PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Dank Skenojabitch (ranked 24589 p4p, 2241 weight class) and James Duke (ranked 380 p4p, 170 weight class). James Duke will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Skenojabitch
vs
Duke

165 cm
22
145
3 - 3 - 0

178 cm
26
158
5 - 0 - 0

Excellent MT
Granite chin

Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dank Skenojabitch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Duke!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Taro Takaoka and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Duke throws a shot from downtown. Skenojabitch moves away and avoids it.
Skenojabitch keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Duke.
Duke throws an off balance right hand
and Skenojabitch counters with a stiff right hand.
Duke has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Skenojabitch throws a right hand that misses
and Duke counters with a stiff right hand.
Duke throws a looping overhand right but Skenojabitch ducks down to avoid it.
Duke defending well as Skenojabitch loads up on a big left hand.
Skenojabitch scores with a hook.
Skenojabitch definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Duke misses with a lunging right hand
and Skenojabitch counters with a straight right hand.
Duke throws a series of punches but Skenojabitch moves out of range.
Duke misses with a few strikes there.
Duke swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Skenojabitch.
Duke throws a shot from downtown. Skenojabitch moves away and avoids it.
Some wild striking there from Skenojabitch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Skenojabitch misses with a looping left.
Duke misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Skenojabitch counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Skenojabitch throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Duke stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Skenojabitch steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Duke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke connects with a crisp jab.
The fighters circling - Skenojabitch throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Duke throws a right and a left that both miss.
Skenojabitch scores with a leg kick.
Duke's jab looks to have found its range, popping Skenojabitch under the eye.
Duke wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Skenojabitch takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
A looping hook to the body misses from Duke. Skenojabitch does a little dance to reset his feet.
Skenojabitch is looking to counter punch.
Duke looks to throw the jab but Skenojabitch is out of range.
Duke looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Skenojabitch swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Duke scores with a hook.
Skenojabitch throws a right and a left that Duke avoids nicely.
Good exchange - Duke coming out on top.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Duke stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Skenojabitch missing with a left hand there. Duke was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Duke might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Skenojabitch tries to work over Duke's front leg with a kick but Duke checks it.
Duke is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Skenojabitch had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke keeps the fight on the outside.
Skenojabitch throws a body kick that misses.
Skenojabitch gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Duke.
Skenojabitch rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Duke moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Duke scores with a jab. Skenojabitch acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Duke throws a hook but Skenojabitch blocks it.
Duke showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Skenojabitch.
Duke throws the left hand but Skenojabitch avoids the punch easily.
Duke is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Skenojabitch.
Duke ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Skenojabitch moves away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Duke. Skenojabitch does a little dance to reset his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Skenojabitch misses the shot to the body.
Duke misses the shot to the body.
Skenojabitch stuns Duke with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Duke thows a left - swing and a miss!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

James Duke dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nice straight punches there by Skenojabitch. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Skenojabitch.
Skenojabitch takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Duke is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
A jab from Skenojabitch finds it's way through Duke's defenses.
Skenojabitch throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Duke on the side of the head.
Skenojabitch uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Duke.
Duke lands a glancing blow to the side of Skenojabitch's head.
Duke missing with a left hand there. Skenojabitch was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Duke throws a shot from downtown. Skenojabitch moves away and avoids it.
A slow jab from Duke misses its intended target.
Duke fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Skenojabitch on the side of the head.
Duke misses with a hook
and Skenojabitch cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Duke takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Duke throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
James Duke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Skenojabitch lands with a thumping leg kick.
Skenojabitch scores with a nice strike.
Duke ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Skenojabitch moves away.
Skenojabitch is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Duke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Duke throws out a loose jab but Skenojabitch uses good head movement to avoid it.
Duke misses with a double jab
and Skenojabitch connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Skenojabitch misses with an uppercut.
Duke avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Skenojabitch slips under a jab from Duke.
James Duke seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Duke connects with a jab.
Skenojabitch on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Skenojabitch keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Duke scores with a sloppy right hand. Skenojabitch should have avoided that one.
Skenojabitch avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Skenojabitch swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Duke scores with a sloppy right hand. Skenojabitch should have avoided that one.
Duke throws a lazy uppercut
and Skenojabitch counters with a nice uppercut.
Skenojabitch uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Duke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Skenojabitch blocks a jab.
Skenojabitch uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Duke.
Duke throws out a loose jab but Skenojabitch uses good head movement to avoid it.
Duke on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Duke takes a swing at Skenojabitch's ribcage but misses.
A swing and a miss from Skenojabitch.
Duke misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Duke lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Skenojabitch throws a series of punches but Duke moves out of range.
As Skenojabitch backs off Duke throws a huge counter combo but Skenojabitch manages to avoid it all.
A slow jab from Skenojabitch misses its intended target.
Nice uppercut there from Duke.
A punch combination from Skenojabitch misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Duke misses with a series of wild punches.
Skenojabitch jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Duke on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but James Duke will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Skenojabitch moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A jab from Duke misses.
Skenojabitch defending well as Duke loads up on a big left hand.
Skenojabitch throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Skenojabitch misses with a looping right.
Nice jab there from Duke.
Duke lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Duke.
Duke scores with the left hand. Skenojabitch knows he should have avoided that one.
Duke misses with a hook. Skenojabitch ducked under it nicely.
Skenojabitch on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Skenojabitch slips under a jab from Duke.
A nice combination there by Skenojabitch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Skenojabitch misses with a hook.
Skenojabitch misses with a low kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Skenojabitch. That's going to slow Duke down.
Duke lands the left hand.
Skenojabitch looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Skenojabitch.
Duke scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Skenojabitch throws a combination. Duke tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Skenojabitch, as that shot connected.
The fighters circling - Duke throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Skenojabitch looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Skenojabitch throws a nice outside leg kick.
Dank Skenojabitch has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Skenojabitch slips a jab from Duke.
Duke slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Skenojabitch throws a jab but it's blocked by Duke.
Duke throws a right hand that misses
letting Skenojabitch counter with a right hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Duke catches Skenojabitch with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Skenojabitch misses with a jab, cross combination.
Duke throws a poor cross that misses
and Skenojabitch counters with a slapping leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skenojabitch slips a jab from Duke.
Skenojabitch throws the left hand but Duke avoids the punch easily.
Duke misses with a looping right.
Duke scores with a decent looking hook.
Skenojabitch takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
James Duke is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Skenojabitch avoids the body shot from Duke.
Skenojabitch ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Duke scores with the left hand. Skenojabitch knows he should have avoided that one.
Duke looks to score with a jab to the body but Skenojabitch is just out of range.
Skenojabitch misses with an uppercut.
Duke moves out of range of the strikes.
Duke misses the jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Duke misses with a straight left.
Skenojabitch misses the jab.
Skenojabitch moves out of range as Duke strikes.
A nice combination there by Duke.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Duke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Duke has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Duke!
James Duke decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.