PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight kickboxing rules bout between Youri Van De Berg (ranked 5349 p4p, 258 weight class) and James Whistler (ranked 5874 p4p, 272 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Van De Berg
vs
Whistler

175 cm
23
135 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Brawler
Self confident

Good kicks
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Youri Van De Berg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, James Whistler!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Paul Aken and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van De Berg falls off balance throwing a combination
and Whistler connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Van De Berg forces Whistler back against the ropes and clinches.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Van De Berg.
Van De Berg lands with a short shot to the head.
A frustrated look appears on Whistler's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Van De Berg breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Whistler fails in his attempt to clinch.
Van De Berg swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van De Berg looks to land a combination but Whistler avoids it well.
Whistler turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Van De Berg darts in and clinches Whistler up against the ropes.

Van De Berg pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Whistler tries to clinch there but Van De Berg circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Van De Berg blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A right handed body shot lands from Van De Berg.
Van De Berg is working Whistler over against the ropes.
Van De Berg lands a body punch.
Van De Berg is leaning against Whistler and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Van De Berg scores with a nice hook to the head.
A right hand to the body from Van De Berg.
A right hand to the body from Van De Berg.
Van De Berg looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Whistler tries to break free but Van De Berg pushes him back against the ropes.
Van De Berg digs a right hand into Whistler's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Whistler's gas tank.
Whistler tries to break free but Van De Berg pushes him back against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van De Berg pushes Whistler back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Whistler wants to get back to striking at distance but Van De Berg won't allow it.

Van De Berg breaks from the clinch.
Whistler tries to clinch but Van De Berg is having none of it.
Whistler misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Van De Berg.

Van De Berg moves into range and clinches up with Whistler.

Van De Berg breaks the clinch.
Whistler connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
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!

Van De Berg closes the distance and pushes Whistler back into the ropes.
A shot in the inside from Van De Berg.

Van De Berg manages to break the clinch.
Van De Berg throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Whistler.
Van De Berg moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromWhistler.
Whistler misses with a series of wild punches.
Van De Berg throws a big counter combination but Whistler scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Youri Van De Berg 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.

Whistler moves in looking to clinch but Van De Berg pushes him off.
Van De Berg misses with a jab, cross combination.
Whistler connects with a jab.
Whistler tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Van De Berg manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Van De Berg really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Whistler lands a head kick. Van De Berg smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Whistler will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Whistler takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whistler tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Van De Berg manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Van De Berg slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Whistler slips a jab and a cross from Van De Berg.
Whistler tries to clinch but Van De Berg is having none of it.
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!
Van De Berg scores with a jab to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van De Berg instigates a clinch.
Van De Berg is leaning against Whistler and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Whistler can't break the clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Van De Berg.
Van De Berg lands a body punch.

Van De Berg breaks the clinch.
Whistler tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Van De Berg pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Whistler back to the ropes. Van De Berg follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Van De Berg lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Whistler circles away quickly and effectively.
Whistler fails with an attempt to clinch.
A little feinted left hand from Van De Berg on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Whistler gets tackled into the ropes by Van De Berg. Van De Berg maintains the clinch.

Van De Berg breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whistler tries to close the distance and clinch but Van De Berg swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Youri Van De Berg is winning the standup battle so far.
Whistler tries to clinch there but Van De Berg circles away.
Whistler wants to clinch.
Van De Berg appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

Van De Berg closes the distance and pushes Whistler back into the ropes.
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!
Van De Berg lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Whistler.
Whistler can't break the clinch.

Van De Berg manages to break the clinch.

Van De Berg moves into the clinch successfully.
Van De Berg throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Youri Van De Berg dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Van De Berg lands a slapping body shot.
Youri Van De Berg is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Van De Berg moves into the clinch successfully.

Van De Berg's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Whistler looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Whistler fails with an attempt to clinch.

Van De Berg closes the distance and clinches.

Van De Berg manages to break the clinch.
Whistler moves in looking to clinch but Van De Berg pushes him off.
Some wild striking there from Van De Berg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Van De Berg moves into the clinch.
Whistler is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van De Berg lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Whistler backwards.

Van De Berg breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Van De Berg forces Whistler back against the ropes and clinches.

Van De Berg breaks the clinch.
Van De Berg works over Whistler's head and body with a nice combination.
Van De Berg throws a right hand that Whistler ducks under and follows up with a left that Whistler also avoids with ease.

Van De Berg clinches up against the ropes.
Whistler is looking to control Van De Berg's arms but Van De Berg gets an underhook and turns him. Now Whistler has his back to the ropes.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Van De Berg.
A hook to the body from Van De Berg.

Van De Berg pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Van De Berg forces Whistler back against the ropes and clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Whistler is trying to break the clinch but Van De Berg has him pressed against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Van De Berg breaks the clinch.
Whistler misses with a head kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Van De Berg lands a nice shot to the body.
Whistler throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Van De Bergs head.

Van De Berg escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Van De Berg blocks a head kick by Whistler.
Whistler throws a nice inside leg kick.
Whistler tries to close the distance and clinch up but Van De Berg swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Van De Berg throws a big counter combination but Whistler scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Whistler takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Van De Berg swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Whistler.
James Whistler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Youri Van De Berg is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Van De Berg lands with a nice combination. Whistler backs away looking to recover.

And that's the end of the fight!
Youri Van De Berg showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Van De Berg 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Youri Van De Berg!