PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between James Franks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Turner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Franks
vs
Turner

170 cm
18
155 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

175 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

Solid boxing
Intelligent

Good kicks
Granite chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, James Franks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike Turner!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Anthony Taglia and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franks doesn't manage to clinch there - Turner circles away.
Franks keeps the fight on the outside.
Turner misses with a combination

and Franks counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Franks.
Turner blocks an elbow strike from Franks.
Turner trying to stall but Franks improves his position.

Franks pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A combination from Turner does no damage.

Turner forces Franks back against the ropes and clinches.
Franks unloads a knee to the mid-section. Turner lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Turner is trying to break free.

Franks breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Turner looks to land a combination but Franks avoids it well.

Turner gets tackled into the ropes by Franks. Franks maintains the clinch.
Franks is looking to break free of the clinch but Turner has double underhooks.

Franks breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franks tries to close the distance and clinch but Turner swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Turner misses with a head kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Turner.
Franks pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Turner throws a sloppy head kick
and Franks counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Franks throws a push kick but Turner slaps the foot to one side.
Turner fails in his attempt to clinch.

Franks gets a clinch.
Turner is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Franks is defending well for now.

Franks breaks the clinch.
Franks lands with a kick to the temple. Turner shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Franks looks to land a body kick but Turner moved away.

Turner closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Turner breaks the clinch.
Turner tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Turner misses the body punch

and Franks counters by clinching up.
Franks unloads a knee to the mid-section. Turner lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Turner wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Franks has him pressed against the ropes.
Franks looking to stall.
Turner looking to slow down the pace here.
Franks looking to stall.

Franks breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Turner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Franks paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franks tries to clinch but Turner is having none of it.
Franks ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Turner wants to clinch.
Franks tries to clinch there but Turner circles away.
Turner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Turner scores with a head kick.
Turner tries to close the distance and clinch but Franks swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Turner throws a wild body kick that Franks sees coming a mile off.
Turner takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Turner tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Franks was well out of range. Poor timing from Turner.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Franks has closed the distance and engaged Turner in a clinch.
Turner takes a knee to the side of the body.
Franks effectively controlling the action here.
Franks misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Turner.

Franks manages to break the clinch.
Turner tries to grapple but his opponent circles
enabling Franks to counter with a crisp jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Turner fails in his attempt to clinch.

Franks moves into the clinch.
Franks letting Turner take a breather here.

Franks breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Franks dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Turner throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Danga de danga de dang - Turner scores with a four punch combination!
Turner doesn't manage to clinch there - Franks circles away.
Mike Turner seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Franks throws a right and a left that both miss.

Franks instigates a clinch.

Franks pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Franks works the jab nicely.
Turner tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Franks manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The fighters circling - Turner throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Turner swats away the attempt to clinch by Franks.
Franks is looking to clinch.
Turner walks forward, straight into a front kick from Franks.
Turner looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franks tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Turner manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Turner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Turner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Franks is looking to clinch but Turner is avoiding it.
Franks tries to clinch there but Turner circles away.
Turner misses with a lunging right hand
and Franks counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Turner misses with a leg kick
and Franks counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Franks throws a quick inside leg kick.
Franks jabs Turner right on the nose. Turner blinks but takes it well.
Turner keeps the fight on the outside.
Turner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Turner throws a combination that misses
and Franks counters with a two punch combo.

Franks gets a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Turner trying to control the position but instead, Franks has worked for underhooks and has pushed Turner into the ropes.

Franks pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Turner throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
James Franks is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A thudding body kick lands there by Franks!
Franks scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Franks closes the distance and clinches.
Turner wants to break the clinch but can't.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Franks as Turner tries to tie him up.

Franks pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franks moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Franks circles away from the clinch attempt.
Turner misses with a hook to the body

and Franks counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Turner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Turner fakes the leg kick and cracks Franks in the body.
Franks avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Turner has Franks up against the ropes in a clinch.

Turner manages to break the clinch.

Franks clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Franks's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Turner displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
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 fight stays on the outside here - Turner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
No joy there for Turner, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Franks moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Turner keeps the fight on the outside.

Franks has closed the distance and engaged Turner in a clinch.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Franks stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Knees to the body from Franks.
Franks cracks Turner with a nice body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Franks dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Turner tries to keep at a distance but Franks has taken the fight into the clinch.
Franks taking a breather.
Turner wants to break the clinch but can't.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Turner throws an elbow but misses.
Turner tries a body shot but Franks blocks it.

Turner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Franks circles away from the clinch attempt.
Turner tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fight stays on the outside here - Turner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Turner misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franks lands a nice looking kick to the body. Turner takes a step back to recover.
Franks scores with a body shot.
Franks misses with a double jab.
Turner fails in his attempt to clinch.
Franks throws a series of strikes that have Turner backpedaling.

Franks has taken the fight to the clinch.

Franks breaks the clinch.
Turner tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Franks counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Franks lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Franks lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Turner wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Franks has him pressed against the ropes.

Turner breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franks looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Turner throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Franks.
Franks looks to clinch

and Turner holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Franks escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Franks fails with an attempt to clinch.
Turner fails in his attempt to clinch.
Franks avoids the head kick by Turner.

Franks rushes Turner and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Franks is trying to maintain a safe position but Turner gets an underhook and turns Franks into the ropes.
Turner manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franks shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Turner eats them both and turns towards Franks to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Turner dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Franks keeps the fight on the outside.
Turner lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Turner throws a combination that misses
and Franks counters with a series of strikes. Turner will be more careful next time no doubt.
Turner takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Turner keeps the fight on the outside.
The fight stays on the outside here - Turner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Turner is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Franks rather than just go for the knockout.
Turner tries to land a front kick but Franks steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Turner throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Franks.
Franks is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Turner scores with a nice body kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Turner doesn't manage to clinch there - Franks circles away.

Franks has Turner up against the ropes in a clinch.

Franks's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Franks, right into the meat.

Turner clinches with his opponent.

Franks breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Turner drives through and clinches with Franks against the ropes.
Franks tries to break the clinch but Turner is controlling the position.
Mike Turner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
James Franks is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Franks keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Turner's efforts to push away.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to James Franks.
Well Franks has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Franks!
During a confident post fight interview, James Franks thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.