor. Khamsing steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Atunes.
Sor. Khamsing throws a low kick but it's checked well by Atunes.
A big right from Atunes misses.
Sor. Khamsing keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Atunes.
Sor. Khamsing keeps the fight on the outside.
Atunes lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Atunes rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Sor. Khamsing counters with a straight right hand.
Atunes misses with an uppercut. Sor. Khamsing saw that one coming.
Atunes throws a hook to the side of Sor. Khamsing 's head but Sor. Khamsing sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sor. Khamsing scores with a punch to the head.
Atunes lands with a shot to the body.
Atunes on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Sor. Khamsing connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Atunes connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Sor. Khamsing momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A decent looking cross lands there for Sor. Khamsing .
Atunes connects with a nice looking jab.

Atunes closes the distance and clinches.
Sor. Khamsing lands with a right to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atunes avoids a wild elbow strike from Sor. Khamsing .
Sor. Khamsing lands a left hand.
Sor. Khamsing prevents a body shot from Atunes.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Atunes.
A frustrated look appears on Atunes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Atunes goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Atunes breaks the clinch.
Atunes connects with a nice looking jab.
Atunes looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Sor. Khamsing pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Saenchai Sor. Khamsing seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd cheers as Sor. Khamsing lands an impressive looking overhand right. Atunes doesn't seem phased though.

Sor. Khamsing fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Atunes, pushing him back against the ropes.
Atunes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Sor. Khamsing with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Atunes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sor. Khamsing tries a knee to the head but Atunes blocks it.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sor. Khamsing pushes off an throws an elbow but Atunes leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Sor. Khamsing misses with a short punch on the inside.
Atunes tries to stall but Sor. Khamsing uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Atunes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sor. Khamsing with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Atunes doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Sor. Khamsing working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Atunes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sor. Khamsing 's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Atunes swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Sor. Khamsing throws a punch but it's blocked by Atunes.
Sor. Khamsing swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Atunes makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Sor. Khamsing creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Atunes's defenses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Atunes breaks from the clinch.
A swing and a miss from Sor. Khamsing .
Atunes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saenchai Sor. Khamsing showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Atunes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sor. Khamsing moves away.
Atunes swings widly with a right hand
and Sor. Khamsing counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Sor. Khamsing gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Atunes lands a body punch.
Atunes throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Sor. Khamsing s head.
A knee to the head by Sor. Khamsing .
Atunes tries to throw a body punch but Sor. Khamsing avoids it by throwing Atunes back against the ropes.
Atunes lands a left hand that snaps the head of Sor. Khamsing backwards.
Atunes tries to throw a body punch but Sor. Khamsing avoids it by throwing Atunes back against the ropes.
Atunes takes an elbow to the forehead.
Sor. Khamsing blocks a body shot from Atunes.
Sor. Khamsing tries to land a knee to the head but Atunes blocks with his arms.
Atunes misses with a body punch.
Sor. Khamsing throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Atuness head.
Sor. Khamsing has a couple of punches blocked by Atunes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sor. Khamsing looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Sor. Khamsing taking a breather.
Atunes doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atunes pushes Sor. Khamsing back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Atunes tries to stall but Sor. Khamsing uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Atunes misses with a punch on the inside.
Atunes is trying to break the clinch but Sor. Khamsing has him pressed against the ropes.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sor. Khamsing .
Saenchai Sor. Khamsing seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Atunes tries a body shot but Sor. Khamsing blocks it.
Nice body punch from Atunes.
Atunes misses with some punches.
Atunes working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sor. Khamsing lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Atunes backwards.
A nice right hand lands inside from Atunes.
Atunes fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sor. Khamsing with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sor. Khamsing tries a knee to the head but Atunes blocks it.
Atunes lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sor. Khamsing backwards.
Sor. Khamsing misses with the head strike.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Sor. Khamsing as Atunes tries to tie him up.
Atunes throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sor. Khamsing misses with a knee to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Atunes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Atunes swings wildly with an uppercut but Sor. Khamsing uses good head movement to avoid it.
Atunes lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Atunes misses with the head strike.
Atunes gets through Sor. Khamsing 's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Atunes tries a body shot but Sor. Khamsing blocks it.
Sor. Khamsing blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sor. Khamsing tries a knee to the head but Atunes blocks it.
Atunes lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sor. Khamsing backwards.
Sor. Khamsing lands an elbow inside that Atunes shrugs off.

Atunes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A cross from Sor. Khamsing lands.
Sor. Khamsing pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Atunes misses with an uppercut. Sor. Khamsing saw that one coming.
Leonardo Atunes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Atunes is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sor. Khamsing .

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 Leonardo Atunes.
I think Sor. Khamsing 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saenchai Sor. Khamsing !
Saenchai Sor. Khamsing was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.