PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Cohen Hawthorne (ranked 3431 p4p, 3711 weight class) and Nelson Junior (ranked 133 p4p, 143 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.

Hawthorne
vs
Junior

194 cm
19
270
2 - 0 - 0

200 cm
19
250
1 - 4 - 0

Great low kicks
Cardio machine

Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cohen Hawthorne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nelson Junior!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Columbo Gatti and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Junior misses the shot to the body.
Junior works Hawthorne's body with a nice hook.
A combination from Junior does no damage.
An attempted straight right counter from Hawthorne misses the target.
Hawthorne swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Junior fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hawthorne manages to avoid it.
Junior throws a front kick that sends Hawthorne stumbling back into the ropes.
Junior looks to land a body kick but Hawthorne moved away.
Hawthorne was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Junior has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Hawthorne throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Junior feints and then cracks Hawthorne's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hawthorne down.
Nelson Junior seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hawthorne throws a combination that misses
and Junior counters with a right hand to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Hawthorne crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Junior - the referee stops the clock and Hawthorne gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Junior. Hawthorne manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A solid leg kick lands there for Junior.

Hawthorne moves into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Junior misses with the head strike.
Junior misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Junior lands a shoulder strike.
Junior wants to break the clinch but can't.
Junior throws a punch but it's blocked by Hawthorne.
Hawthorne blocks an uppercut.
Hawthorne stalling against the ropes.
Hawthorne blocks an uppercut.
Hawthorne displaying some good clinch control by pressing Junior up against the ropes.
Hawthorne tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Junior's elbow.

Hawthorne breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Junior lands a slapping body shot.
Hawthorne on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Junior bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Hawthorne's head backwards.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hawthorne. Junior does a little dance to reset his feet.
Junior let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Hawthorne takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Hawthorne throws a body punch but Junior moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Junior does it's job there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A telegraphed right hand from Hawthorne misses the target.
Junior ducks under a wild hook from Hawthorne.
Hawthorne works the jab nicely.
Junior lands a head kick. Hawthorne smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Junior takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Junior wants to clinch.
Hawthorne tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Junior was well out of range. Poor timing from Hawthorne.
A countering left hand to the body from Junior misses.
Nice straight punches there by Hawthorne. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Hawthorne.
Hawthorne misses with an attempted mid kick.
Junior is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Hawthorne rather than just go for the knockout.
Junior throws a nice inside leg kick.
Junior tests Hawthorne's chin there with a solid looking shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nelson Junior dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hawthorne slips a straight right by Junior.
Hawthorne looks to score with a jab to the body but Junior is just out of range.
Hawthorne throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Hawthorne scores a flash knockdown with a right hook that drops Junior to his hands and knees! The ref pushes Hawthorne away as he looks to land an illegal blow. Junior got an extra few seconds to recover there, which could have made all the differences as he stumbles back to his feet. The referee looks into his eyes and decides to allow the bout to continue. Can he survive?!

It looks like Nelson Junior has been cut.
Junior tries a head kick but it misses.
Some bone on bone action there as Junior checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Nelson Junior seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hawthorne swings for the body but Junior moves out of range.
Junior feints and then cracks Hawthorne's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hawthorne down.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hawthorne looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A jab from Junior finds it's way through Hawthorne's defenses.

Junior is rocked!
Junior misses with a straight left.
Junior is still on wobbly legs! Can Hawthorne finish him?
Junior just misses with a punch to the body.
Junior seems to have recovered his senses.
Junior throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Hawthorne on the side of the head.

Junior ducks into a a hook from Hawthorne and goes down! He looks in a bit of a mess; will he beat the count?! 4,5,6,7,8 - he's up and looking to carry on! The referee looks into his eyes and sees that he's OK to continue!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawthorne 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.
Hawthorne tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Junior throws a looping overhand right but Hawthorne ducks down to avoid it.
Junior uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hawthorne.
Junior misses with a body shot.
Hawthorne throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Hawthorne is looking to slow Junior down with leg kicks.
A head kick misses from Hawthorne.
Junior misses with an uppercut. Hawthorne saw that one coming.
Hawthorne seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Junior, as that shot connected.

Hawthorne moves into the clinch.
Hawthorne blocking some punches.
Hawthorne is struggling to control the position.
Hawthorne blocks a body shot from Junior.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Junior tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Hawthorne works on Junior's body with a couple of short punches.
Hawthorne blocking some punches.
Hawthorne lands a hook that snaps the head of Junior backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hawthorne keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Junior's efforts to push away.
Hawthorne holding his opponent close, against the ropes.
Hawthorne effectively controlling the action here.

Junior breaks from the clinch.
Hawthorne gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A decent looking cross lands there for Junior.
Hawthorne avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Cohen Hawthorne takes the second round thanks to the knockdowns.
The cut man is working on Nelson Junior's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Nice defenses there by Hawthorne.
Hawthorne takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Hawthorne on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Junior ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hawthorne moves away.

Hawthorne moves into the clinch successfully.
Hawthorne blocks an uppercut.
Hawthorne blocks an uppercut.
The referee calls for Hawthorne to work.
Junior swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hawthorne is stalling here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Junior lands a right hand.
Cohen Hawthorne has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A nice right hand lands inside from Hawthorne.
Hawthorne doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hawthorne content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Hawthorne escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Junior looks to land a right hand but Hawthorne moved out of range.
Junior moves out of range as Hawthorne strikes.
Hawthorne keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Junior moves in looking to clinch but Hawthorne pushes him off.
Hawthorne gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Junior keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hawthorne.
Junior uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hawthorne.
Junior lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Junior fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Hawthorne has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Junior throws a leg kick

and before Junior can reset, Hawthorne rushes him with a swarm of punches, sending him crashing to the floor, in all sorts of trouble! Junior is trying to beat the count but we're up to 6 already and he's nowhere near. 7,8... he's up! He's going to continue!
Hawthorne takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hawthorne throws a right hand that misses
and Junior connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Junior. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Junior.
Junior is looking to score with low kicks.
Hawthorne misses the shot to the body.
Hawthorne lands a nice shot that snaps Junior's head back.
Hawthorne throws a body kick that misses
and Junior counters with a nice body kick.
Hawthorne uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Junior.
Hawthorne tried to counter with a leg kick but Junior avoided it.
Junior throws a head kick that half lands.
Junior scores with a spinning back kick!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A big left from Junior misses.
Hawthorne throws a right hand that misses
and Junior counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
An inside leg kick lands from Junior.
Junior throws a leg kick which misses Hawthorne's front leg but catches the back leg as Hawthorne tries to avoid it.
Hawthorne has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Hawthorne there as he acknowledges the shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nelson Junior comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Junior 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 29:24
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:24
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cohen Hawthorne!
Cohen Hawthorne spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.