PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Thorvald Espensen (ranked 21500 p4p, 3312 weight class) and Miguel Sandoval (ranked 680 p4p, 413 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?

Espensen
vs
Sandoval

177 cm
34
185
11 - 10 - 1

179 cm
29
171
12 - 13 - 1

World class MT
Granite chin

World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 10 - 1, fighting out of New York, Thorvald Espensen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Miguel Sandoval!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Gwen Towbar and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sandoval keeps the fight on the outside.

Espensen pushes Sandoval up against the ropes in a clinch.
Espensen lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Sandoval pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Espensen takes one to the side of the head.
Sandoval scores with a sloppy right hand. Espensen should have avoided that one.

Espensen pushes Sandoval up against the ropes in a clinch.

Sandoval pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sandoval scores with the left hand. Espensen knows he should have avoided that one.
Espensen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Espensen moves in looking to clinch but Sandoval pushes him off.
Sandoval has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Sandoval throws a body punch but Espensen moves out of range.
Sandoval swats away the attempt to clinch by Espensen.
Thorvald Espensen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sandoval throws a shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Espensen clinches up against the ropes.

Sandoval breaks the clinch.

Espensen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sandoval, pushing him back against the ropes.

Sandoval pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sandoval goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sandoval getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

Espensen rushes Sandoval and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Espensen misses with a punch on the inside.

Sandoval's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Espensen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sandoval swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Espensen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Sandoval paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sandoval throws out a counter right but Espensen avoids it with no problem.
Espensen doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Espensen closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Sandoval to counter with a crisp jab.
Espensen is looking to clinch but Sandoval is avoiding it.

Espensen closes the distance and clinches.
Espensen throws a head punch that misses.

Sandoval escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sandoval scores with a hook.
Sandoval thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nice straight punches there by Sandoval. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Sandoval.
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!
Sandoval shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Espensen eats them both and turns towards Sandoval to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Sandoval loads up on a big right hand but Espensen slips the punch.

Espensen rushes Sandoval and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espensen misses with a short punch on the inside.

Sandoval breaks from the clinch.
Espensen 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.

Espensen moves into range and clinches up with Sandoval.

Sandoval pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sandoval swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Espensen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Sandoval keeps the fight on the outside.
Espensen gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Espensen closes the distance and clinches.
Espensen lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Sandoval manages to break the clinch.
Sandoval is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Espensen had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
The fight stays on the outside here - Espensen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A little jabbing left from Sandoval on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Sandoval thuds a left hand into Espensen's body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sandoval throws a good cross that connects.
Sandoval jabs at Espensen's body.
Espensen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sandoval swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sandoval fails to land with a series of punches.
Sandoval swats away the attempt to clinch by Espensen.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Sandoval dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sandoval circles away from the clinch attempt
and Sandoval counters with a right hand to the body.
Espensen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sandoval circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sandoval with a jab.
Espensen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sandoval circles away from the clinch attempt.
Espensen tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Sandoval manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Espensen looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Sandoval has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sandoval throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Miguel Sandoval seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sandoval punishes Espensen's body with a nice straight punch.

Espensen gets a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sandoval breaks the clinch.
Sandoval jabs Espensen to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Espensen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sandoval misses with an uppercut. Espensen saw that one coming.
Sandoval fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Espensen manages to avoid it.
Espensen tries to clinch but Sandoval moves away
and Sandoval counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sandoval scores with a shot to the body.
Sandoval goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Espensen wants to clinch but Sandoval slips to the side
and Sandoval counters with a stiff right hand.

Espensen forces Sandoval back against the ropes and clinches.

Sandoval breaks the clinch.
Espensen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sandoval takes a swing at Espensen's ribcage but misses.
Espensen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Espensen moves to clinch but Sandoval breaks away
and Sandoval counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Espensen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Espensen takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Espensen tries to close the distance and clinch but Sandoval swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Espensen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Espensen wants to clinch up but Sandoval keeps it at a distance.
Espensen doesn't manage to clinch there - Sandoval circles away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Espensen moves into the clinch.

Sandoval manages to break the clinch.
Espensen looks to clinch
and Sandoval counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espensen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sandoval comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Sandoval connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Sandoval misses with a wild body shot.
Espensen moves in looking to clinch but Sandoval pushes him off.
Espensen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Espensen looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Sandoval throws a right and a left that Espensen avoids nicely.
Sandoval lands with an uppercut that bounces Espensen off the ropes and back into range.
Sandoval keeps the fight on the outside.
Sandoval circles away from the clinch attempt
enabling Sandoval to counter with a crisp jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sandoval misses with a looping right.
A telegraphed right hand from Sandoval misses the target.
Sandoval avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A jab from Sandoval misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Sandoval showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Sandoval scores with a jab to the jaw.
Thorvald Espensen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Miguel Sandoval is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Espensen tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Sandoval counters with a straight right hand.
Sandoval digs a good hook to Espensen's body.
Espensen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sandoval swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Sandoval! But no joy.
Espensen wants to clinch up but Sandoval keeps it at a distance.
Sandoval lands a nice hook to Espensen's body. Espensen takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Espensen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Sandoval thuds his right hand into Espensen's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Espensen tries to clinch up but Sandoval circles away and keeps his distance.
Sandoval jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Espensen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Espensen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A short right from Espensen.
Espensen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Espensen working aggressively here.
Espensen working aggressively here.
Espensen looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espensen swings wildly with an uppercut but Sandoval uses good head movement to avoid it.

Sandoval breaks the clinch.
Sandoval bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Espensen's head.
Espensen tries to clinch but Sandoval is having none of it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Sandoval! But no joy.
Sandoval throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Espensen on the side of the head.
Espensen wants to clinch up but Sandoval keeps it at a distance.
Sandoval lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Sandoval avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Espensen tries to close the distance and clinch but Sandoval swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sandoval lands a jab to Espensen's midsection.
Espensen has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Sandoval ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Sandoval dips to his left and cracks Espensen with an 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!
Espensen darts in trying to clinch
and Sandoval counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Espensen tries to clinch up.
Sandoval is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Espensen with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espensen doesn't manage to clinch there - Sandoval circles away.
Espensen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Espensen is looking to clinch but Sandoval is avoiding it.
Sandoval lands a glancing blow to the side of Espensen's head.
Espensen fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Espensen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sandoval throws out a counter right but Espensen avoids it with no problem.
Espensen tries to clinch but Sandoval is having none of it.
Espensen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Espensen wants to clinch
and Sandoval cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Espensen wants to clinch up but Sandoval keeps it at a distance.
Sandoval bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Espensen's head backwards.

Espensen has closed the distance and engaged Sandoval in a clinch.
Espensen swings wildly with an uppercut but Sandoval uses good head movement to avoid it.
Espensen misses with a short punch on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Miguel Sandoval comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sandoval 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Miguel Sandoval!