PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight kickboxing rules bout between Hideki Suzuki (ranked 25610 p4p, 5678 weight class) and Capitan Fairtex (ranked 296 p4p, 264 weight class). Hideki Suzuki could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Capitan Fairtex's chin.

Suzuki
vs
Fairtex

180 cm
20
135
2 - 2 - 0

173 cm
25
135
1 - 0 - 0

Basic striking
Good chin

Dangerous knees
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hideki Suzuki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Capitan Fairtex!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Shirou Masuda and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fairtex instigates a clinch.
Fairtex has had enough of the clinch but Suzuki keeps him there for the moment.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Our sources have told us that Suzuki has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Suzuki tries to break the clinch but Fairtex is controlling the position.
Fairtex unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Suzuki looking to stall.

Fairtex pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Suzuki looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Fairtex shapes to counter with a head kick.
Suzuki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Suzuki wants to clinch up but Fairtex keeps it at a distance.
Suzuki tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Fairtex manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Suzuki throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Decent striking displayed by Suzuki there.
Suzuki keeps the fight on the outside.
Suzuki looks to score with a jab to the body but Fairtex is just out of range.
Suzuki sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Suzuki moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suzuki is trying to force a seperation but Fairtex has the dominant position.
Fairtex has had enough of the clinch but Suzuki keeps him there for the moment.
Fairtex looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Suzuki's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Suzuki really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Suzuki takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Fairtex fails in his attempt to clinch.
Suzuki was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Fairtex tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fairtex connects with a leg kick.
Fairtex moves in looking to clinch but Suzuki pushes him off.
Fairtex moves in looking to clinch but Suzuki pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Suzuki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fairtex wants to counter with a clinch but Suzuki pushes him away.
Suzuki throws a series of punches but Fairtex avoids them all with ease.
Fairtex fails with an attempt to clinch.
Fairtex connects with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fairtex with a nice calf kick.
Fairtex throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Fairtex moves in looking to clinch but Suzuki pushes him off.
Suzuki scores with a head kick. Fairtex tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Hideki Suzuki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fairtex tries to clinch up but Suzuki circles away and keeps his distance.
Suzuki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Suzuki goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fairtex scores with a kick to the midsection.
Suzuki tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Fairtex was well out of range. Poor timing from Suzuki.
Fairtex unleashes a big counter combination but Suzuki bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Fairtex fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Suzuki has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Suzuki tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Fairtex manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Fairtex plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Suzuki fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Fairtex, pushing him back against the ropes.
Suzuki can't break the clinch.
Knees to the body from Fairtex.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Capitan Fairtex will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Suzuki misses with the combination.

Fairtex moves into range and clinches up with Suzuki.
Fairtex wants to stall.

Suzuki breaks the clinch.
Hideki Suzuki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Suzuki tries to close the distance and clinch but Fairtex swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A thudding body kick lands there by Fairtex!
Fairtex plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fairtex is looking to clinch.

Suzuki has closed the distance and engaged Fairtex in a clinch.

Suzuki pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Capitan Fairtex seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fairtex tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Suzuki manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Suzuki closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fairtex's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Fairtex buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Fairtex tries to bum rush Suzuki with a series of wild strikes but Suzuki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
It looked like Suzuki was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Suzuki slips a jab and a cross from Fairtex.
Suzuki throws a shot from downtown. Fairtex moves away and avoids it.
Fairtex keeps the fight on the outside.
Suzuki dodges the punch combination from Fairtex.
Suzuki throws a combination that misses
and Fairtex counters with a nice body kick.
Fairtex tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Suzuki manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Suzuki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Fairtex paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Suzuki uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fairtex.

Suzuki has closed the distance and engaged Fairtex in a clinch.

Suzuki's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Suzuki clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fairtex tries to circle away but Suzuki has him pinned against the ropes.
Suzuki is looking to break free of the clinch but Fairtex has double underhooks.

Suzuki pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Suzuki tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Fairtex makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fairtex thows a body kick. Suzuki tries to catch it but that hurt him.

Suzuki closes the distance and pushes Fairtex back into the ropes.
Suzuki keeps control of Fairtex as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Fairtex prevents Suzuki from breaking the clinch.

Suzuki escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fairtex moves in looking to clinch but Suzuki pushes him off.
No joy there for Suzuki, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Fairtex throws a series of punches but Suzuki moves out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Capitan Fairtex will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Suzuki tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Fairtex manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Suzuki misses with the combination.
Suzuki tries to clinch but Fairtex is having none of it.

Fairtex tries to keep at a distance but Suzuki has taken the fight into the clinch.

Suzuki's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Fairtex moves in looking to clinch but Suzuki pushes him off.

Fairtex has Suzuki up against the ropes in a clinch.
Suzuki prevents Fairtex from breaking the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fairtex is trying to break free.

Suzuki breaks from the clinch.
Suzuki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairtex walks into a left hand.
Fairtex avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Fairtex follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Suzuki wants to clinch up but Fairtex keeps it at a distance.
Fairtex avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Suzuki tries to clinch but Fairtex moves out of range.
It seemed like Fairtex was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Fairtex avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Suzuki fails with an attempt to clinch.
Suzuki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Fairtex paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Suzuki tries to close the distance and clinch but Fairtex swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Fairtex tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Suzuki manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Fairtex showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Suzuki.

Fairtex moves into the clinch successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Suzuki breaks the clinch.
Suzuki keeps the fight on the outside.
Fairtex is looking to clinch but Suzuki is avoiding it.
Fairtex doesn't manage to clinch there - Suzuki circles away.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Fairtex looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Fairtex lands a head kick!
Fairtex tries to clinch up but Suzuki circles away and keeps his distance.

Fairtex gets tackled into the ropes by Suzuki. Suzuki maintains the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Suzuki breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Suzuki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Suzuki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fairtex swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hideki Suzuki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fairtex tries to clinch but Suzuki is having none of it.
Capitan Fairtex is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Fairtex doesn't manage to clinch there - Suzuki circles away.
Suzuki misses with an attempted mid kick.

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 Hideki Suzuki.
I think Fairtex has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Capitan Fairtex!
Hideki Suzuki spoke after the fight, saying 'It is what it is'.