Gemma Arterton vs. Jessica Biel (Lightweight Championship)
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

Plenty of mutual respect being tossed around before this one. As everyone knows, Biel is a FOFS, and, as such, liked and respected by most of the ladies in the stable, including the current lightweight champion. "Look, being champion is about fighting the best girls out there," says Gemma. "And, there's a reason she's won the belts eleven times and is in the Hall of Fame. This is as big a challenge as I've had in my career. And, I'm ready for it."

"Look," says Jessica with a nod, "I know first hand how hard it is to get the belts in this division. It's the hardest thing you can do in the FCBA. So, anybody who manages that is an elite fighter. And, that means there will be two elite fighters in the ring tonight. So, let's tape 'em on, let 'em go, and find out who's better."

ROUND ONE:

Things start slowly, and that's no surprise. Mutual respect outside the ring, and mutual respect INSIDE it. Both fighters know that the other has plenty of power and neither are interested in walking into something stupid early. But, the probing isn't just about that. It's about finding out the lay of the land, looking for little cracks in defenses, trying to find clues to what's in the fight plan. So, the first becomes about jabbing and moving, head, hands, feet. Trying to find spots for punches, playing angles and playing defense. Neither fighter commits on much, neither throws many combinations, and neither seems interested in giving much away early. It's one-punch recon stuff on both sides, for three solid minutes. But, that doesn't mean it isn't fun to watch, because it is. Both fighters are very talented. Both box very well. And both show plenty of that talent and boxing ability before the bell, which finds Arterton with a small lead that gives her the round and the 10-9 advantage.

ROUND TWO:

Biel gets aggressive and things take a quick turn. Jessica's getting off first and getting off in combination early, forcing Gemma to cover up. With the champion on the defensive, Jessica turns up the heat even more. This is vintage Biel, all athletic movement and fast, powerful hands. She's getting to great spots, getting punches on target. The fast, hard flurries are the envy of just about anybody in the division, and nobody's envying Gemma right about now. The British champion soon begins to be backed up and ends up fighting off her back foot. She's having trouble getting off at all by the late stages of the round. For her part, Biel continues to slowly raise the temperature. She's not going to get sloppy, but sustained aggression is the name of her game and it's working just about perfectly. Arterton's off balance, out of sorts and getting frustrated by the time the bell sounds, giving Biel the round wide and evening things at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Jessica right back to work, but Gemma now firing back hard in counter. Arterton's made a quick adjustment. She'll let Biel fight lead if she wants to, then use the openings created when Jessica punches to respond in kind. It's a good adjustment that gets the champion right back in the fight, because, as much as the second was a one-sided round, the third becomes great, two-way stuff. There are some absolutely SCINTILLATING exchanges as this one goes on, with both girls landing hard shot that snaps back heads and sends sweat flying. But, despite the size of the shell landing, everybody's able to ship it without undue problems. Late in the round, there's a little body work, but this is mostly upstairs stuff at range, and both fighters show exactly how good they are at it. Answer: very. By the end of the round, it's, again, very close, but, as so often happens in situations like this, the girl fighting lead gets slightly more done. Biel claims the round and grabs the lead 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Arterton getting more comfortable in the counter. She's waiting on Biel, allowing her to punch, then firing back with solid, accurate shot. Jessica not taken aback by it, though. She's been around the block and has dealt with this kind of thing before. She works hard to set her punches up, gets the hands back quickly, tries to limit Gems' opportunities. But, Arterton's hitting on a very high percentage of them, enough to make this a two-way stanza. It's back and forth as the fighters circle, work the feet, move the head and hands. It's both pretty and effective from the opening minute to the closing. Fighters both in rhythm, both feeling good about where they are and what they're doing, and the result is that both are scoring well and often. Final seconds and it's very close. Both fighters turn it up to try to grab the round late, and, at the bell, there's not much in it, but again, Biel being on the lead has won it for her, and she's up 39-37.

ROUND FIVE:

Same pattern. Biel fighting lead, Gemma fighting counter. Again, both women effective with what they're doing. Jessica upping the heat a little, but still staying sound, trying not to give Gems much to fire back at. But, again, Arterton landing a high percentage, scoring at almost every opportunity, and, about half way through BIEL IS ROCKED. It's the last punch of a three-punch flurry, a straight right hand, and Jessica's wobbly! Gems quickly calling in reserves, going after the Hall of Famer in a big way. She's backing up Biel with the heavy guns, forcing her to keep the guard high. Biel now the one countering, doing so only in spots, though, as she's mostly being suppressed by loads of heavy, accurate fire from the champion. Challenger shows her veteran smarts. She manages to stay off the ropes, and, as the end of the round nears, the legs come back. Biel showing plenty of movement, makes Arterton stalk and legs out the rest of the fifth. At the bell, it's Gemma wide, and she's now cut the lead to 48-47, but a big opportunity has slipped away, and the champion has to know it.

ROUND SIX:

Back to boxing. Arterton not going to force the issue with Biel when it's clear the Hall of Famer has the legs back. So, the fighters set up at range and go to work. It's more good, back-and-forth stuff, though Jessica isn't able to force Gems to the counter now. Arterton able to give as good as she gets. Until, Biel does something only she can do. You need just sick reflexes to be able to get leather through the sliver of daylight she finds before it closes. In addition, you need ridiculous power to be able to land a punch that quickly and still drop a girl as sturdy as Gemma Arterton. But, that's exactly what Biel does, sending a stunned Arterton to her rump. Jessica's quickly to a neutral corner to watch Gemma, shaking her head, rise at seven. And, ON COMES BIEL. The next two minutes are an absolute nightmare for Gems, who takes heavy fire from all directions. She ends up pinned to the ropes and gets a thorough going over. The British champion holds on in a high guard, grimly countering when she can. She's still standing at the bell, but she's more than a little scuffed and down 58-55 with four to go.

ROUND SEVEN:

Biel looking to consolidate. Arterton willing to give ground and counter. Jess gets a little sloppy early looking for the finisher, gets nailed with a couple of solid shots, changes tactics. She has the lead and she knows it. No sense taking chances. So. she doesn't. Settles back into ranged boxing, again, Biel on the lead, Arterton playing the counter. Gems shaking off most of the cobwebs from the last round, scoring well again, making this a two-way round. Both girls digging a little body now, working up, then down, then back up again. Plenty of leather landing despite solid defense and excellent movement from both fighters. Late in the round, Arterton gets rolling, backs Biel up with a couple of heavy combinations. Biel circles away, begins legging. Gems stalks, head low behind the gloves, probing with the jab. But, Biel so quick and athletic, she's not able to get much done before the bell. Again, it's close, this time to Gemma. She's stopped the bleeding and cut the lead to 67-65, but time's growing short.

ROUND EIGHT:

Arterton turns up the heat a bit. The champion's behind and she knows it. So, she looks to work forward on Biel, using that heavy left jab to set up hard right hands. Jessica not having any. She holds canvas and rolling firefights develop. Tons of heavy leather exchanged as the fighters range around the ring trading hard shot. Two minutes in, Biel backs Arterton up with a right hand, steps forward and GETS DROPPED WITH A RIGHT HAND COUNTER! Gems times it perfectly and now it's Biel on her rump in the center of the ring! Jessica more dazed that hurt, pounds the canvas with her gloves before getting to her feet and taking the mandatory. Gems right after her, but Biel again holds canvas. She's quickly shaken off the effects of the right hand and she's fighting back hard. We're right back to the rolling firefights that take us to the bell. One punch turns out to be worth two points in an otherwise even round. The cards are now even at 75 with two rounds to go.

ROUND NINE:

All reserves being called in now. Fighters meeting in the center of the ring and go at it hard. Nobody holding anything back. Fight and the title in the balance and only six minutes to win both. Or neither. Rolling firefights increasing in intensity. Fighters committing on everything, working hard to square up, and, when they can, putting entire jars of mustard on the punches. Body being banged hard now, as the competitors work up, down, then back up again. Both plenty busy, showing great conditioning to be able to work this hard in the ninth round. And, both DO work hard. And grimly. Biel backs Arterton up with a right. And, then Gems steps forward and backs Jessica up with a right of her own. There's no quit in either fighter. Neither is willing to allow the other to impose will or take control. It's bitter, two-way battle from the opening seconds to the final bell. And, when it sounds, Biel's gotten another one close and pulled into the lead 85-84.

ROUND TEN:

Both fighters told they're behind by their respective corners. Both told they need the tenth to have a chance. And, both go all out to get it. The most vicious punching of the fight ensues, as both champion and challenger tap reserve tanks with the intention of emptying them before these three minutes are up. Again, hard shell backs a fighter up only to see her step right back forward and respond in kind. For two minutes, things are dead even. Then, with Biel ducking her head to dig some body, Gemma pulls a short right uppie out of her quiver. BIEL'S HURT! Jessica stumbles backward...and goes DOWN under a barrage of leather from the champion! Jessica crashing to her back as Arterton stumbles, exhausted, to a neutral corner wondering if she's just "pulled an Upton". Biel pushes up to hands and knees, rises...stumbles back to her knees! It's OVER! And your winner by KO10 in last ditch fashion and STILL Unified Lightweight Champion is 'The Gravesend Gladiator', Gemma Arterton!

AFTER:

Exhausted hug exchanged in the aftermath. Arterton looking much the worse for the wear in the post-fight interview. Both eyes are swelling, and she's clearly spent. But, there's a smile, as there should be. "What a fight that was," she says with a grin. "That girl can bloody well hit! I mean, you know that coming in, don't you? She's Jessica Biel. But, until you actually FEEL it...you don't really know. Never been in with a girl who hits like that. And, the way she can move and box? It's no bloody wonder she's in the Hall of Fame."