PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Chol-Hyon An (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phil McKinnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McKinnen has chosen Young Cardinals as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

An
vs
McKinnen

193 cm
26
215 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

190 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Solid boxing
Very strong

Decent boxing
Determined

Sully's Bar & Grill
Amped Performance

Sully's Bar & Grill

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Chol-Hyon An!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Phil McKinnen!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Sano and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McKinnen looking to land some kicks to the body here.
An misses with an uppercut
and McKinnen counters with a right hand to the body.
An waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract McKinnen.
McKinnen misses with a jab, cross combination.
McKinnen tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

An forces McKinnen back against the ropes and clinches.
McKinnen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
An pressing his opponent against the ropes.
McKinnen is trying to push An away but An has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McKinnen tries to break the clinch but An is controlling the position.
An manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
An lands a shoulder strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McKinnen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but An has him pressed against the ropes.

McKinnen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

An pushes McKinnen up against the ropes in a clinch.
An is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
An is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. McKinnen is defending well for now.
An leaning his opponent against the ropes.
An scores with an uppercut up the middle.
An working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
An stalling.
An is struggling to control the position.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with An for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McKinnen takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
An darts in trying to clinch
and McKinnen counters with a straight right hand.
An lands with a thumping leg kick.
Chol-Hyon An seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
An thumps McKinnen with a low kick.

An has closed the distance and engaged McKinnen in a clinch.
An connects with a nasty looking knee right to McKinnen's face.
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!
An is pushing McKinnen up against the ropes, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
McKinnen is trying to force a seperation but An has the dominant position.
An definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
An stalling against the ropes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chol-Hyon An dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

An avoids the body shot from McKinnen.

An has taken the fight to the clinch.
McKinnen is trying to push An away but An has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
McKinnen working hard to break the clinch.
An's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
McKinnen has had enough of the clinch but An keeps him there for the moment.
McKinnen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
An slows down the pace here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
An holding his opponent close, against the ropes.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Chol-Hyon An.

An moves into the clinch successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

An's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
McKinnen steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from An. That one must have hurt.
McKinnen swings for the body but An moves out of range.

An has taken the fight to the clinch.
McKinnen is trying to push An away but An has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
An throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
McKinnen is breathing heavily.
An just leaning against McKinnen, taking a breather.
Chol-Hyon An has scored more points in the clinch so far.
An stalling the fight.
An keeps control of McKinnen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
An creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
A short right from An on the inside.
McKinnen is trying to push An away but An has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
An effectively controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An stalling in the clinch.
An creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through McKinnen's defenses.

An escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
An misses with a leg kick.
McKinnen has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from An.

McKinnen gets tackled into the ropes by An. An maintains the clinch.
An keeps the fight in the clinch, despite McKinnen's efforts to push away.
Good body shot from An.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
An lands a right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
An lands with a short punch from the clinch.
McKinnen letting An take a breather here.
An is stalling here.
An gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chol-Hyon An dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

McKinnen shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
McKinnen being controlled against the ropes.
An lands a hook to the side of the head.
An stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
An just leaning against McKinnen, taking a breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McKinnen takes a shot to the head.
An lands a left hand that snaps the head of McKinnen backwards.
McKinnen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
An is leaning against McKinnen and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
McKinnen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An lands a shoulder strike.
McKinnen tries to break the clinch but An is controlling the position.
An throws a blind hook that connects with the side of McKinnens head.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
An avoiding damage.
An slows down the pace here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Chol-Hyon An.

An has McKinnen up against the ropes in a clinch.
McKinnen takes a shot to the head.
Phil McKinnen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

McKinnen is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A body shot lands from An.
An lands a shoulder strike.
McKinnen is still on wobbly legs! Can An finish him?
An stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

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

An darts in and clinches McKinnen up against the ropes.
McKinnen seems to have recovered his senses.
McKinnen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
An keeps control of McKinnen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Chol-Hyon An is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The referee calls for An to work.
An prevents McKinnen from breaking the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from An.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

An breaks the clinch momentarily and cracks McKinnen with a big right hook that drops him to the canvas! McKinnen looks like he might be in big trouble here! The referee has started the count straight away and we're up to 5 already. McKinnen get to one knee - can he make it back to his feet? Yes, he's struggled back up to his feet and seems OK to continue. The referee agrees so we're back to the action!
An fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and McKinnen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
An thuds his shin into the meat of McKinnen's side.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chol-Hyon An showed his dominance in that final round.
Well An has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:25
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:25
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chol-Hyon An!
During a confident post fight interview, Chol-Hyon An thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.