PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Roberto Karokaro (ranked 4969 p4p, 3385 weight class) and Aiko Inhanamoto (ranked 532 p4p, 413 weight class). Roberto Karokaro could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Aiko Inhanamoto's chin.

Karokaro
vs
Inhanamoto

173 cm
23
170
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
26
178
5 - 1 - 1

Excellent boxer
KO power

Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Seventh Circle Clothing

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Roberto Karokaro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Aiko Inhanamoto!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Matheus Silva and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Inhanamoto has managed to clinch.
Karokaro wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Inhanamoto has him pressed against the ropes.
Inhanamoto lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Inhanamoto works on Karokaro's body with a couple of short punches.
Inhanamoto stalling.

Inhanamoto breaks from the clinch.
Karokaro throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Some wild striking there from Karokaro.
Karokaro connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karokaro misses with a jab, cross combination.
Karokaro circles away from the clinch attempt.
Karokaro misses with the combination.
Inhanamoto is looking to clinch.
A jab from Karokaro misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karokaro lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Inhanamoto circles away quickly and effectively.

Inhanamoto has taken the fight to the clinch.
Inhanamoto lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Inhanamoto breaks the clinch.
A punch combination from Karokaro misses.
Inhanamoto is looking to clinch but Karokaro is avoiding it.
Karokaro fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Karokaro throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Karokaro throws a combination that misses

and Inhanamoto counters by moving into the clinch.
Inhanamoto swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Karokaro tries to break the clinch but Inhanamoto is controlling the position.
Inhanamoto dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the ropes.
Inhanamoto misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Inhanamoto controlling the action here for a moment.
Karokaro working hard to break the clinch.
Inhanamoto tries to work over Karokaro's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Karokaro wants to get back to striking at distance but Inhanamoto won't allow it.
Inhanamoto stalls.
Karokaro wants to break the clinch but can't.
Inhanamoto can't find room to land a body shot as Karokaro controls the action.

Inhanamoto's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Roberto Karokaro will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Inhanamoto avoids a punch combination nicely.
Inhanamoto let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
A right-left combo lands from Karokaro.
Inhanamoto dodges the punch combination from Karokaro.
Inhanamoto tries to clinch up.
Roberto Karokaro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A combination from Karokaro does no damage.
Inhanamoto wants to counter the offense by Karokaro and move into the clinch position.
Inhanamoto tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Karokaro swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Inhanamoto avoids a punch combination nicely.
Inhanamoto steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Karokaro.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karokaro scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Inhanamoto avoids a punch combination nicely.
Karokaro throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karokaro misses with a wild combination.
Karokaro throws a left and a right that both miss
and Inhanamoto cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Inhanamoto clinches.

Inhanamoto pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Karokaro is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Inhanamoto can do to turn this around?

Karokaro gets tackled into the ropes by Inhanamoto. Inhanamoto maintains the clinch.
Inhanamoto misses with a punch to the body.
Inhanamoto stalls.
Inhanamoto has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Karokaro seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Inhanamoto can turn it around.
Inhanamoto stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Inhanamoto breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Karokaro lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Inhanamoto circles away quickly and effectively.
Karokaro misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Karokaro.

Inhanamoto has managed to clinch.
Inhanamoto works on Karokaro's body with a couple of short punches.
Inhanamoto slows down the pace here.
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!
The referee calls for Inhanamoto to work.
Inhanamoto misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Inhanamoto stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Roberto Karokaro dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Inhanamoto drives through and clinches with Karokaro against the ropes.

Inhanamoto pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Karokaro tries to bum rush Inhanamoto with a series of wild strikes but Inhanamoto uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Inhanamoto moves in looking to clinch but Karokaro pushes him off.
Karokaro circles away from the clinch attempt.
Karokaro misses with a combination

and Inhanamoto counters by clinching up.
Aiko Inhanamoto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Inhanamoto throws a punch but it's blocked by Karokaro.
Come on Inhanamoto - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Inhanamoto swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Inhanamoto working aggressively here.
Inhanamoto tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Karokaro's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Inhanamoto pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Inhanamoto leaning his opponent against the ropes.
Inhanamoto is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Karokaro is keeping busy.
Inhanamoto is trying to maintain a safe position but Karokaro gets an underhook and turns Inhanamoto into the ropes.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Aiko Inhanamoto.
Karokaro lands a glancing blow to the side of Inhanamoto's head.
Karokaro ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Roberto Karokaro is winning the standup battle so far.
A punch combination from Karokaro misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karokaro misses with the combination.

Inhanamoto darts in and clinches Karokaro up against the ropes.
Inhanamoto controlling the action here for a moment.
Inhanamoto tries to stall but Karokaro uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Roberto Karokaro is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Inhanamoto breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Karokaro throws a right and a left that both miss.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Inhanamoto is looking to clinch.

Inhanamoto darts in and clinches Karokaro up against the ropes.

Inhanamoto manages to break the clinch.
Karokaro fails to land with a series of punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Aiko Inhanamoto.
I think Karokaro has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!