PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Jeremiah Francois (ranked 6558 p4p, 433 weight class) and Saku Lehtonen (ranked 6641 p4p, 438 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.

Francois
vs
Lehtonen

225 cm
26
282 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

175 cm
18
220 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Decent elbows
Intelligent

Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jeremiah Francois!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Saku Lehtonen!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Yves DeLean and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Francois uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lehtonen.
Francois tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lehtonen was well out of range. Poor timing from Francois.
Lehtonen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lehtonen. Francois does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lehtonen misses with a looping left.
Francois is looking to counter punch.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Lehtonen.
Lehtonen throws a jab when Francois was well out of range.
Francois steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Francois rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lehtonen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Francois misses with a hook to the body
and Francois takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lehtonen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Francois.
Lehtonen misses with a straight left.
Lehtonen tries to land a leg kick but Francois saw it coming and moves away.
Francois bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Francois misses with a low kick.
Francois tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Lehtonen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Francois.
Lehtonen throws a solid leg kick but Francois takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Lehtonen.
Lehtonen attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lehtonen pivots, looking for a leg kick but Francois is out of range and Lehtonen settles back down.
Lehtonen fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Francois is out of range.
Francois jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
A slow jab from Lehtonen misses its intended target.
Lehtonen on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Good shot there by Francois.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Lehtonen has eaten all the pies!
Lehtonen throws a body shot but no joy.
Lehtonen misses with a hook. Francois ducked under it nicely.
Francois misses with a body shot.
Francois scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Francois tries a low kick but Lehtonen avoids it.
Lehtonen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
A nice leg kick lands there from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Lehtonen has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Francois finds it's way round the side to connect with Lehtonen's head.
Lehtonen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Francois moves away.
Lehtonen is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Francois swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Francois throws a nice outside leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lehtonen tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Francois delivers a nice body kick.
Lehtonen throws a leg kick but Francois checks it.
Lehtonen misses with a low kick as Francois jumps back.
Francois really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nice shot lands for Francois.
Francois jabs at Lehtonen's body.
Francois misses the shot to the body.
Francois misses with a low kick.
Francois is looking to wear down Lehtonen with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Lehtonen tried to score with a low kick but Francois checks it.
A little feinted left hand from Francois on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Francois shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Lehtonen eats them both and turns towards Francois to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Francois moves out of range as Lehtonen strikes.
Francois lands a jab to the head.
Lehtonen scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Francois scores with a jab to the head.
Lehtonen scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lehtonen throws a leg kick but Francois sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Lehtonen looks to score with a jab to the body but Francois is just out of range.
Francois connects with a crisp jab.
Lehtonen throws a right and a left that both miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeremiah Francois dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Francois just misses with a punch to the body.
Lehtonen moves out of range of the body kick.
It looks like Francois has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Francois uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen connects with a single shot there.
Lehtonen scores with a jab.
Lehtonen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Francois manages to avoid it.
Francois takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Francois fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Lehtonen is out of range.
Francois checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Francois misses with a lunging right hand
and Lehtonen counters with a good low kick that Francois was not able to check.
Lehtonen walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Francois checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Lehtonen swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Francois.
Francois lands an overhand right.
Francois throws a body kick that misses.
Jeremiah Francois seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Francois lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
A punch lands to the side of Lehtonen 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lehtonen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A low kick from Francois is predictable there
and Lehtonen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jeremiah Francois is winning the standup battle so far.
Lehtonen misses with a looping left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francois paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Lehtonen tries a low kick but Francois avoids it.
Francois throws a big shot that misses.
Lehtonen throws a low kick but Francois avoids it.
Francois throws a series of punches but Lehtonen avoids them all with ease.
Lehtonen looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Lehtonen throws a body shot but no joy.
Francois chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Lehtonen can pounce on him.
Lehtonen misses the shot to the body.
Francois takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Francois throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Francois throws a hook but Lehtonen blocks it.
A left lands for Lehtonen.
Lehtonen fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lehtonen. Francois does a little dance to reset his feet.
Francois slips under a jab from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen throws a nice outside leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Francois uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lehtonen.
Francois was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen lands with a thumping leg kick.
Francois stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lehtonen.
Francois scores with a jab to the head.
Lehtonen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Francois checks it well.
Lehtonen throws a low kick but Francois avoids it.
Francois is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Lehtonen checks the leg kick.
Francois misses with a two punch combination.
The fighters circling - Francois throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Francois throws a body kick that misses.
Lehtonen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Francois ducks under a wild hook from Lehtonen.
Francois is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Lehtonen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Francois.
Francois misses with a jab, cross combination.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lehtonen checks the leg kick.
Lehtonen listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Lehtonen connects with a body shot.
Lehtonen misses with a looping right.
As Lehtonen looks to move away, Francois throws a big counter combo but Lehtonen just gets out of the way.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saku Lehtonen 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!

A leg kick checked by Francois.
Francois throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Lehtonen counters with a stiff right hand.
Lehtonen throws out a leg kick but Francois moves out of range and Lehtonen only half commits.
The fighters circling - Lehtonen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lehtonen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Lehtonen avoids the body shot from Francois.
Lehtonen avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Francois tries to bum rush Lehtonen with a series of wild strikes but Lehtonen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lehtonen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lehtonen lands with a good body shot.
Lehtonen loads up on a big right hand but Francois slips the punch.
Lehtonen on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Francois throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lehtonen moves away from the strike by Francois.
Lehtonen throws out a loose jab but Francois uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lehtonen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Francois.
Lehtonen scoring well with a low kick there.
Francois scores with a punch to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lehtonen throws a nice inside leg kick.
Lehtonen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Francois was well out of range. Poor timing from Lehtonen.
A little feinted left hand from Francois on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Francois is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Francois takes one to the chin there.
Lehtonen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Lehtonen lands a jab.
Francois bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Lehtonen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Francois takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Francois moves out of range as Lehtonen strikes.
Lehtonen swings for the body but Francois moves out of range.
Francois misses with a leg kick.
Lehtonen misses with a hook.
Lehtonen moves out of range as Francois throws a body kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Lehtonen.
Francois throws a push kick but Lehtonen slaps the foot to one side.
Lehtonen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Francois moves away.
Francois throws the left hand but Lehtonen avoids the punch easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lehtonen, right into the meat.
Lehtonen throws a big shot that misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lehtonen pivots, looking for a leg kick but Francois is out of range and Lehtonen settles back down.
Lehtonen throws a low kick but it's checked well by Francois.
Francois staying out of range there.
A looping hook to the body misses from Francois. Lehtonen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lehtonen misses with a hook. Francois ducked under it nicely.
Francois slips a straight right by Lehtonen.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Lehtonen. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Francois connects with the punch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Lehtonen.
Francois misses with a lunging right hand
and Lehtonen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lehtonen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Francois motions for Lehtonen to come forward. Francois throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Lehtonen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Francois checks it well.
A bone on bone clash there as Lehtonen blocks the leg kick.
Francois throws a leg kick but Lehtonen checks it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Francois. Lehtonen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lehtonen throws a body shot but no joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Saku Lehtonen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Lehtonen 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saku Lehtonen!