Gigi Hadid vs. Miriam Leone
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

Italian beauty a definite dog in this one. Gigi Hadid is a tough way to make your FCBA debut, seeing as the young model has fought very well against some of the FCBA's top bigs, including Rohrbach, Kajlich, Kloss, and Upton. Leone, for her part, has plenty of BBU experience, but her sub .333 record doesn't exactly inspire confidence against a fighter like Gigi, especially as Miriam will also be giving away ten years to the 22-year-old beauty. Still, if few have confidence in the Italian, she's definitely willing to bet on herself. "Yes, this girl has been in against some good American welters, but, I am the Italian Welterweight Champion for a reason."

"She might be a welterweight champion in Italy," says Gigi with a shake of the head, "But, in the FCBA? Let's just say she's no Kate Upton and leave it at that."

ROUND ONE:

Hadid right to work and she wants to get physical, a bit of a surprise with as quick and leggy as the American can be. But, instead of using any of that, she comes right at the Italian and almost immediately throws her to the defensive. Leone's quickly getting beaten to punches and out-hit, and, before you know it, she's giving ground before a Hadid onslaught. Miriam's clearly been taken by surprise here, and Gigi, having gained the initiative, has no intention of losing it. Instead, she's showing that high work rate she's used so often to trouble bigs who aren't used to it, and it's plenty troubling to Miriam, who can't get off or get off her back foot. Late in the round, Leone begins to stabilize her front and give as good as she gets, and, while that's a moral victory for the older beauty, it's far too late to make a difference on the cards. It's Gigi wide in the first and Hadid leads 10-9.

ROUND TWO:

Leone's found her rhythm now. She's no longer getting beaten to punches. Instead, she's getting her left hand on and using it to set up hard rights, and, before you know it, we've got a complete 180 and Miriam is fighting lead with Gigi being forced to the defensive. Leone's putting punches together for the first time in the fight, and she's showing how effective she can be when she does that. She's long and she's able to translate that length into a crisp, powerful right hand that starts at her toes and works all the way through the wrist into her fist. Gigi isn't hurt, nor is she spooked, not after taking shots from the likes of Kloss, Kesha, and Upton, but, the combination of the power and accuracy Miriam is showing is enough to keep the younger woman on her back foot the entire round. At the bell, it's Leone wide and we're even at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Now Hadid's moving. We're starting to see all that leggy quickness she's shown against bigger, heavier girls in the past. And, it immediately changes the dynamic. Now, Leone isn't finding as easily with the jab, and that means Hadid's free to angle, get to her spots, and get off in combination. And, while Miriam continues to be able to get some leather on target, it's Gigi who slowly begins to get the better of things. And, then, BOOM! It's a lovely three-punch combination from Gigi that starts with a hard left jab and continues with a nasty straight right. Miriam's legs give a shimmy and then give out all together when the third punch, a left hook, crashes into the side of her jaw. ITALIAN DOWN! Miriam crashes to her back, head lolling from side to side as Gigi goes to a neutral corner. Leone stares up at the referee as the numbers mount. She tries once to sit up, but slumps back to her back and can only watch as the count passes her by. It's OVER! And your winner by KO3 is Gigi Hadid!