Gemma Atkinson (Beevers Babes) v Karlie Kloss (The Fighting Academy)

(Welterweight Championship)
(Words: Knowlesey / Results: Lookout!)

Gemma has chosen to make her second defence against the unbeaten 24 year old from Chicago, who has knocked out each of her seven opponents, and winner of the ‘New Blood’ Welterweight tournament in 2016. At 5 feet 11, she’s a couple of inches taller than 32 year old Gemma, and she promised the champion that she’s put her in hospital tonight.

Challenger Karlie is first into the ring, wearing a scarlet corset and knickers outfit with matching gloves and boots, Gemma keeping her waiting before joining her, wearing a baby blue bra and knickers set, also with matching gloves and boots.

The girls face each other, and Karlie really does have a height and reach advantage.

Round 1

Karlie’s a little nervous as the fight begins, and this is giving Gemma the chance to get into a nice rhythm, the champion sending some good jabs at Karlie’s face, but she’s not landing her punches as cleanly as she would like, because she doesn’t want to risk eating the taller girls punches, well aware that she needs to stay out of reach when she can, and she learns from experience in a short patch midway through the round that Karlie has a punch on her, the challenger hitting Gemma with a solid right hook to the jaw which has her covering up, Karlie standing back though, and not looking to land any more big shots, still sizing Gemma up, the Brit getting in as close as she dares to work Karlie to the body, landing good punches in her ribs, and that allows her to bump the American back with some good uppercuts, the champion doing well and taking the opening round.

Round 2

Gemma starts the round well, the champion really aggressive now, and she’s prodding Karlie backwards, the younger girl not using her extra reach as she gets hurried backwards and into a neutral corner, and this is what Gemma likes to do, get her opponent static, then give her some good punches, but Karlie isn’t having it, and, with Gemma landing to the taller girl’s ribs, she comes right back at her, finding her range now, and thumping Gemma’s face with a series of thudding hooks, left and right gloves smacking into the older girl’s face and making her go backwards, under siege now as Karlie hammers her with brutal punches, Gemma finally covering her head properly, but her body presents a big and hittable target, and Karlie hits the target hard and often as she batters Gemma to take the round by a long way.

Round 3

With Gemma’s face already scuffed up and bruising, her corner have had to work hard during the interval, but Karlie’s going to make them work even harder next time around, because she’s started this round like a dervish, just smacking the hell out of Gemma who has no answer right now, and a lovely right from Karlie floors the champion, sending her sprawling backwards and she only gets to her feet at 7, then she’s met with more punishment as Karlie thumps away at her body, giving her a gruelling working over against the ropes, Gemma in desperation having to punch her way out of trouble, and she lands her own punches on the taller girl’s face, although she looks like she’s been undone by the challenger in this round, her left cheek disfigured with a swelling bruise, and her nose dribbling blood, Karlie standing with her arms aloft as the bell closes round three.

Round 4

The girls are out again, and Gemma lands a good shot on Karlie’s ribs, but she’s in trouble again almost immediately, Karlie swiping the champion’s head from left to right in another brutal battering, Gemma backed into the ropes, nowhere to hide, and the youngster just can’t seem to miss Gemma’s face, but the big Brit’s taking the punishment well, and now she’s covering and letting Karlie hit her to the body, the younger girl accepting the invitation, but Gemma’s body is so well developed these days, that she can soak up plenty of punishment without looking too shabby, and maybe Karlie has been suckered into using the wrong tactics, as Gemma lands a few decent punches of her own before the bell, the challenger still on top, but running out of ideas.

Round 5

Karlie gives Gemma some heavy bombardment to the ribs again, but she’s not being careful enough with her defence, and that’s beginning to cost her as Gemma gives her some uppercuts in close, the younger girl’s head getting whacked upwards, and she’s not happy, the muscular Gemma bullying her to the ropes and laying into her, Karlie getting some big shots landing to her body, and her guard drops a little, Gemma in no hurry, though, gets her softened up nicely as the round goes on Karlie, always on the backfoot as the champion pops her around, and punishes her as she moves her into a neutral corner, maybe ready to put Karlie down – but the taller girl shows how tough she is as she punches her way out of trouble and kind of bosses the closing seconds as she seeks her right hook to sort out Gemma.

Round 6

The girls are both beginning to tire a little, and Gemma finds herself forced to stand and trade in the opening stages of the round, and she comes off worst as Karlie gives her a peachy right hook to the jaw, Gemma staggering backwards, hiding a little between her gloves, Karlie lifting the champion’s head up with a sweet left uppercut, which she follows with a good two fisted combination on Gemma’s newly exposed face, the older girl needing to cover again, and she defends well, even though Karlie’s still getting some punches past those defensive gloves, taking charge of Gemma once more, the older girl bruised around both eyes, and well behind on points now, and she needs a big effort to get her winning streak back on track, although she hits and hurts Karlie late in the round with a good right hook of her own the girl’s jaw.

Round 7

Karlie looks very much in control, takes on Gemma in a hard exchange of punches, uses her extra reach well to keep Gemma away, and she’s doing well as she hits Gemma again, but this time Gemma hits back, and she has Karlie wobbling after cuffing her across the lips with a left hook, and following with a right cross, Karlie flailing her arms a little as she tries to keep the older girl at a distance, but Gemma thumps her really hard to the midsection, Karlie bending over, hurt now and showing it, her height advantage wrecked as she stoops, her face well within Gemma’s range, and the Brit’s handing her a beating at last, swats her left, right, left again, Karlie now bleeding from a cut to her left eyebrow, and Gemma homes in on that, and she’s making it worse as she feints to the body, then hooks Karlie to the face, the bell coming not a moment too soon for the challenger, who really took some leather in round seven.

Round 8

Again, it’s Karlie taking the fight to Gemma, but she might do better to stand her ground more, as Gemma hooks her to the jaw, and to the cheek, has her on the backfoot with a pair of hard jabs, and rips in a left hook, and Karlie’s on her back! She’s up and ready at 8, but she looks wobbly, and there’s a long time to go in this round – but Karlie’s taking the fight to Gemma! The girls shows amazing bravery as she works Gemma backwards and into a corner, but she isn’t bale to take advantage, the fight still furious as Gemma turns Karlie, landing three lovely left hooks to her face, Karlie’s legs turning to jelly now as Gemma just gives her a beating, the punches crashing into Karlie’s almost unprotected face, her features streaked with blood, and the referee gets between the girls and waves his hands – he’s seen enough. As Gemma wheels away in delight, Karlie drops to her knees, left arm still over the top rope, and she’s really fought well tonight.

Result : Gemma Atkinson stopped Karlie Kloss in round 8, and retains the welterweight title.

That was a great fight, with both girls giving everything. Karlie’s undefeated record is at an end, but she really gave Gemma a hard workout, and the British girl will surely want an easier defence next time, although the word is that she will fight either Hilary Rhoda or Hannah Ferguson next!