Before: Govich returning to the ring under bad omens – Bonzo brunette has lost an incredible seven fights in a row and hasn’t won at all since 2012, the year when she became a surprise and one-time division champion. Her only action in 2016 was a thudding KO loss to Gemma Atkinson, now the new champion, in September. She bested her gym rival Nadia Bjorlin in a heated, internal and unpublished competition, forcing the more decorated Bjorlin to retire when the stable’s welter file was reduced by one spot just before Christmas. Despite staying on, most pundits don’t think Govich – the victim of several hard knockouts during her losing streak, and a full sixteen years older than today’s rival – can become competitive in her division again and many have her poised for retirement, too, if she’s not able to turn things around sometime this year. Krsmanovic’s a tall, lanky Serbian model – she’s part of the new supermodel wave hitting the division in 2016, but she had to get into line there, getting bested along the way by her model rivals Kloss, Rhoda and Ferguson. Meanwhile, Bo’s not holding back regarding Govich, “Milena’s a ruin. She couldn’t handle being the champ back then, and she’s all damaged goods now. I don’t want to knock her body, because for being twice my age she actually looks pretty good. Still it’s time for a generational change here. Wouldn’t it be sweet if it were my fists that punched her into the retirement home? Maybe Nadia and her could pool their money and share a room.” – Govich smiling during the charge, “I can track Bo’s line of thinking there, I do. She’s young, explosive, fighting an oldie on a seven-fight losing streak…what could go wrong for her? Well, a lot of things can, and hint, hint, most of them have to do with my right hand.”

Fight: R1: Welter women’s different body structures on display: Govich with that wide, massive body, a lot heavier than in the past but still firmly athletic, not chubby at all – Krsmanovic noticeably taller, but slender, elegant. Physicality translates to fighting styles, too: Bo’s a smooth-limbed mover, quick on her legs (step, step and charge) – Milena’s stiffer, always planted firmly on the spot, stubborn in both offense and defense alike, more stompin’ forward than dancin’. Govich’s got the patience – when Bo’s out of range, bouncing, she’ll wait, not going into the leggy game. Circular action ensues: Bo’s a whirlwind, charging via rat-a-tat jabs, trying to move Milena in circles, turn her around, expose her legs, wait for her to be late, going steady with the pressure – Milena’s astute in her guard, clocking some straight counters into Krsmanovic’s mid-section when she’s there, but no more. Bo more active, really peppering Govich’s guard via lefts, hoisting tasty rights into the gut – Milena’s stance remains rock-solid, unconcerned throughout most of first round, not looking impressed by Bo’s power. Krsmanovic consolidates late in the third min: one jab picks up Milena on the mouth with a swoooosh, allows her to ram a follow-up right into her open jaw – leggy brunette backing up Milena in ropes for the first time, as Govich’s butt hits turnbuckle, her knees finally taking an abrupt buckle. Milena’s cornered, getting well-stocked with Bo’s avid lefts, but former champion’s tree-trunk legs, that mulish resilience keep her okay for last stretches. Bo’s upbeat on her to corner at bell, all smiling – legs, patience and timing the keys for her tonight.
 
R2: Krsmanovic shows off lightweight-ish fast hands against Milena’s middleweight thickness. Govich tight in the pocket – she’s under constant pressure as Bo’s free to work ‘em hands, bam-bam-bam. Bo’s driving long, rangy right hooks into her ribs/gut…Milena shuddering on impact, slowly rendered into dominant little stretches in ropeside positions, kept in earmuff, riding out the leather, her eyes hardening. Krsmanovic springy, bending in to spread the punishment across Milena’s body. Second min: Bo ups the tempo, loosening Milena’s guard up with strong hooks to the skull, rhythmizing her jabs – Govich with that icy, indecipherable stare…we can’t see whether Bo’s really hurting her to the body or just simply out-pacing her. Third minute: Govich now on the receiving end of some visibly hard punishment – with Milena rendered so stubborn yet defensive, Bo can really lash out…late, she’s landing a fat right hand upside Milena’s head that turns the brunette’s skull like a screw…then chomping home two short, left hooks to mouth, splittin’ Milena’s mitts apart…then finally throbbing a straight right into Govich’s massive chest that has the brunette gasping in pain, stooping forward into a clinch, numbed.
 
R3: Govich finally moves: she’s searching for Bo’s guard/head via staggering jabs – Bo feels the startling power, stepping off the gas accordingly. Krsmanovic trips out of range on her quick, hop-hop legs, letting a more mobile Milena stalk her via left poke, circling out/away. By the second minute, Krsmanovic turns more aggressive again, steps into Govich with her dukes up – she plays nifty, pulling her foe into meaty, struggling clinches to frustrate, surprisingly holding her own against brunette’s sturdy body. Lots of little on-the-spot battling: Govich stolid, rammin’ in her jerking hooks downstairs, wantin’ to roast Bo to the gut, bull-rush her to ropes – Krsmanovic skillfully adjusts, wiggling out of some pressure, countering thru the middle, doing some holding/pushing – Milena’s pushy, aggressive but not getting into the projected control during these phases. Down the stretch…Bo’s bouncier again, bobbin’, weavin’ in a mid-distance range, whipping more lean, long jabs into Milena’s tits, her torso bending supply forward…suddenly Milena steps right, leans in via the right hand, zipppppin’ it over Bo’s outstretched, pumpin’-arm left right near her left ear – whack! Bo’s jab arm snaps down…she’s stumbling forward in foggy pain, wobbly-butt. Milena snarls…she moves in hoisting thick, brutal jabs into Bo’s ribs/arms/tits, as Krsmanovic shudders, her butt stacked up in the ropes behind her. Bell: Milena’s round close – her right hand power steals Bo’s momentum, proving competitive tonight.
 
R4: Krsmanovic’s legs to the fore – leggy, fast-moving Serbian putting a leg-show clinic on a heavy-footed Govich – Milena looking to find Bo early with strong, stiff jabwork, but her offense gets exposed by Bo’s swooshing counter attacks, reacting late, getting caught clean. Krsmanovic not a power puncher, but a leggy mover – she’s working from an agile, limber stance, always in touchin’ contact via her tik-tok left. Patterns emerge in the second minute: Govich stalking via heavy jab, her right tucked in, hoping to bulldoze slender Serbian on her weight-of-shot, Krsmanovic stays on back foot, floating, moving her torso, timing her counters well – tik-tok catches increasingly loosen up a stolid, stubborn Milena throughout round. Govich has some more success in the third, committing into her jabs more, landing some of ‘em to collarbone/solarplexus with enough heft/precision to keep Bo in her range and stop the leg-game in spots. Bo floating back down the stretch…she waits to sting a final attack late in the third, heave-hoing two, three jabs past Milena’s thundering left herself, splitting her mitts again with a short, jerking right hand to temple, riding out Govich’s response in tight, dogged clinching against Milena’s forward-stomping anger, going into the lead three-to-one in rounds.
 
R5: Krsmanovic with her supermodel’s stance – she’s pumping a breezy, steady jab, skippin’ her steps around a rigid Milena, picking her attacks in spots via bended-torso, leaned-in rights. Govich proves her stamina…she’s working behind tight guard, countering into fierce hooks to Bo’s flanks/ribs from wide, outside range. Bo visibly shying away a bit from the offense when caught flat to the gut – she’s more circling out, ranging away – first time tonight we see Govich putting together stretches of a well-moving, jab-lead initiative. Milena now bobbin’ on her forward (left) leg, rolling her shoulders into straight, hard lefts to Bo’s guard/neck/upper arms…Krsmanovic looking concerned, getting forced into retreats to ropes/turnbuckles throughout second minute. Later…Bo’s adapting, already flowing back neat, tidy counter hooks, bouncing harshly against Milena’s tits/ribs…the leggy poke pretty much ends Govich’s forward offense again. Krsmanovic’s legs take her out of corner via an outstretched left arm…series of straight-line jabs pick up a back-pedalling Milena on her mouth, faltering the startled brunette, stooping her into a heavy clinch. Down the stretch…girls inside, buttocks straining, hips struggling…suddenly, Bo leans back, erupting into a jerking right-hand cross punch hitting Govich’s left cheekbone, the hardest punch yet contorting Milena’s face into a world of pain. But Govich answers: the brunette’s pushing off her foe in a daze via left arm, then she slap-bang rolls her torso into a wide, hammering right hand! Bo’s late, not kinking her upper torso back in time…the punch catches her in an unstable position right between the mitts, her eyes rolling back in how-could-you shock. Bell rings…hammer ‘n tongs slugfest taking its toll…both girls taking hard hits now, stumbling to corner after Govich closes in somewhat after five.
 
R6: Girls meet mid-ring, exchanging circling jabs…same positions: Govich rigid, her left pumped straight – Krsmanovic bendy, bobbin’ her legs, loading her torso into the shots. Milena blinks first: at one point Bo raises her own left over Milena’s outstretched left arm, shooting it across Govich’s face to her left jawline, thump, then stepping to the left…now Bo’s going tummy! Govich taking unsure baby-steps backwards, in earmuff…Bo dips her torso, stroking Milena across her waist/gut with strong, healthy whacks via her left, then opening her guard to roll into a combination right…but within an instant, Govich strikes out with her own right! BO GOES DOWN! Bendy brunette caught bobbin’ inside on her heels, prepping her next shot to body – Milena tracked her to the chin! Violent, sloshing right looping in from the outside, connecting with Bo’s undefended left cheek…Serbian brunette’s right leg fails her, losing support…she takes a knee, looking woozy, confused until her eyes roll back…and she fully collapses forward onto her belly with a sloooosh! Govich takes a step back, her right arm already raised…she’s still not entirely sure, but pretty Krsmanovic’s eyelids only start fluttering late in the ten count, her mouth still lying on the canvas…Bo just got punched into sleep, courtesy of a KO6 Milena Govich!
 
After: Tears of joy and jubilation in the Govich camp – Bonzo brunette ends her long-time losing streak against a much younger model brimming with self-confidence before the fight. Govich ends the night via her right-hand power, but the devastating effect of her losing streak and thudding knockout losses was evident throughout tonight’s fight – former champion has rarely been seen fighting such a defensive, passive style, making pundits wonder whether Govich will now firmly move into a cougar, one-punch power territory at the weight or whether the renewed confidence will allow her to adjust her style again. Milena’s grinning post-fight anyway, “Power was the key tonight. Bo’s a slender girl who knows how to use her legs well – we knew that when I hit her hard and clean, she’d eventually fold up. I’m ready to make a push again in the division. The dark times are over.”