PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight kickboxing rules bout between Joseph Babidi (ranked 17771 p4p, 347 weight class) and Keith Stone (ranked 21567 p4p, 321 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Babidi
vs
Stone

175 cm
28
145 lbs
8 - 2 - 1

160 cm
23
148 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class boxer
Good gas tank

IniTech Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Joseph Babidi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Keith Stone!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stone swings widly with a right hand
and Babidi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've been informed that Stone has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Stone just misses with a punch to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Stone misses the target.
Babidi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A nice side step and Stone releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Stone looks to land a left hand but Babidi moved out of range nicely.
Babidi slips a jab from Stone.
Babidi connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Stone misses the shot to the body.
A jab lands there for Babidi.
Stone moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
A jab from Babidi finds it's way through Stone's defenses.
Stone throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Babidi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Babidi's jab looks to have found its range, popping Stone under the eye.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stone tries to clinch
and Babidi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Babidi throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Stone.
Stone fails in his attempt to clinch.
Stone keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Babidi.
Babidi with a nice cross.
Stone ducks under a wild hook from Babidi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Babidi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stone.
Stone misses with a hook
and Babidi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Babidi closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Stone throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Babidi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A swing and a miss from Stone.
Babidi quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Babidi just misses with a punch to the body.
It looks like Babidi has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Babidi lands a glancing blow to the side of Stone's head.
Babidi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Stone doesn't seem bothered though.
Stone's jab looks to have found its range, popping Babidi under the eye.
Babidi scores with a body shot.
Babidi takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Babidi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Stone misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Babidi.
Babidi swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Babidi is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Babidi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Stone swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Stone slips a jab and a cross from Babidi.
Stone ducks under a wild hook from Babidi.
Babidi lands with a cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone throws a poor cross that misses
and Babidi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Babidi is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Babidi circles away from the clinch attempt
and Babidi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Stone cracks Babidi with an open hand slap.
Stone's jab looks to have found its range, popping Babidi under the eye.
Stone jabbing away but nothing is landing.
An attempted straight right counter from Babidi misses the target.
Stone lands an overhand right.
Nice uppercut there from Stone.
Nice defenses there by Babidi.
Babidi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Stone misses with a left hand
and Babidi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Stone works the jab nicely.
Keith Stone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Babidi throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Stone looks to throw the jab but Babidi is out of range.
Babidi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Babidi throws a low kick but Stone moves out of range easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joseph Babidi dominated that 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.

Babidi blocks a jab.
Babidi lunges at Stone with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Stone's hand.
Babidi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Stone.
Babidi is looking to slow Stone down with leg kicks.
Babidi looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Stone looks to land a left hand but Babidi moved out of range nicely.
Babidi swings for the body but Stone moves out of range.
Stone might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Babidi stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Stone connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Stone jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Stone misses with a straight right.
Babidi is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Babidi ducks under a wild hook from Stone.
A little feinted left hand from Babidi on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stone throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Babidi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Stone misses with a straight left.
Babidi connects with a nice looking jab.
Babidi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Stone.
Stone let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stone misses with a hook. Babidi ducked under it nicely.
Babidi swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Babidi missing with a left hand there. Stone was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Stone swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone throws a jab when Babidi was well out of range.
Babidi appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Babidi connects with a nice looking jab.
The fighters circling - Babidi throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Stone lands with a nice combination. Babidi backs away looking to recover.
Babidi lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Babidi moves away from the strike by Stone.
Stone throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Babidi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A shot to the liver by Stone. Beautiful body shot.
Joseph Babidi is winning the standup battle so far.
Stone takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Stone throws a right hand that misses
and Babidi cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Stone blocks a jab.
Stone with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Babidi to score with a decent 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!
Decent striking displayed by Stone there.
Stone looks to land a left hand but Babidi moved out of range nicely.
Stone misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
And Babidi counters with a quick kick to the body but Stone blocks it.

Stone fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Babidi, pushing him back against the ropes.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Stone.
Stone is trying to force a seperation but Babidi has the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Babidi blocks an uppercut.
Babidi goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Stone tries a body shot but Babidi blocks it.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Babidi obliges.
Babidi lands a hook to the side of the head.
Stone misses with a body punch.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Babidi throws an elbow but misses.
Stone lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Babidi creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Stone's defenses.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Babidi creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Stone breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Babidi gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Babidi throws a body shot but no joy.
Stone throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Babidi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
It looked like Babidi wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Babidi lands a nice shot that snaps Stone's head back.
Babidi throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Stone misses with a looping left.
Babidi throws a body punch but Stone moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Joseph Babidi will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Stone throws a hook but Babidi blocks it.
Stone swings for the body but Babidi moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Babidi misses the target.
Babidi keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Stone.
Stone cracks Babidi with an open hand slap.
Stone misses the jab.
Stone rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Babidi counters with a straight right hand.
Stone avoids the head kick by Babidi.
Babidi scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Stone waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Babidi.
It looked like Babidi was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Stone.
Babidi blocks a jab.
Babidi is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Babidi's corner calls for a 1-2. Babidi obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Babidi on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Babidi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Stone throws a hook but Babidi avoids it easily.
Babidi with a hook.

Stone is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Babidi misses with a hook.
Stone is still on wobbly legs! Can Babidi finish him?
A slow jab from Stone misses its intended target.
Stone seems to have recovered his senses.
Stone misses with an uppercut. Babidi saw that one coming.
Babidi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Stone can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone throws a hook but Babidi avoids it easily.
Babidi displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Stone misses with an uppercut.
Stone connects with a jab.
Babidi slips a jab from Stone.
A cross from Babidi lands.
Babidi has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Stone finds it's way round the side to connect with Babidi's head.
Stone throws a jab when Babidi was well out of range.
It looked like Babidi wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Stone looks to throw the jab but Babidi is out of range.
Babidi was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Stone pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Stone misses with an uppercut. Babidi saw that one coming.
Stone looks to land a right hand but Babidi moved out of range.
Stone misses with a hook.
Babidi moves out of range of the strikes.

Babidi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stone, pushing him back against the ropes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stone presses Babidi against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Babidi trying to control the position but instead, Stone has worked for underhooks and has pushed Babidi into the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Babidi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Stone misses with a punch on the inside.
Babidi lands an elbow inside.
Babidi misses with a punch to the body.
Babidi lands a shoulder strike.
Babidi misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Babidi.
Babidi tries to throw a body punch but Stone avoids it by throwing Babidi back against the ropes.
Keith Stone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stone tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Stone avoids a wild elbow strike from Babidi.
Stone tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Babidi's elbow.
Babidi tries a body shot but Stone blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Stone.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Stone.
Babidi's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Stone misses with a punch to the body.
Joseph Babidi has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Babidi prevents a body shot from Stone.

Babidi manages to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Keith Stone.
Well Babidi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Joseph Babidi!
After winning the bout, Joseph Babidi thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.