PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Saku Lehtonen (ranked 23608 p4p, 490 weight class) and Jon Bones (ranked 23470 p4p, 493 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Lehtonen
vs
Bones

175 cm
20
220 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

193 cm
21
265 lbs
10 - 11 - 2

Excellent MT
Very quick

Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Saku Lehtonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 11 - 2, fighting out of Tokyo, Jon Bones!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Alan Glass and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bones takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Lehtonen misses with a hook. Bones ducked under it nicely.
Bones throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lehtonen.
Bones misses with a series of wild punches.
Bones misses with a jab, cross combination.
Bones pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lehtonen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Bones throws a left and a right that both miss
and Bones takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lehtonen cracks the inside of Bones's front leg.
Lehtonen throws a low kick but Bones moves out of range easily.
Bones wants to counter with a clinch but Lehtonen pushes him away.
Lehtonen throws a solid leg kick but Bones takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Lehtonen.
Lehtonen has been working on his boxing with his coaches at LA Vale Tudo in the buildup to the fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lehtonen throws a series of punches but Bones moves out of range.
Bones blocks a leg kick.
Bones uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lehtonen throws a hook but Bones avoids it easily.
Bones wants to counter with a clinch but Lehtonen pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lehtonen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Bones misses with a combination
and Lehtonen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bones swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Lehtonen counters with a leg kick.
Lehtonen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Bones has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Lehtonen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bones.
A clash of legs there as Bones blocks the low kick.
Lehtonen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bones.
Lehtonen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jab by Lehtonen.
Lehtonen lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Bones misses with the combination.
An inside leg kick from Lehtonen misses.
Lehtonen throws a good cross that connects.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bones's sensitive parts.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bones 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.
Lehtonen misses with a low kick.
Bones wants to counter with a clinch but Lehtonen pushes him away.
Lehtonen misses with a straight right.
Bones wants to counter the offense by Lehtonen and move into the clinch position.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Bones checks a leg kick.
Lehtonen misses with a straight left.
Lehtonen slips a jab from Bones.
Bones's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Lehtonen lands an overhand right.
A jab from Lehtonen misses.
Lehtonen misses with a hook. Bones ducked under it nicely.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lehtonen, right into the meat.
Lehtonen lands with a thumping leg kick.
Lehtonen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Bones wants to counter the offense by Lehtonen and move into the clinch position.
Bones gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Lehtonen.
A nice inside leg kick there by Lehtonen. That's going to slow Bones down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bones doesn't manage to clinch there - Lehtonen circles away.
Bones looks to land a right hand but Lehtonen moved out of range.
Bones misses with a few strikes there.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bones. Lehtonen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lehtonen throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
The crowd cheers as Lehtonen lands an impressive looking overhand right. Bones doesn't seem phased though.
Lehtonen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Bones!
The fighters circling - Lehtonen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lehtonen feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Bones's calf.
Lehtonen throws a leg kick which misses Bones's front leg but catches the back leg as Bones tries to avoid it.
Lehtonen throws out a loose jab but Bones uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lehtonen fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Bones is out of range.
Bones looks to land a right hand but Lehtonen moved out of range.
Nice straight punches there by Lehtonen. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Lehtonen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen misses with a low kick.
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!
Lehtonen pivots, looking for a leg kick but Bones is out of range and Lehtonen settles back down.
Lehtonen shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Lehtonen throws a leg kick but Bones sees it coming and moves out of range.
Bones tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bones is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bones takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The fighters circling - Lehtonen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lehtonen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saku Lehtonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bones lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
The fighters circling - Bones throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lehtonen misses with a leg kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Lehtonen lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Bones has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Bones and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saku Lehtonen dominated that round.
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.

Bones checks the leg kick nicely there.
Bones throws a right hand that Lehtonen ducks under and follows up with a left that Lehtonen also avoids with ease.
Lehtonen motions for Bones to come forward. Lehtonen throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Good leg kick by Lehtonen there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Lehtonen throws a hook but Bones blocks it.
Bones keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bones. Lehtonen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lehtonen lands a jab to the head.
Lehtonen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lehtonen scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lehtonen misses with a low kick.
Lehtonen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Lehtonen sets himself, and Bones steps forward looking for the clinch! Lehtonen avoids it this time.
Lehtonen tried to score with a low kick but Bones checks it.
Lehtonen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bones throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Bones loads up on a big right hand but Lehtonen slips the punch.
Lehtonen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Lehtonen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bones can do to turn this around?
Lehtonen swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Bones getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Bones checks a low kick from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Bones throws a body shot but no joy.
A telegraphed right hand from Lehtonen misses the target.
Lehtonen lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Lehtonen moves away from the strike by Bones.
A low kick from Lehtonen is predictable there

and Bones holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Bones cracks Lehtonen with a nice body shot.
Lehtonen working hard to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Lehtonen is trying to push Bones away but Bones has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Lehtonen wants to break the clinch but can't.
Lehtonen is trying to force a seperation but Bones has the dominant position.
Bones keeps control of Lehtonen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Bones tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lehtonen tries a body shot but Bones blocks it.
Lehtonen is looking to break free of the clinch but Bones has double underhooks.
A bit of stalling here from Bones.
Lehtonen wants to get back to striking at distance but Bones won't allow it.
A frustrated look appears on Lehtonen's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bones content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Lehtonen can't find room to land a body shot as Bones controls the action.
Bones misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lehtonen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
Bones stalling in the clinch.
Bones has Lehtonen pressed against the ropes, preventing Lehtonen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Lehtonen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Lehtonen misses with a body punch.
Bones digs a right hand into Lehtonen's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Lehtonen's gas tank.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bones blocks a body shot from Lehtonen.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Bones.
Lehtonen tries to break free but Bones pushes him back against the ropes.

Lehtonen breaks the clinch.
An inside leg kick from Lehtonen misses.
Bones keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Lehtonen shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Bones moves out of range of the strikes.
Bones takes a swing at Lehtonen's ribcage but misses.
Bones scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lehtonen misses with an uppercut.
Lehtonen throws a hook to the side of Bones's head but Bones sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Lehtonen digs a good body shot into Bones's ribs.
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 Saku Lehtonen will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Bones lands the left hand.
Bones throws a body shot but no joy.
Lehtonen connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Bones momentarily.
Bones checks a low kick from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen throws a solid leg kick but Bones takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Lehtonen.
Lehtonen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Saku Lehtonen is winning the standup battle so far.
Lehtonen feints and then cracks Bones's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Bones down.
Bones tries to move into range but Lehtonen moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Lehtonen misses with a low kick.
Bones steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bones ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lehtonen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Bones uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lehtonen.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Bones checks a leg kick.
Bones misses with a body shot.
A little feinted left hand from Lehtonen on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some bone on bone action there as Bones checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A telegraphed right hand from Lehtonen misses the target.
Bones is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Lehtonen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bones manages to avoid it.
Lehtonen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Lehtonen misses the target.
Lehtonen misses with a low kick as Bones jumps back.
Bones throws a jab when Lehtonen was well out of range.
A big right from Bones misses.
Lehtonen moves out of range as Bones strikes.
As Bones backs away, Lehtonen returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Lehtonen throws a solid leg kick but Bones takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Lehtonen.
A low kick from Lehtonen is predictable there

and Bones holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Lehtonen is trying to force a seperation but Bones has the dominant position.
Lehtonen wants to break the clinch but can't.

Lehtonen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bones misses with a looping right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bones takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Bones is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bones keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lehtonen lands a lovely overhand right.
Bones fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lehtonen manages to avoid it.
Lehtonen misses the jab.
Lehtonen throws a nice inside leg kick.
Lehtonen wants to land a leg kick but Bones is out of range.
Lehtonen sets himself, and Bones steps forward looking for the clinch! Lehtonen avoids it this time.
Lehtonen fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
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!
Lehtonen tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Lehtonen cracks the inside of Bones's front leg.
Lehtonen throws a chopping leg kick but Bones manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Nice uppercut lands for Bones. That snapped Lehtonen's head back.
Bones has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bones falls off balance throwing a combination
and Lehtonen makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Bones lands with an overhand left.
Lehtonen connects with a leg kick. Bones looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Bones just misses with a punch to the body.
Bones with a jab.
An inside leg kick lands from Lehtonen.
A chopping leg kick lands by Lehtonen.
Bones lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Bones swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bones checks the leg kick.
Bones tries to counter by closing the distance.
Bones checks the leg kick.
Lehtonen throws a jab but it's blocked by Bones.
Lehtonen will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Saku Lehtonen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bones misses with an uppercut.
A jab from Lehtonen misses.
Bones tries to counter by closing the distance.
Lehtonen throws a low kick but Bones avoids it.
Bones misses with a body shot.
Bones fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bones throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Lehtonen throws a good cross that connects.
Bones feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Lehtonens jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Lehtonen misses with a straight left.
A chopping leg kick lands by Lehtonen.
Lehtonen attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Jon Bones has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bones takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Lehtonen swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Bones closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

And that's the end of the fight!
Saku Lehtonen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lehtonen, 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight for Saku Lehtonen!
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight for Saku Lehtonen!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Saku Lehtonen!

Saku Lehtonen wins by unanimous decision!