PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Saul Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shiva Red Gym (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alvarez's entrance music is Survivor - 'Burning Heart'. A fine choice. Red Gym is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Big Gun. Shiva Red Gym has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Alvarez
vs
Red Gym

175 cm
25
163 lbs
7 - 7 - 1

175 cm
33
167 lbs
16 - 20 - 1

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Saul Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 20 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Shiva Red Gym!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yuuki Gou and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez throws a lazy right hand but Red Gym sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Red Gym takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Red Gym misses with a kick to the body.
Red Gym walks into a stiff left hand from Alvarez.
Red Gym takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Alvarez looks to land a combination but Red Gym avoids it well.
Red Gym wants to clinch but Alvarez slips to the side
and Alvarez makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Alvarez dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Alvarez connects with an inside leg kick.
Alvarez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Red Gym.
Alvarez fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Red Gym is out of range.
Red Gym scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Red Gym slips under a jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Red Gym looks to score with a jab to the body but Alvarez is just out of range.
Red Gym looks for the body kick but Alvarez saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Red Gym uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Alvarez.
Alvarez throws a quick inside leg kick.
Red Gym throws a body kick that misses.
Alvarez tries to land a front kick but Red Gym steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Red Gym connects with a leg kick. Alvarez looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Alvarez lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Alvarez misses with a left hand
and Red Gym counters with a head kick. That will keep Alvarez thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Red Gym lands with a good body shot.
Alvarez ducks under a wild hook from Red Gym.
Red Gym throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Red Gym looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Alvarez lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Red Gym moves away from the strike by Alvarez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Red Gym keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Alvarez.
A nice leg kick lands there from Alvarez.
Alvarez misses with a lunging right hand
and Alvarez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Alvarez throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Red Gym counters with a body kick that stops Alvarez in his tracks momentarily.
Red Gym looks to score with a jab to the body but Alvarez is just out of range.

Alvarez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Red Gym tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Alvarez avoids it.
I was talking to Alvarez's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Alvarez just leaning against Red Gym, taking a breather.
Knees in the clinch landing for Red Gym.

Alvarez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Red Gym takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A shot to the liver by Alvarez. Beautiful body shot.
Alvarez wants to land a leg kick but Red Gym is out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saul Alvarez 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.

Alvarez throws the left hand but Red Gym avoids the punch easily.
Alvarez scores with a leg kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Alvarez, right into the meat.
Alvarez misses with a right hand
and Red Gym counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Alvarez moves into range and clinches up with Red Gym.
Alvarez lands a right hand.
Alvarez lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Alvarez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Red Gym tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Alvarez avoids it.
Alvarez stalling the fight.
Alvarez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Alvarez avoiding damage as Red Gym throws knees to the body.
Alvarez stalling.
Alvarez lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Red Gym.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Red Gym is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Alvarez is defending well for now.
Alvarez lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Red Gym backwards.
Alvarez looking to slow down the pace here.
We've been informed that Red Gym has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Alvarez scores with a shot to the side of Red Gym's head.
Red Gym landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Red Gym misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Alvarez.
Alvarez connects with a knee to the head.
Alvarez lands a body shot in the clinch.
Alvarez displaying some good clinch control by pressing Red Gym up against the ropes.
Knees to the body from Red Gym.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Red Gym is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Alvarez is defending well for now.
Alvarez lands a right hand that snaps the head of Red Gym backwards.

Alvarez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Red Gym swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Saul Alvarez is winning the standup battle so far.
Red Gym tries to clinch but Alvarez moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Red Gym 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.
Alvarez is looking to chop away at Red Gym's legs.
Alvarez tries to score with a low kick but Red Gym moves his leg out of the way.
Red Gym fails with an attempt to clinch.
Alvarez throws a leg kick but Red Gym sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Red Gym uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Alvarez.
Alvarez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Alvarez swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Red Gym bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Red Gym misses with the combination.
Alvarez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Red Gym moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Saul Alvarez will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Red Gym looks for the body kick but Alvarez saw that one coming.
Alvarez throws an overhand right that lands on Red Gym's shoulder, as Red Gym tries to avoid the shot.
Alvarez cracks Red Gym with a good jab.
Alvarez scores with a jab to the head.
Red Gym fails with an attempt to clinch.
Red Gym ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Alvarez moves away.
Red Gym looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Some wild striking there from Alvarez.
Crunch! Red Gym slams his shin into Alvarez's torso.
Alvarez loads up on a big right hand but Red Gym slips the punch.
Alvarez fails to land with a series of punches.
Red Gym throws a right and a left that Alvarez avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Red Gym throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Alvarez keeps the fight on the outside.
Red Gym fails with an attempt to clinch.
Alvarez misses with a wild body shot.
Alvarez lands with a thumping leg kick.
Red Gym jabs Alvarez right on the nose. Alvarez blinks but takes it well.
Red Gym is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Alvarez rather than just go for the knockout.
Red Gym ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Alvarez moves away.

Alvarez closes the distance and pushes Red Gym back into the ropes.
Red Gym tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Alvarez avoids it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Alvarez.
Alvarez scores with a knee to the head.
Red Gym lands a good knee to the midsection. Alvarez won't want to take too many of those.
Alvarez managing to block the knees to the body from Red Gym.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Red Gym.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Red Gym utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Alvarez misses with a knee to the head.
Alvarez lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Red Gym missing with knees to the body.
Alvarez lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Alvarez throws a knee to the head but misses.
Alvarez blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Alvarez looking to throw knees to the head but Red Gym is blocking nicely.
Red Gym tries to land a knee to the head but Alvarez blocks with his arms.
Alvarez tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Red Gym is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Alvarez is defending well for now.
Good body shot from Alvarez.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Red Gym landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Alvarez lands with a left to the head.
Alvarez scores with a knee to the head.

Red Gym is rocked!
Red Gym's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Alvarez lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Shiva Red Gym just about did enough to take it.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Red Gym tries to clinch but Alvarez moves out of range.
Red Gym is still on wobbly legs! Can Alvarez finish him?
Red Gym leaves his chin hanging out and Alvarez seizes the opportunity with an uppercut! Red Gym crumbles to the floor in a heap! The referee steps in and tends to the downed fighter! What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:11 of round 4, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Saul Alvarez!
Saul Alvarez seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.