PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joe Calzaghe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antti Silava (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Calzaghe comes to the cage accompanied by The Pride of Wales. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Calzaghe
vs
Silava

182 cm
36
173 lbs
27 - 20 - 1

188 cm
35
184 lbs
10 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Blue Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 27 - 20 - 1, fighting out of London, Joe Calzaghe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antti Silava!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Calzaghe lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Silava ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Calzaghe moves away.
No joy there for Calzaghe, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Calzaghe tries to bum rush Silava with a series of wild strikes but Silava uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Calzaghe moves forwards but Silava connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Calzaghe moves out of range as Silava strikes.
Silava ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Calzaghe moves away.
We've been informed that Silava has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Silava slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Silava thows a left - swing and a miss!
Calzaghe ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Calzaghe appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Silava avoids the body shot from Calzaghe.
Silava takes one to the chin there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Silava throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Calzaghe to counter with a crisp jab.
Silava tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Calzaghe counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silava looks to land a right hand but Calzaghe moved out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Calzaghe misses the target.
A jab from Silava misses.
Calzaghe avoids the body shot from Silava.
Silava misses with a shot to the body
and Calzaghe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Silava with a hook.
Silava throws a body shot but no joy.
Silava lands a jab to the nose.
Silava takes one to the chin there.
Calzaghe throws a series of punches but Silava avoids them all with ease.
A jab from Silava finds it's way through Calzaghe's defenses.
Calzaghe scores with a decent looking hook.
Silava moves out of range of the strikes.
Silava swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Calzaghe scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

It looks like Antti Silava has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silava takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
A slow jab from Silava misses its intended target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silava throws a poor cross that misses
and Calzaghe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Calzaghe changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Silava misses with a straight right.

Silava darts in and clinches Calzaghe up against the cage.
Silava comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Calzaghe tries to break the clinch but Silava is controlling the position.

Calzaghe breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Calzaghe connects with the punch.
Silava throws a lazy right hand but Calzaghe sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Silava thows a left - swing and a miss!
It looked like Calzaghe was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Silava.
Silava throws a hook to the side of Calzaghe's head but Calzaghe sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Calzaghe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Silava tries to counter by closing the distance.
Calzaghe misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Calzaghe lands with a shot to the body.
Silava stuns Calzaghe with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Calzaghe is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
A big left from Silava misses.
Calzaghe keeps the fight on the outside.
Silava is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Calzaghe with a jab.
Calzaghe walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Calzaghe lands with a nice body punch.
Calzaghe staying out of range there.
Silava bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Silava pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Silava misses with a shot to the body
and Calzaghe counters with a nice uppercut.
Silava throws a right hand that misses
and Calzaghe counters with a nice body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silava lands a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silava lands a jab to Calzaghe's midsection.
Silava throws a hook to the side of Calzaghe's head but Calzaghe sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Calzaghe was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Silava throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Silava takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Silava misses with a right hand
and Calzaghe counters with a nice body shot.
Silava is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Calzaghe.
Silava misses with a left hand
and Calzaghe counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Silava looks to land a left hand but Calzaghe moved out of range nicely.
Silava throws a poor cross that misses
and Calzaghe connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Calzaghe scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Calzaghe lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silava digs a good hook to Calzaghe's body.
Silava slips a straight right by Calzaghe.
Calzaghe bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Silava's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Calzaghe dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Antti Silava's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Silava slips under a jab.
Calzaghe swings for the body but Silava moves out of range.
Silava ducks under a wild hook from Calzaghe.
Antti Silava seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Calzaghe slips under a jab from Silava.
Silava bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Silava throws a body shot but no joy.
Calzaghe wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Calzaghe lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Silava circles away quickly and effectively.
Silava walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Calzaghe jabs Silava to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Calzaghe ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Silava moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A telegraphed right hand from Silava misses the target.
Silava throws a body punch but Calzaghe moves out of range.
Calzaghe throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Calzaghe stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Joe Calzaghe is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calzaghe throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Silava makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Silava lands with a good body shot.
Calzaghe has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Silava finds it's way round the side to connect with Calzaghe's head.
Silava swings for the body but Calzaghe moves out of range.
Silava avoids the body shot from Calzaghe.
Silava on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Silava misses with a telegraphed body shot
letting Calzaghe counter with a right hand.
A telegraphed right hand from Silava misses the target.
Silava has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Silava ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Calzaghe moves away.
Calzaghe appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
A big right from Calzaghe misses.
Silava wants to counter with a clinch but Calzaghe pushes him away.
Nice jab there from Silava.
Silava stuns Calzaghe with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Calzaghe lands a nice shot to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silava throws an off balance right hand
and Calzaghe counters with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Calzaghe misses with the combination.
Silava ducks under a wild hook from Calzaghe.
A punch lands to the side of Calzaghe 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Calzaghe bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silava. Calzaghe does a little dance to reset his feet.
Calzaghe lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Calzaghe throws a series of punches but Silava avoids them all with ease.
Silava wants to counter with a clinch but Calzaghe pushes him away.
Silava misses with a body shot
and Calzaghe counters with a stiff right hand.
Silava missing with a left hand there. Calzaghe was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Calzaghe bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Silava connects with a jab.
Silava throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silava gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Calzaghe is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silava can do to turn this around?
Calzaghe ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Silava moves away.
Silava tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Calzaghe was well out of range. Poor timing from Silava.
Silava misses with a hook
and Calzaghe counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Calzaghe keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Silava takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Silava tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silava tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Calzaghe was well out of range. Poor timing from Silava.
Silava throws a predictable looking body shot
and Calzaghe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Silava scores with a shot to the body.
Silava throws a hook but Calzaghe avoids it easily.
Calzaghe swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Silava scores with a sloppy right hand. Calzaghe should have avoided that one.
Silava throws a hook to the side of Calzaghe's head but Calzaghe sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Silava drops his hands momentarily and Calzaghe takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Calzaghe is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Silava.
A left lands for Silava.
Silava is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Calzaghe misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Silava.
Silava looks to land a left hand but Calzaghe moved out of range nicely.
Silava swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Calzaghe counters with a stiff right hand.
A jab from Silava misses.
Calzaghe misses with an uppercut. Silava saw that one coming.
Silava scores with a hook to the body. Calzaghe takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Calzaghe tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Silava was well out of range. Poor timing from Calzaghe.
Calzaghe scores with a three punch combo!

Silava is rocked!
Silava connects with a right hand. Calzaghe shakes it off.
Silava is still on wobbly legs! Can Calzaghe finish him?
Calzaghe lands a jab to Silava's midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Calzaghe dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Antti Silava's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Calzaghe uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Silava.
Calzaghe seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Silava seems to have recovered his senses.
Calzaghe lands with a good body shot.
Calzaghe blocks a jab.
A little feinted left hand from Calzaghe on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Calzaghe uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Silava.
Calzaghe misses the shot to the body.
Calzaghe lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Silava throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Calzaghe sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Calzaghe takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Calzaghe throws a shot from downtown. Silava moves away and avoids it.
Silava tries to counter with a clinch but Calzaghe shakes him off and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Calzaghe takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Calzaghe connects with a single shot there.
Calzaghe misses with a body shot.
Silava wants to counter with a clinch but Calzaghe pushes him away.
Calzaghe takes a swing at Silava's ribcage but misses.
Silava looks to score with a jab to the body but Calzaghe is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silava connects with a nice looking jab.
Silava uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Calzaghe.
Calzaghe takes a swing at Silava's ribcage but misses.
Silava swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Silava throws a body shot but no joy.
Silava jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Silava staying out of range there.
Calzaghe works Silava's body with a nice hook.
Silava lands with a shot to the body.
Calzaghe blocks a jab.
Calzaghe just misses with a punch to the body.
Calzaghe stuns Silava with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Silava throws a hook but Calzaghe avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silava tries to clinch but Calzaghe moves away
and Calzaghe counters with a right hand to the body.
Calzaghe connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silava swings away with a body shot that misses
and Calzaghe counters with a stiff right hand.
Calzaghe avoids the body shot from Silava.
Jab by Silava.
Silava misses with a wild body shot.
Calzaghe swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Calzaghe lands with a right hand.
Calzaghe lands a nice hook to Silava's body. Silava takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Calzaghe on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Silava ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Calzaghe moves away.
Silava throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Calzaghe to counter with a crisp jab.
Silava lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Silava throws a looping overhand right but Calzaghe ducks down to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silava swings for the body but Calzaghe moves out of range.
Calzaghe misses with a wild body shot.
Silava jabs Calzaghe to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Silava is looking to clinch.
Silava thuds a left hand into Calzaghe's body.
Silava tests Calzaghe's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A shot to the body from Silava misses
and Calzaghe counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Silava thinking.
Calzaghe throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Silava counters with a nice body shot.
Calzaghe connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Silava throws a shot from downtown. Calzaghe moves away and avoids it.
A lazy left from Silava finds it's target.
Silava throws an off balance right hand
and Calzaghe counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Calzaghe staying out of range there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Calzaghe slips a jab from Silava.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Silava cracks Calzaghe with a right hand to the side of the head.
Silava looks to land a left hand but Calzaghe moved out of range nicely.
Calzaghe is looking to counter punch.
Antti Silava has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Calzaghe moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Calzaghe scores with a hook.
Silava throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Calzaghe.
Silava tries to clinch there but Calzaghe circles away.
Silava throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Silava throws a predictable looking body shot
and Calzaghe counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Silava avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Silava connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
A cross from Calzaghe lands.

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 Joe Calzaghe.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Calzaghe, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Calzaghe!
Joe Calzaghe managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Fury Nutrition Inc., into his post fight interview.