PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Dan Catara (ranked 1892 p4p, 2845 weight class) and Dante Black (ranked 202 p4p, 165 weight class). Catara comes to the ring accompanied by Everlong. Black is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Mack the Knife. Dante Black will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Catara
vs
Black

194 cm
32
194
7 - 5 - 0

190 cm
38
190
9 - 5 - 0

Solid boxing
Very quick

World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dan Catara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dante Black!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Paulsen Ambrosius and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Black buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Catara has Black up against the ropes in a clinch.
Black scores with a shot to the side of Catara's head.
Catara is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Catara working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Catara taking a breather.
Catara tries to stall but Black uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Black being controlled against the ropes.
Catara holding his opponent close, against the ropes.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Dan Catara.

Catara has closed the distance and engaged Black in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Black breaks from the clinch.
Black misses the shot to the body.
Black looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Black throws a hook but Catara blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Catara fails in his attempt to clinch.
Black wants to clinch.
Black looks for the body kick but Catara saw that one coming.
Black throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Catara.
Black circles away from the clinch attempt
and Black counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Catara moves into range and clinches up with Black.
Black can't break the clinch.

Catara breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Black lands with an uppercut that bounces Catara off the ropes and back into range.
A jab from Black misses.
A punch lands to the side of Catara 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Catara wants to clinch up but Black keeps it at a distance.
Black scores with a decent looking hook.

Catara is rocked!

It looks like Dan Catara has been cut.
Catara wants to clinch.
Black scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Catara misses with a body shot.
Catara slips a jab from Black.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Black, as that shot connected.
Catara misses with a head kick.
Dante Black seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Black fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Black swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Black throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Black dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dan Catara's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Black fails in his attempt to clinch.
Catara keeps the fight on the outside.
Catara tries to land a front kick but Black steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Dan Catara is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Black rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Catara counters with a nice leg kick.
Catara moves out of range as Black strikes.
Black has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Black circles away from the clinch attempt.

Catara gets a clinch.

Black breaks from the clinch.
Catara checks a leg kick nicely.
Black throws an off balance right hand

and Catara counters by clinching up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Black misses with a hook from the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Black.
Black keeps control of Catara as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A short left from Black.
Black struggles to land a body shot inside as Catara controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Black - that landed with a thud.
Black misses with a hook from the clinch.
Black lands a hook that snaps the head of Catara backwards.
Black throws a head punch that misses.
Catara is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Black breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Catara moves out of range of the body kick.
Black connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Black tries to clinch up.
Catara fails with an attempt to clinch.
Catara takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Black tries to clinch but Catara is having none of it.
Dante Black is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Black throws a looping overhand right but Catara ducks down to avoid it.
Black lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Catara circles away quickly and effectively.
Dante Black seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A thudding body kick lands there by Catara!
Black swats away the attempt to clinch by Catara.
Black throws a counter combo.
Catara tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Black counters with a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Catara clinches up with Black and pushes him back against the ropes.
Black tries to work over Catara's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Black working aggressively here.
Black swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Black tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Catara's elbow.
A head punch on the inside from Black fails to land.
Black misses with a hook from the clinch.
Catara blocking some punches.

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

Catara rushes Black and presses him up against the ropes.

Black escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Black with a nice calf kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Black showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dan Catara's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Black wants to land a leg kick but Catara is out of range.
Black misses with a wild combination.

Catara darts in and clinches Black up against the ropes.
Black misses with a hook from the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Catara blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Catara's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Catara walks into a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black throws a body shot but no joy.
Catara displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Black throws out the jab.
It looked like Catara wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Black scores with a nice head shot.
Catara fails in his attempt to clinch.
Black tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Catara paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Catara looks to land a combination but Black avoids it well.
Catara tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Black manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Dante Black is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Catara throws the kick towards the body but Black avoids it.
Catara looks to land a combination but Black avoids it well.

Catara clinches.
Catara lands a right hand that snaps the head of Black backwards.
Black throws a head punch that misses.
Black throws a punch but it's blocked by Catara.
Catara wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Catara.
Black blocks a body shot from Catara.
Black is trying to break the clinch but Catara is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black dodges an elbow strike from Catara.
Black throws a punch but it's blocked by Catara.
A frustrated look appears on Catara's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Black manages to break the clinch.
Black misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Catara ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Black misses with a straight left.
Catara is looking to clinch.
Black looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Catara looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Black!

And that's the end of the fight!
Dante Black comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Black winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dante Black!
Dante Black seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
The defeated Dan Catara had this to say: 'Should have won this one...'.