PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Maung Maung Thu (ranked 22204 p4p, 1178 weight class) and Ryan Keenan (ranked 669 p4p, 160 weight class). Ryan Keenan acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the ring.

Thu
vs
Keenan

166 cm
28
135
16 - 13 - 0

170 cm
32
153
18 - 5 - 4

World class boxer
Cardio machine

World class MT
Granite chin

FEEBLE FIGHTWEAR

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 13 - 0, fighting out of London, Maung Maung Thu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 5 - 4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ryan Keenan!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Percy O'Donnell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keenan throws a front kick that sends Thu stumbling back into the ropes.
Thu has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Keenan tests Thu's chin there with a solid looking shot.
We've been informed that Keenan 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.
Keenan cracks Thu with an open hand slap.
Keenan lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Keenan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Keenan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thu manages to avoid it.
Keenan keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Keenan will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A chopping leg kick lands by Keenan.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Keenan crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Thu - the referee stops the clock and Keenan gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Thu. Keenan manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Thu checks a low kick from Keenan.
Keenan blocks a jab.
Keenan pivots, looking for a leg kick but Thu is out of range and Keenan settles back down.
Thu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Keenan.
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!
Keenan delivers a nice body kick.
Thu misses with a looping left.
Keenan throws a leg kick but Thu sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Thu is looking to counter with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keenan tries to close the distance and clinch but Thu swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Keenan throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Keenan scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Keenan avoids a kick to the body.
Keenan avoids a kick to the body.
Keenan tries a head kick but it misses.
Keenan moves out of range as Thu throws a body kick.
Keenan throws a jab but it's blocked by Thu.
Keenan takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Thu sets himself, and Keenan steps forward looking for the clinch! Thu avoids it this time.
Keenan looks for the body kick but Thu saw that one coming.
Thu looks to land a left hand but Keenan moved out of range nicely.
Thu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Keenan moves away.
Keenan throws a body kick that misses
and Thu counters with a low kick, right behind Keenan 's knee.
Keenan cracks Thu with a right hand to the side of the head.
Keenan thows a left - swing and a miss!
A quick step to the side and Thu tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thu takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Keenan cracks Thu with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Keenan throws out a powerful jab.
Thu gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Thu with the inside leg kick.
Thu swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Keenan with a nice cross.
Keenan avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Keenan clinches up with Thu and pushes him back against the ropes.
Thu misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Keenan.
Keenan lands a left hand.
Thu struggles to land a body shot inside as Keenan controls his hands.
Thu lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Thu is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Keenan is defending well for now.
Thu lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head punch on the inside from Keenan fails to land.
Keenan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Thu lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Thu gets through Keenan's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Keenan managing to block the knees to the body from Thu.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Keenan dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Keenan looks to score with a jab to the body but Thu is just out of range.
Thu is looking to chop away at Keenan's legs.
Keenan lands with a thumping leg kick.
Keenan on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Keenan shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Keenan fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Thu.
Crunch! Keenan slams his shin into Thu's torso.
Keenan thows a left - swing and a miss!
Keenan misses with a straight left.
Thu thinks about countering with a body kick.
Keenan lands a nice leg kick that just misses Thu's sensitive parts.
Ryan Keenan seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Keenan connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Thu goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Keenan moves into range and clinches up with Thu.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Thu obliges.
Keenan managing to block the knees to the body from Thu.
Thu scores with a shoulder strike.

Keenan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Keenan moves out of range of the body kick from Thu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keenan will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Ryan Keenan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thu quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Thu scores with a kick to the body.
Thu misses with a body kick.
Thu pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Keenan misses with a few strikes there.
Thu misses with a body kick.
Thu throws the left hand but Keenan avoids the punch easily.
Keenan lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Keenan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thu is looking to counter with a body kick.
The fighters circling - Keenan throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Thu misses with a looping left.
The fighters circle momentarily. Thu darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Keenan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keenan 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.
Keenan connects with an inside leg kick.
Thu jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Keenan throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Keenan throws a jab but it's blocked by Thu.
Keenan lunges at Thu with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Thu's hand.
Good leg kick by Keenan.
Keenan tries to clinch but Thu moves away
and Thu makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Nice uppercut lands for Keenan. That snapped Thu's head back.
Keenan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Keenan throws a leg kick that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thu throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Keenan dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Thu. That did some damage!
Keenan throws a leg kick that misses.
Keenan avoids a kick to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ryan Keenan will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Keenan scores with a punch to the head.
Well,Thu is on his way to losing a decision here. Can he use his experience to pull something off in the closing minutes?
A kick lands to the mid section there for Keenan.
Thu looks to land a body kick but Keenan moved away.
Thu misses with a head kick.
Keenan avoids a kick to the body.
Keenan misses with a looping left.
Keenan throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Keenan fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Thu is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Keenan tries to work over Thu's front leg with a kick but Thu checks it.
Thu's corner calls for a 1-2. Thu obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Keenan tries to work over Thu's front leg with a kick but Thu checks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thu moves forwards but Keenan connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Thu takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Keenan throws a nice inside leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thu turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Keenan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Keenan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keenan throws a quick inside leg kick.
Thu misses with a looping left.
Thu blocks a head kick by Keenan.
A head kick misses from Keenan.
Keenan cracks Thu with a right hand to the side of the head.
Keenan blocks a jab.
Thu drops his hands momentarily and Keenan takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Keenan misses with a right hand
and Thu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ryan Keenan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Thu looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Keenan swings for the body but Thu moves out of range.
Keenan lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Keenan keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Keenan lands with an uppercut that bounces Thu off the ropes and back into range.
Keenan ducks under a wild hook from Thu.
Thu takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Keenan scores with a three punch combo!
Keenan with the inside leg kick.
Thu tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Keenan misses with a wild combination.
Keenan avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nice defenses there by Thu.
Keenan avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Thu blocks a head kick by Keenan.
Thu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Keenan.
Thu will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Keenan throws a nice head kick!
Keenan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thu works Keenan's body with a nice hook.
Keenan throws a head kick but Thu moves out of range.
Maung Maung Thu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Keenan ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryan Keenan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Keenan winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Ryan Keenan!
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for Ryan Keenan!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Ryan Keenan!

Ryan Keenan wins by unanimous decision!
Ryan Keenan tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.