PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Yoshi Takano (ranked 25190 p4p, 471 weight class) and Gerard De Villefort (ranked 1609 p4p, 173 weight class). Gerard De Villefort has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Yoshi Takano's chin.

Takano
vs
De Villefort

192 cm
31
255 lbs
17 - 13 - 0

197 cm
40
279 lbs
28 - 17 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 17 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yoshi Takano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 17 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gerard De Villefort!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
De Villefort swings and misses with a hook to the body.
De Villefort 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.
De Villefort steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Takano. That one must have hurt.
De Villefort misses with a looping left.
A clash of legs there as De Villefort blocks the low kick.
De Villefort tries to close the distance and clinch but Takano swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Takano clinches.
Takano misses with a hook to the ribs.
Takano with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Takano can't find room to land a body shot as De Villefort controls the action.
A nice right hand lands inside from Takano.
Takano with an attempt at a knee that misses.
De Villefort can't break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Takano tries to land knees in the clinch but De Villefort avoids the damage to the body.

De Villefort breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Takano closes the distance and clinches.
De Villefort's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Takano tried to land a shot to the body but connects with De Villefort's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takano working aggressively here.
Takano lands a nice knee to the body.
Takano fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

De Villefort's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
De Villefort checks a leg kick.
Takano throws a half hearted mid kick.
Takano connects with the punch.
Takano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Takano tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but De Villefort was well out of range. Poor timing from Takano.
Takano tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Takano connects with a crisp jab.

It looks like Gerard De Villefort has been cut.
De Villefort throws a head kick but Takano moves out of range.
Yoshi Takano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takano jabbing away but nothing is landing.
De Villefort wants to clinch.
Takano looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
De Villefort is looking to clinch.
De Villefort looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takano looks to land a left hand but De Villefort moved out of range nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
De Villefort moves in looking to clinch but Takano pushes him off.
De Villefort moves out of range of the body kick.
Takano looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
De Villefort lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
De Villefort takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Takano fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and De Villefort has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
De Villefort uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Takano.
Takano misses with a double jab.
Takano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
De Villefort tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Takano manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
De Villefort ducks right into an uppercut from Takano.
Takano tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
De Villefort pulls out of a head kick attempt.
De Villefort tries to clinch up but Takano circles away and keeps his distance.
A lazy body kick from Takano
and De Villefort counters with a stiff right hand.
Takano takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Takano feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to De Villefort's calf.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takano moves away from the strike by De Villefort.
The fight stays on the outside here - De Villefort looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
De Villefort stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Takano.
De Villefort tries to close the distance and clinch but Takano swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A punch combination from De Villefort misses.
Good work by De Villefort as he checks the leg kick.
Takano fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and De Villefort has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
De Villefort pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Takano throws a head kick but De Villefort moves out of range.
De Villefort tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Takano manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sloppy strikes from De Villefort. Those never looked like landing.
De Villefort blocks a jab.
Takano throws a right hand that De Villefort ducks under and follows up with a left that De Villefort also avoids with ease.
Takano throws a hook but De Villefort blocks it.
Jab by Takano.
Takano with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

De Villefort clinches.
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!

De Villefort breaks from the clinch.

Takano drops a shoulder and throws a biiiig uppercut that drops De Villefort onto his butt! De Villefort pops straight back to his feet to convince the referee that he's OK to continue.
De Villefort throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Takano blocks a head kick by De Villefort.
Takano cracks De Villefort with a perfect right hand that drops him to the mat! De Villefort is sitting up but I can't see if he's OK from my position. The referee's count has reached 5,6,7 and De Villefort is still not up. Can he make it? 8,9,10! He's out! De Villefort could not beat the count!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:25 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punch). Yoshi Takano!
Yoshi Takano seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.