Gemma Arterton versus Missy Peregrym

(Front Street Gym vs Lookout! Boxing)
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

The warming of relations between Lookout! and Front Street has already led to several butts-in-seats matchups, Hudgens/Stewart, Peregrym/Sobieski, and Perry/Strahovski, and,tonight's battle of two of the top brunette lightweights in the FCBA ranks with any of those. But, this one is more than just fan-friendly. It will carry a lot of weight at the top of the Tiffany division, and, depending on other results, may just be the springboard to a shot at the lightweight gold. And, Peregrym, for one, is all about making that happen. "No question, she can fight," says Missy with a nod. "But. One of us is a four-time champion. And, the other one is Gemma Arterton."

"I'm not going to stand here and run her down," says Gemma "Everyone knows she's one of the best fighters in the world. What I AM going to do is prove that I can beat her. By doing it."

ROUND ONE:

You could take the video of this one and teach boxing with it. What we have here is a wonderful exhibition of same between two ladies who do it just about as well as anyone. First, there's Missy with all that athleticism. Peregrym moves as well as any lightweight on the planet. She's quick and has great feet. Her hand speed is equal to or better than anyone above 110. But, those hands aren't just fast. They pack a, no pun intended, punch. And, so do the hands opposing them. Arterton is as physical as any light you're going to find, and she's plenty athletic herself. In fact, she's used to having an advantage on that score. But, not tonight. Not against Peregrym. Still, though, Gems holds her own. She moves with very well, angles, finds spots to punch. And, Missy does the same. It's a real clinic, with both fighters working hard to create openings and then taking full advantage when they do so. It's close for the full three minutes, but, at the bell, it's Gems who's won it narrowly.

ROUND TWO:

More of the same. Neither fighter willing to begin committing forces, let alone tossing in reserves. This is tactical stuff, probing, working, trying to find weak spots that can be exploited as what both fighters clearly believe will be a lengthy battle, goes on. Again, it's nip and tuck, with neither fighter able to gain any sort of advantage. Instead, it's just back-and-forth action, lots of movement, quick flurries when the opportunity arises, and then more movement to create more opportunities. It's not blazing action, but there's enough to keep the fans satisfied and appreciating what they're seeing. And, they're seeing a match up that's already living up to its billing after just a few minutes. Both fighters look to be bringing their "A" games, but, despite that, neither is able to gain an edge on the other. It looks like this is going to be a very competitive affair, and, as if to emphasize that, at the bell, it's very close again, but this time it's Peregrym who takes the points to even things at 19.

ROUND THREE:

The tactical war continues. It's like two generals probing one another's lines for weaknesses. A light thrust here. A small effort there. Nothing major. No big efforts. Forces are conserved, held in reserve for when they might be needed. Later. When the heavy fighting breaks out. When an opportunity presents itself to win the field, to set the opponent to rout. That opportunity does not present itself in round number three. Instead, both fighters work on a smaller scale. It's skirmishing for advantage. There's action, and plenty of it, mind. Lots of movement. Lots of jabs. And neither brunette wastes an opportunity to put punches together. But, again, this is all fighting at the edges. The main bodies of the opposing armies remain in place. Waiting. Waiting for the battle sure to come. One in which all of their reserved strength will be necessary. Meanwhile, there's the third, which ends close again. In Gemma's favor. And, Arterton now leads 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Gems gets rolling. We've seen this before. Arterton in rhythm. It all starts with the heavy left hand. When she's able to get that on consistently, step in behind it, drop rights off it, well. That is VERY bad news for whomever happens to be in front of her. Even if that happens to be Missy Peregrym. Peregrym's forces aren't put to rout, mind, but they do begin to retreat in the face of a determined Arterton offensive. And, then, a major blow is struck. It's that big right cross of the Brit's, the one that's felled so many opponents. It doesn't exactly FELL Missy, but it DOES rock her world. Peregrym is instantly steppin' in fence post holes and Arterton begins committing forces in the name of a breakthrough, and that breakthrough comes. Peregrym is battered back into the ropes and worked over with heavy leather for the second half of the round. But. Again, this is Missy Peregrym. She ships punishment that would have put a lot of lights down and out and ends the round on her feet. Gems grabs it wide, though, and leads 39-37.

ROUND FIVE:

Arterton back to work, looking to finish now, and she's got Peregrym in trouble from the opening seconds. Gems has the range and she's landing with the big guns. Missy's rocked early and nearly dropped twice more within the first minute. The referee looks about to step in, but Peregrym steadies enough to hold him and bay. But, she can not hold back Arterton. Gemma's forces create break after break in the line and pour through. Missy's everywhere in retreat, her center cracking, her flanks collapsing. It's all coming apart as the Brit punches for glory. And, just when it appears she might receive same the referee steps in...but not to stop the fight. To have the ringside doctor take a look at a nasty cut Arterton's opened over Missy's right eye. The doctor does as he's asked and allows things to continue. And Gemma's right back after the former champion, hammering away at her for the rest of the round. But, Peregrym shows why she's worn the belts four times. She hangs on and remains standing as blood pours from the ridge above her eye. The round goes in the books as a shutout for Gemma, who leads 49-46.

ROUND SIX:

Lots of work in the Lookout! corner between rounds, both on Missy's eye and her psyche. Corner works to close the cut while it stresses that the Canadian needs to get moving. "Go get her before you bleed to death," is the last thing said before Peregrym gets off the stool. Missy listens. She's after Gems from the start, more aggressive than she has been at any point in the fight. She's taking chances, but, now's the time for that. If you're Missy. Not, if you're Gemma. Arterton isn't playing this game. She's not going all in for a final battle in the sixth. Not with the lead she's built up and the cut still leaking blood above Peregrym's eye. Arterton graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She's no dummy. So, instead of standing her ground, the Brit gives it, circles, denies Missy the battle she seeks, despite Peregrym's continued efforts to force it. But, while those don't bear fruit in form of the battle, they do allow the Canadian to grab the round close and cut her deficit to 58-56.

ROUND SEVEN:

Missy right back to work. She's looking to force the issue, despite Gemma's unwillingness to allow same. Peregrym is damning any torpedo in the zip code and going full speed ahead. Again, she's taking chances, and she gets caught a couple of good ones, but she keeps coming, "go get her before you bleed to death" still clearly echoing in her head. Then, Missy GETS her. It's a lunging right hand that would have been a bad punch...except it lands. With more than a little force. Arterton is staggered and now it's Missy who's committing every soldier she can find. It's time to turn this thing around, and there's no one in any division in the FCBA more capable of pulling that trick than Melissa Peregrym. The Canadian is all OVER Arterton, battering her around the ring in a sound but extremely aggressive effort to end this thing right now. She can't, but not for want of trying. By the time the seventh is over, Arterton is looking scuffed and Missy has the round wide and Gemma's lead down to 67-66.

ROUND EIGHT:

Peregrym all about getting her now. She's unleashing hell on Arteron from the opening sections of the round. Gems is wobbly and Missy is taking full advantage of same. She's stepping into everything, sitting down on her punches, using all the reserves in an effort to finish this off and now. Gemma, meanwhile, nearing complete rout. She can't hold canvas, she can't get anything going in the counter, and she's just about at the end of how much shell she can ship while staying afloat. But, still, the Brit hangs on. She's against it, literally and figuratively, leaning back in the ropes, guard high, taking an absolute pounding. Her left eye is swelling badly, compromising vision much like the still oozing cut above the right eye is doing to Peregrym. It's grim stuff, but there's no quit in Arterton. She takes her licking and keeps on ticking right to the bell. It's a shutout for Missy, though, and Peregrym has evened this thing at 76.

ROUND NINE:

Time to get some questions answered. Questions like "who has more left?", "who wants it more?", and "who can overcome her disadvantages and find a way to win this thing?" Both fighters have pen and paper ready. They're up to taking the test. Peregrym starts it strong, trying to keep building on the last two rounds, but, Gemma's forces won't punk. Arterton's holding her ground and firing back heavy. Soon, we're in the trenches and it's hand-to-hand stuff. No more of the pretty boxing of the earlier rounds. This is grinding, banging, hammering away, using every last shell in a final attempt to grab the field and carry the day. And, slowly, the Brit begins to gain the edge. She's got Missy's eye pouring blood again and she's backing the Canadian up with big right hands. Missy stabilizes her front late, but the damage is done. Gemma overcomes the early advantage to grab the round close and get back in the lead 86-85.

ROUND TEN:

And, it comes down to this. One last round for all of the proverbial marbles. And, again, somehow Missy starts strong. The Canadian uses her last reserves of energy to come after Gemma with all guns blazing. Arterton gives ground, allows the offensive to play itself out, then begins the counter attack.But, now it's Missy who won't punk. Peregrym holds ground and answers every hard flurry from the Brit with one of her own. She won't allow Arterton to get the better of things in the trenches this time. Missy's grinding away, hooking body and head, spending every last ounce of her energy in a final effort that's being matched by her opponent. Arterton's eye is shut by the final minute, and, again, blood pours from Missy's. But neither fighter will back down or slow down. They just keep swinging right to the bell. When it rings, Peregrym has grabbed it close. It's now 95-95 and there's no question about what happens next. Front Street's policy is to always accept overtime. And, there's no way Missy Peregrym is going to accept a draw. But. In the run up to round eleven, a funny thing happens. The referee waives it off! Both corners going ape, the two fighters stunned, confused, each, for a second, thinking the other has refused OT. But, finally, the announcement is made. After consultation with the ringside doctor, the referee has ruled that the bout can NOT continue and has been declared a DRAW!

AFTER:

Ref besieged by both corners but standing firm. Not going to allow either fighter to risk further injury at this point. Both fighters disappointed. "I can't bloody believe this!" Gemma fairly growls. "Here we are, two grown women and we're being told we can't finish this! It's nonsense!"

Missy no happier. "You go out there and literally BLEED for this, and they're going to take it away from you! If she'd backed down, that would have been one thing. It would have told you everything you needed to know. But, she was ready to go and I was DAMN SURE ready to go. We should have been allowed to go overtime. I think we need a rematch...and soon."