PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joe Calzaghe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fabio Del Mar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Calzaghe comes to the cage accompanied by The Pride of Wales. 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.

Calzaghe
vs
Del Mar

182 cm
28
173 lbs
19 - 12 - 1

180 cm
26
180 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
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 19 - 12 - 1, fighting out of London, Joe Calzaghe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Fabio Del Mar!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, William Gold and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Del Mar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Calzaghe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Calzaghe throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Del Mar tries to close the distance and clinch but Calzaghe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Calzaghe moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Calzaghe lands a jab to the head.
Del Mar darts in trying to clinch
and Calzaghe counters with a nice uppercut.
Del Mar tries to clinch up
and Calzaghe counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Del Mar thinking.

Del Mar moves into the clinch.
Calzaghe takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Joe Calzaghe has been cut.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Calzaghe as Del Mar tries to tie him up.
Del Mar tries a body shot but Calzaghe blocks it.
Del Mar tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Calzaghe lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Del Mar.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Calzaghe is working Del Mar over against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Calzaghe breaks from the clinch.
Del Mar tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Del Mar.
Del Mar misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Calzaghe wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Del Mar throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Joe Calzaghe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Del Mar tries to clinch up but Calzaghe circles away and keeps his distance.
Jab by Calzaghe.

Del Mar clinches.
Del Mar is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Del Mar avoiding damage.
Del Mar tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Del Mar throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Calzaghe blocks it with crossed arms.
Del Mar misses with a knee strike.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Del Mar fails with an attempt to clinch.
Del Mar tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Calzaghe throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Del Mar throws a series of punches but Calzaghe moves out of range.

Del Mar clinches up with Calzaghe and pushes him back against the cage.
Del Mar misses with a knee strike.
Calzaghe is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Del Mar is defending well for now.
Del Mar unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Calzaghe lands with a light punch inside.
Del Mar keeps control of Calzaghe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A right hook to the body lands for Calzaghe.
Calzaghe misses with a punch to the body.
A body shot lands from Calzaghe.
Calzaghe controlling the action here for a moment.
A right handed body shot lands from Calzaghe.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Del Mar tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Calzaghe avoids it.
Del Mar letting Calzaghe take a breather here.
Del Mar is looking to control Calzaghe's arms but Calzaghe gets an underhook and turns him. Now Del Mar has his back to the cage.
Del Mar misses with a knee to the head.
A right handed body shot lands from Calzaghe.
Del Mar throws a knee to the head but misses.

Calzaghe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Calzaghe circles away from the clinch attempt
and Calzaghe counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Del Mar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Calzaghe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Del Mar darts in trying to clinch
and Calzaghe connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Del Mar fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Calzaghe.
Del Mar closes the distance but Calzaghe moves to the side
letting Calzaghe counter with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Del Mar misses.
Del Mar moves to clinch but Calzaghe breaks away
and Calzaghe counters with a lovely shot to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Calzaghe looks to score with a jab to the body but Del Mar is just out of range.
Good shot there by Del Mar.
Del Mar tries to clinch but Calzaghe moves away
and Calzaghe counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The fight stays on the outside here - Del Mar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Del Mar throws a combination that misses
enabling Calzaghe to counter with a crisp jab.
Del Mar works Calzaghe's body with a nice hook.
Del Mar tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Calzaghe counters with a left to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Del Mar uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Calzaghe.
Del Mar wants to clinch
and Del Mar takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Calzaghe is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
A shot to the liver by Calzaghe. Beautiful body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Joe Calzaghe will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Joe Calzaghe's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Del Mar moves forwards but Calzaghe connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Calzaghe getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Calzaghe thows a body shot but no joy.
Del Mar tries to clinch but Calzaghe moves out of range.
Del Mar tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Calzaghe makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Calzaghe swats away the attempt to clinch by Del Mar.
Del Mar chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Del Mar tries to clinch but fails miserably
letting Calzaghe counter with a right hand.
Calzaghe just misses with a punch to the body.
Del Mar wants to clinch up but Calzaghe keeps it at a distance.
Del Mar wants to clinch.
Del Mar gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Calzaghe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calzaghe fails to land with a series of punches.
Del Mar tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Calzaghe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Del Mar wants to clinch up but Calzaghe keeps it at a distance.

Del Mar clinches up with Calzaghe and pushes him back against the cage.
Del Mar is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Calzaghe is defending well for now.
Del Mar tries to score a body lock takedown but Calzaghe shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Del Mar using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Calzaghe has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Del Mar misses with a knee strike.
Del Mar with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Del Mar swings wildly with an uppercut but Calzaghe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Calzaghe lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Del Mar or not.
Del Mar lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Del Mar is breathing heavily.
Del Mar throws a knee to the head but misses.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Calzaghe throws a jab when Del Mar was well out of range.
Fabio Del Mar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Calzaghe throws a big shot that misses.
Calzaghe takes a swing at Del Mar's ribcage but misses.
Calzaghe moves out of range of the leg kick from Del Mar.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Del Mar.
Del Mar moves to clinch but Calzaghe breaks away
and Calzaghe counters with a straight right hand.
Nice shot lands for Calzaghe.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Del Mar looks to score with a jab to the body but Calzaghe is just out of range.
Del Mar on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Del Mar turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A shot to the liver by Calzaghe. Beautiful body shot.
Del Mar tries to clinch up
and Calzaghe counters with a nice body shot.
Joe Calzaghe is winning the standup battle so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Del Mar wants to clinch up but Calzaghe keeps it at a distance.
Calzaghe circles away from the clinch attempt
and Calzaghe counters with a left to the body.
Calzaghe scores with a hook.
Calzaghe lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Del Mar just misses with a punch to the body.
Calzaghe just misses with a punch to the body.
Calzaghe just misses with a punch to the body.
Del Mar tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Calzaghe counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Del Mar closes the distance looking to clinch
and Calzaghe counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Del Mar is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Del Mar darts in trying to clinch
and Calzaghe counters with a huge left! Del Mar is in big trouble! He's backing up but Calzaghe isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save Del Mar from any more damage. A dominating finish by Calzaghe!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:09 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Joe Calzaghe!
Joe Calzaghe managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Untouchable Fight Nutrition, into his post fight interview.