Post by Lookout! Boxing on Nov 25, 2016 at 4:37pm

Barbara Palvin versus Jessica Pare

(Words: ABC / Results: Lookout!)

Pre-fight:
Barbara Palvin hasn’t had the big start to her career that her stablemates have had. She sits at 2-2 since debuting in January, and isn’t even favored to defeat the woman she beat on debut, Nina Agdal, when she faces her next month. And Jessica Pare is seen to be just as strong an opponent for Palvin, currently ranked higher than Barbara or Nina. Still, Palvin remains optimistic. “I know I have some fight in me,” Barbie assures us. “I’m still working on getting it out, but it’s there. Jen, Alyssa, Hilarie… they all believe it. So it has to be true. I’ll prove them right one day. I can at least start today. I know Jessica is good, but, this is winnable for me. I have to believe it is.”

Jessica Pare hasn’t fought since 2014, when Alexandra Daddario took her apart in merely three rounds. But, she insists that she is better for having the rest, and is raring to get back in that ring and find some more success.  “Look, there’s a reason I’m ranked quite a bit higher than Barbara, despite the time off. I’m better. It’s that simple. Look at us, I’m way fitter. I’ll gladly prove it tonight.”

Round 1:
Palvin looks determined, coming out guns blazing at the opening bell, and she is really taking it to Pare early, peppering her with jabs up high, trying to get her well-rested opponent on the back foot right away. It seems to be working, Pare mostly covering, a lot of shuffling of the feet, and very little aggression from her, which Palvin seems to appreciate.

Pare is covering quite well though, and nothing too serious is landing flush. The defence continues from Pare throughout most of the first round, Barbara taking a slight advantage, but not really hurting Jessica, other than maybe her confidence.

Round 2:
Jessica building her confidence back up this round as she meets Barbie head on for some offence, and gets the better of the exchange! Pare’s gloves belting pretty features, leaving Palvin with bruised cheeks and a lumpy left eye by the end of two.

Round 3:
Jessica looks right ready to make her mark now, and does so on Barbie’s pretty face, belting the young ABC model around the ring, leaving her with a mostly closed left eye and a bloodied nose within the first minute. Barbara is struggling, Jessica just belting her way through her opponent’s feeble defences.  A very sad and sorry Palvin takes to her corner after the third, her face a mess, and she doesn’t seem to be anywhere near this fight right now, Pare just steamrolling over her.

Jessica looks proud as punch as she takes her seat. Confidence is high now, and she looks ready and able to get herself right back in the mix after her couple year hiatus.

Round 4:
Palvin an absolute mess as she wobbles out of her corner, eye shut a nasty purple colour, and the ref seems to be keeping tabs on it, not wanting anything too permanent or ugly for the pretty young thing. Jess is confident, and for good reason. She’s all over Barbara so far this bout, and she wants to get stuck right in again as we begin the fourth. She leaps in with straights at Palvin’s banged up face, Barbara guarding tightly, a little worried perhaps. Jessica doesn’t mind, she just hammers young tummy instead, lurching the model over forwards. And then BANG! A wild uppercut in response from Palvin that stops Pare dead in her tracks. She never saw it coming. In fact, NOBODY saw it coming.

Pare is staggered and Barbara tries to reset, then jabs at Jessica’s face, who gets the guard working and even hits back again, getting some fresh bloodflow from Barbie’s nose. It was a valiant effort from Palvin who seemed to be done for, but Jessica is right back on the attack now, working over abs and ribs as Barbara tries to cover as best she can through to the bell.

Jessica taking back control after that uppercut and giving Barbara more to think about as she heads for another much needed break once the bell sounds.

Round 5:
Poor Barbara looks as though she’s been put through the wringer after only four, while Jessica looks confident and calm, although touching occasionally at her jaw after that staggering uppercut from Palvin. The young ABC beauty is going to want to fashion a lot more of those surprises if she is to get back into this bout however.

Jess comes in again heavy, ramming leather down Barbara’s throat, only Palvin surprises us all by ducking, watching the glove fly over her head, and then SLAMMING another deft uppercut right under Pare’s chin!

Jessica is fluttering backwards, shocked, dazed, confused. Barbara advances, pounding right, left, right, left, again and again, into Pare’s jugs and midsection. Jessica is reeling, forced into the ropes, and Barbara just hammers away at will. Then a MASSIVE right cross blasts through Pare’s face, and that left eye is going to have its own area code it’s swelling up so big!

A huge turn of events here by Palvin, who seems to have just stolen all momentum with some showstopping shots. Pare struggling with the swollen eye instantly, and Barbie hammers her further along the ropes, exacting all of the revenge for the earlier rounds.

As the fifth ends, both beauties look exhausted and banged up, but Pare looks right shocked as she takes her seat, seriously needing some cut work done now for the first time this fight. A sly smile from Palvin in her corner as she realizes she may have just fixed everything in one banging round!

Round 6:
We said going into the fifth that Palvin would require a series of miracles to put herself back into this match, and somehow they all seemed to produce in that fifth round. Barbara still looks a mess as she steps in for the sixth, but she certainly looks more confident, despite that swollen shut eye. Perhaps it’s because Pare now has one to match.

The two brunette beauties come together, looking to exchange again, Jessica a little more ready with the guard, happy to put some testing jabs out there, seemingly unsure which version of Palvin she’s going to get this round. Palvin on the other hand looks to have some self-belief now, and she just wants to put the hurt on her gorgeous opponent.

Barbara’s first few slugs hit only arms and leather, and a Pare jab stings pretty Palvin nose, but then Barbie whacks a heavy hook into tummy, then another, and another. Jess is backing up, starting to lurch a little as firm midsection is battered red, and as one glove slips, Palvin whips a quick hook up high that clangs off of jawline.

Pare is staggered, guard trying to reset, but Barbara just comes in swinging for the fences now. It is all offence versus all defence and there’s only one thing that can happen here; eventually the defence is broken through. Fists slam into Pare’s guard again and again and again, until Jess hits the ropes and wobbles a little. Palvin slams another into tummy and then finds a quick right slipping through the guard and banging into Jessica’s nose!

Pare looks a little stunned, but it only lasts a moment until Barbara whacks the left cross through cheek then UNLOADS an uppercut that busts the beauty’s mouthguard clean out of her mouth and sees her fall along the ropes onto her ass, then side, woozy and barely conscious.

The count comes, but Pare never looks like beating it, still struggling along the mat, one hand draped over the lowest rope by the time the referee gets to the 10 count. We have a bit of a surprise here folks! Barbara Palvin wins, KO6!

Post-fight:
Barbara Palvin hugs a woozy Jessica Pare in a good show of sportsmanship after this absolute belter of a fight. Pare seeming respectful of Palvin’s hard-fought comeback, and Jess did show a lot of talent early. Perhaps with some more fights under her belt, she’ll be a fearsome competitor yet.

Palvin following her trend of win, loss, win, loss, with another win, advancing to a 3-2 record. The question is, will she be able to break the cycle and start winning more?

“I still have a lot of work to do, and a lot to learn, I know,” Barbie confessed afterwards. “But I think taking down Jess is a really good sign, and I think I am learning, even if slowly. I’ll get there. I have a great crew behind me. They won’t let me fail.”