PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between James Rocksteady (ranked 817 p4p, 2423 weight class) and Stephen Steve (ranked 35 p4p, 292 weight class). Rocksteady comes to the ring accompanied by Red Right Hand. Stephen Steve has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with James Rocksteady's chin.

Rocksteady
vs
Steve

170 cm
33
190
18 - 15 - 0

180 cm
32
177
17 - 14 - 0

Excellent boxer
Very quick

Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 4 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, James Rocksteady!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Stephen Steve!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Percy O'Donnell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice body punch from Steve.
Rocksteady throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Decent striking displayed by Rocksteady there.
Rocksteady tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Steve paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rocksteady looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rocksteady scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Steve forces Rocksteady back against the ropes and clinches.
Rocksteady doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rocksteady misses with the head strike.
Rocksteady misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Rocksteady scores with a shoulder strike.
Rocksteady misses with a body punch.
Rocksteady pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Rocksteady lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Steve.
A right handed body shot lands from Rocksteady.
Steve is leaning against Rocksteady and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rocksteady lands a nice shot to the body.
Steve tries to stall but Rocksteady uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocksteady looking to slow down the pace here.
Steve tries to break the clinch but Rocksteady is controlling the position.
Steve misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rocksteady throws a punch but it's blocked by Steve.
Rocksteady misses with a punch to the body.
Steve gets through Rocksteady's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rocksteady tries to work over Steve's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Steve working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Steve lands a left hand.
Steve prevents a body shot from Rocksteady.
Steve scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Steve misses with some punches.
Steve prevents a body shot from Rocksteady.
Rocksteady misses with a hook to the ribs.

Steve breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steve just misses with a punch to the body.
Rocksteady fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Steve on the side of the head.
Rocksteady missing with a left hand there. Steve was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Steve takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Rocksteady closes the distance but Steve moves to the side
and Steve counters with a slapping leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Steve throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rocksteady throws an overhand right that lands on Steve's shoulder, as Steve tries to avoid the shot.
Rocksteady with a jab.
Rocksteady clobbers Steve with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Steve keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rocksteady.

Rocksteady instigates a clinch.
Rocksteady taking a breather.
Rocksteady scores with a nice hook to the head.
Steve scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Rocksteady on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rocksteady tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Steve's elbow.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

James Rocksteady dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Rocksteady looks to land a left hand but Steve moved out of range nicely.
Rocksteady throws a looping overhand right but Steve ducks down to avoid it.
Rocksteady is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Steve can do to turn this around?
Steve uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rocksteady.
Nice body kick from Steve.
Steve steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rocksteady.
Nice straight punches there by Steve. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Steve.
Rocksteady throws a body shot but no joy.
Steve avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rocksteady misses with a body shot.
Steve throws a nice outside leg kick.
Steve tries a low kick but Rocksteady avoids it.
Rocksteady pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steve ducks under a wild hook from Rocksteady.
Steve with a nice calf kick.
Steve with a nice calf kick.
Steve lands a nice looking kick to the body. Rocksteady takes a step back to recover.
Rocksteady tries to clinch but Steve moves out of range.
James Rocksteady seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rocksteady misses with a straight left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocksteady lands a head shot.
Rocksteady gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Rocksteady is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Nice jab there from Steve.
Rocksteady lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Rocksteady misses with a body shot.
Rocksteady scores with a crisp jab that stopped Steve in his tracks.
Rocksteady throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rocksteady tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A swing and a miss from Rocksteady.
Steve ducks under a wild hook from Rocksteady.
A big right from Rocksteady misses.
Rocksteady throws a lazy uppercut
and Steve counters with a straight right hand.
Steve tries to work over Rocksteady's front leg with a kick but Rocksteady checks it.

Steve gets a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Steve lands a knee to the body.
Rocksteady throws a head punch that misses.
Steve scores with a shoulder strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rocksteady tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Steve tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Steve doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Steve using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rocksteady has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rocksteady prevents a body shot from Steve.
A right hook to the body lands for Steve.
Rocksteady lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Steve.
Rocksteady throws a punch but it's blocked by Steve.

Steve pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rocksteady thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rocksteady looks to land a right hand but Steve moved out of range.
Good shot there by Rocksteady.
Steve jabs at Rocksteady's body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rocksteady fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Steve is out of range.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Steve checks a leg kick.
Rocksteady throws a body shot but no joy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Stephen Steve will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rocksteady has Steve up against the ropes in a clinch.
Rocksteady misses with a body punch.
Rocksteady struggles to land a body shot inside as Steve controls his hands.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Steve tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Steve wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rocksteady has him pressed against the ropes.
Steve struggles to land a body shot inside as Rocksteady controls his hands.
Steve pushes Rocksteady back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Rocksteady tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rocksteady stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Steve lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steve misses with a hook from the clinch.
Steve throws a head punch that misses.
Steve misses with a punch to the body.
Rocksteady tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rocksteady lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Steve is trying to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steve lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rocksteady is trying to stall.
Rocksteady scores with a hook to the body.
Rocksteady misses with a hook from the clinch.
Steve working aggressively here.
Rocksteady lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rocksteady as Steve tries to tie him up.
Rocksteady working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Stephen Steve seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Steve misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rocksteady.
Steve prevents a body shot from Rocksteady.
Steve blocks a body shot from Rocksteady.
Rocksteady is pushing Steve up against the ropes, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A shot in the inside from Rocksteady.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steve tries a body shot but Rocksteady blocks it.
Rocksteady misses with a hook to the ribs.
Steve lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Steve lands with a left to the head.
Steve tries to circle away but Rocksteady has him pinned against the ropes.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Rocksteady is struggling to control the position.
Rocksteady seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Steve misses with a hook to the ribs.
Still in the clinch, Rocksteady scores with a nice short uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rocksteady blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rocksteady blocking some punches.
Steve tries to throw a body punch but Rocksteady avoids it by throwing Steve back against the ropes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but James Rocksteady did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rocksteady throws a lazy uppercut
and Steve counters with a left to the body.
James Rocksteady is winning the standup battle so far.
Rocksteady throws a looping overhand right but Steve ducks down to avoid it.
Rocksteady loads up on a big right hand but Steve slips the punch.
Steve lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Good standup being displayed there by Rocksteady as he connects with a hook.
Rocksteady throws a jab but it's blocked by Steve.
Steve pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
A jab lands there for Steve.
Rocksteady jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Good exchange - Rocksteady coming out on top.
Rocksteady throws a lazy uppercut
and Steve counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Rocksteady tries to clinch up but Steve circles away and keeps his distance.
A big left from Steve misses.
Steve fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice defenses there by Steve.
Stephen Steve has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Steve lands with a right hand.
Rocksteady throws an overhand right that lands on Steve's shoulder, as Steve tries to avoid the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steve lands a jab.
Steve fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rocksteady.

Steve drives through and clinches with Rocksteady against the ropes.
Rocksteady tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Knees in the clinch landing for Steve.
Rocksteady tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Steve's elbow.
A hook to the body from Rocksteady.
Steve pushes Rocksteady back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A knee to the head by Steve.
Rocksteady misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rocksteady goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Steve pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Steve scoring well with a low kick there.
Steve has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Steve slips under a jab from Rocksteady.
Steve lands with a nice body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
An inside leg kick lands from Steve.
Steve connects with a leg kick.
James Rocksteady is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rocksteady throws a head kick that half lands.
Rocksteady is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A looping hook to the body misses from Steve. Rocksteady does a little dance to reset his feet.
Steve defending well as Rocksteady loads up on a big left hand.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Still in the clinch, Steve scores with a nice short uppercut.
Steve wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rocksteady tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Steve working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rocksteady blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Steve tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rocksteady's elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Steve comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 38:38
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 38:38
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 38:38

The fight is ruled a draw!