PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Mario Ferrari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Herbst (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Herbst has chosen How can I become a Bawlaa as his entrance music. Mario Ferrari has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Ferrari
vs
Herbst

198 cm
29
225 lbs
13 - 9 - 1

185 cm
27
220 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Backyard Fighting

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Mario Ferrari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, James Herbst!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ferrari moves in looking to clinch but Herbst pushes him off.
Ferrari tries to clinch but Herbst moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Herbst. Ferrari does a little dance to reset his feet.
Herbst avoids the head kick by Ferrari.
Ferrari tries to clinch there but Herbst circles away.
Ferrari tries to close the distance and clinch but Herbst swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Herbst pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Herbst swats away the attempt to clinch by Ferrari.
Ferrari tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ferrari lands with a nice body punch.
Herbst looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Herbst looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Ferrari closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Ferrari landing knees to the head.
Ferrari working hard to break the clinch.
Ferrari tries a knee to the head but Herbst blocks it.
Ferrari wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ferrari scores with a nice hook to the head.
Ferrari takes an elbow to the temple.
Ferrari blocking some punches.
Ferrari tries to stall but Herbst uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Ferrari misses with a knee strike.
Herbst throws an elbow but it misses.

Ferrari pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ferrari misses with a leg kick.
Ferrari tries to clinch but Herbst is having none of it.
Herbst misses with a body shot.
Herbst throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Ferrari on the side of the head.
Ferrari takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

It looks like Mario Ferrari has been cut.
Ferrari throws a sloppy head kick and Herbst moves out of range easily.
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!
Ferrari tries to clinch but Herbst is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herbst moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Herbst circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ferrari has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Koi Training Center in the buildup to the fight.
Herbst fails to land with a series of punches.
Herbst comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Herbst bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ferrari looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ferrari scores with a head kick.
Nice cross by Herbst.
Good leg kick by Herbst there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
James Herbst seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ferrari wants to clinch.
Herbst moves out of range as Ferrari throws a body kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ferrari moves to clinch but Herbst breaks away
and Ferrari takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Herbst dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mario Ferrari's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Herbst connects with a body shot.
Herbst scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Herbst waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ferrari.
Herbst throws a leg kick but Ferrari sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Herbst darts in and clinches Ferrari up against the ropes.
Herbst throws an elbow but it misses.
Herbst throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Herbst is trying to break the clinch but Ferrari is controlling him.
Ferrari throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ferrari lands a left hand.
Herbst has had enough of the clinch but Ferrari keeps him there for the moment.
Ferrari working hard to break the clinch.
Ferrari tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ferrari tries a knee to the head but Herbst blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ferrari takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Herbst has Ferrari pressed against the ropes, preventing Ferrari from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Herbst is trying to force a seperation but Ferrari has the dominant position.
Ferrari throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ferrari has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ferrari tries to break free but Herbst pushes him back against the ropes.
Ferrari is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Herbst is defending well for now.

Ferrari manages to break the clinch.
Herbst misses with a straight right.
Ferrari tries to clinch up but Herbst circles away and keeps his distance.
James Herbst seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ferrari moves away from the strike by Herbst.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herbst misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ferrari.
Herbst misses with a double jab.
Ferrari wants to clinch
and Herbst counters with a head kick.
Ferrari on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
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!
Herbst connects with a leg kick. Ferrari looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Herbst throws a combination that misses
and Ferrari counters with a head kick. That will keep Herbst thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Herbst with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Ferrari scores with a kick to the midsection.
Herbst is looking to land body kicks.
Ferrari cracks the inside of Herbst's front leg.
Ferrari tries to clinch but Herbst is having none of it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ferrari wants to clinch.
Herbst throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Herbst showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mario Ferrari's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ferrari wants to clinch.
A punch combination from Herbst misses.
Herbst scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Herbst throws a combination that misses
and Ferrari cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Ferrari tries a low kick but Herbst avoids it.
A slow jab from Herbst misses its intended target.
Herbst fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Herbst misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Herbst looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Herbst misses with a hook.
Ferrari is looking to clinch.
Herbst takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Herbst pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Herbst throws a nice head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herbst throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Ferrari moves into the clinch successfully.
Ferrari prevents Herbst from breaking the clinch.
Ferrari throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Herbst blocks it with crossed arms.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Herbst.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Ferrari throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Herbst blocks it with crossed arms.
Ferrari content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Ferrari tries to work over Herbst's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ferrari tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Ferrari tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herbst looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ferrari tries to stall but Herbst uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Ferrari with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Herbst takes a knee right on the jaw!
A head punch on the inside from Ferrari fails to land.

Ferrari manages to break the clinch.
Herbst misses with an attempted mid kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Herbst tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
An inside leg kick lands from Herbst.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ferrari misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Herbst throws a jab but it's blocked by Ferrari.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but James Herbst just about did enough to take it.
The cut man is working on Mario Ferrari's cut.
That's time! Ferrari's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Herbst looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Herbst throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Herbst chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Nice defenses there by Ferrari.
A leg kick checked by Ferrari.

Ferrari clinches up with Herbst and pushes him back against the ropes.
Herbst blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ferrari goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Herbst tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ferrari avoids it.
Herbst blocking some punches.
Ferrari lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Ferrari tries a knee to the head but Herbst blocks it.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Herbst.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Herbst breaks from the clinch.
Herbst throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Ferrari on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Ferrari keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Herbst.
Herbst lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Ferrari at a distance.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
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!
A shot to the liver by Herbst. Beautiful body shot.
Herbst lands a nice hook to Ferrari's body. Ferrari takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Herbst throws a head kick that misses.
Herbst misses the shot to the body.
Herbst looks to land a left hand but Ferrari moved out of range nicely.
A big left from Herbst misses.
Ferrari takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Herbst does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Ferrari is looking to clinch but Herbst is avoiding it.
A big right from Herbst misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ferrari on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Herbst. Herbst obviously looking to wear him down.
Ferrari needs to keep his hands up - Herbst had a free shot at his head there.
Herbst lands with a good body shot.
Ferrari tries to clinch but Herbst moves away
and Herbst counters with a nice leg kick.
Herbst misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ferrari.
Herbst jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Ferrari tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ferrari closes the distance but Herbst moves to the side

and Herbst counters by clinching up.
Herbst comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Mario Ferrari's cut is getting worse.
Ferrari with an attempt at a knee that misses.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ferrari tries a knee to the head but Herbst blocks it.
Herbst trying to stall but Ferrari improves his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Herbst dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Mario Ferrari's cut.
That's time! Ferrari's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Ferrari takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Mario Ferrari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Herbst lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ferrari circles away quickly and effectively.
Ferrari misses with a head kick.
Ferrari avoids the body shot from Herbst.
Herbst lands a nice shot to the body.

Ferrari forces Herbst back against the ropes and clinches.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Herbst throws an elbow but misses.
Ferrari misses with a short punch on the inside.
Herbst avoiding damage as Ferrari throws knees to the body.
Herbst on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Herbst misses with an elbow strike.
Ferrari tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Herbst avoids it.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Herbst throws an elbow but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herbst throws an elbow but it misses.
A nice left hand lands by Ferrari.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Herbst blocking some punches.
Ferrari tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ferrari blocks an elbow strike.
Ferrari throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Herbst blocks it with crossed arms.
Ferrari takes an elbow to the temple.

Herbst manages to break the clinch.
Ferrari tries to close the distance and clinch but Herbst swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ferrari pushes Herbst away with a front kick.
Ferrari tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Herbst paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ferrari doesn't manage to clinch there - Herbst circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herbst connects with a nice looking jab.
Herbst tries to bum rush Ferrari with a series of wild strikes but Ferrari uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Herbst connects with a body shot that sends Ferrari's belly button to the back.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ferrari moves away from the strike by Herbst.
Ferrari tries to close the distance and clinch up but Herbst swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ferrari avoids the body shot from Herbst.
Herbst throws a jab when Ferrari was well out of range.
A big left from Herbst misses.
Herbst misses with a straight left.
Herbst works the jab nicely.
Ferrari pulls out of a head kick attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ferrari looks for the body kick but Herbst saw that one coming.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Ferrari crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Herbst - the referee stops the clock and Ferrari gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Herbst. Ferrari manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - a gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Herbst misses with a straight right.
James Herbst is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Ferrari throws a head kick that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Herbst comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Herbst 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 45:50
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 46:49
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 46:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Herbst!
James Herbst thanked the fans post fight for their support.