AMANDA RIGHETTI (34 y/o, 5 ft 8, W: 71, L: 27) VS GEMMA ATKINSON (32 y/o, 5 ft 9, W: 17, L: 16)

Before: Righetti coming back from a painful, shocking loss to sensational newcomer Hannah Ferguson, now under firm pressure to perform well, taking a risk against powerful former champion Atkinson, one of the division’s unforeseen rising stars – Gemma stormed to the title beating Kate Upton early in the year, defended against legendary veteran Regan and newcomer Kloss, before losing the title to another first-time champion, Hannah Ferguson, in March. The title loss has set Gemma back a bit and she’s now lost two consecutive fights, coming up short against fellow Brit, Michelle Ryan, in July. Righetti and Atkinson have met once before, in January 2016 when Amanda defended her title against Gemma in a slugfest KO8. Gemma’s fully charged pre-fight, “It’s all about overpowering Amanda in the ring. I’m gonna put that legendary chassis through the grinding machine. When I’m done with her, Big Rigs will be ready for the scrap yard.” – “Okay, girl”, Amanda smiles in response, “Gemma’s top of the class in bench pressing, and that’s certainly admirable, but it’s not the most important thing in a boxing ring. Just wait and see.”

R1: Atkinson off to furious, aggressive start, tackling Righetti close, sporting a muscular jab to the body, her fists ripping into ‘Manda’s ribs/flanks, driving her foe backward in circles. Righetti hoppin’ into and out of ropes, corners…she’s a little stiff early, tacking into widespread hooks to neck/shoulders, but mostly just getting used to the power of Gemma’s fists. Atkinson such a taut, strong presence early, really choppin’ her lefts to Amanda’s chassis, her shoulders pumping MASSIVE, soaking right hands, hitting against Rigs’ careful, tight, two-armed guard/skull like a battering ram, sending intense shivers down ‘Manda’s body, getting her wincing, back-pedalling out of range, as Gemma stalks all big-girl via the driving, rising, muscular lefts.

R2: Early, Atkinson settles for more mid-ring dominance, her kicking lefts over-powering Righetti from that solid stance, putting Amanda into wobbly-butt, defensive mode again…when, clean counter, Amanda! Gemma working from that broad-legged stance, Rigs a-hoppin’, blonde right at guard, left pumping stick – ‘Manda spins into a swiveling left to Gemma’s mouth, uh-oh, then steals another rolling right hand to jaw-line from weird angle…and oh, Gemma’s strong legs go pit-a-pit, she’s flinching in confusion, shrinking back to ropes. Rigs snarls, pounding thick straights to Gemma’s tits, whack, whack, one punch faltering her girl, the other punching her upright again. Righetti’s round from there…exhaustive mop-up, those straight, hard jabs BATTERING Gemma’s tits…Rigs moves well, trapping Atkinson for punching spots, dictating via the jab now.

R3: Atkinson coming out recovered, belligerent, forcing Rigs into various mid-ring combats, lefts striking big on both sides of aisle…Gemma clouting ‘Manda upside the head via overhead left, Righetti answering via clobbering rights to Atkinson’s ribs/breadbasket as girls circle, stalk, pound away. Close round going Gemma’s way by second minute as British blonde thrashes Righetti into submission via MAULING chop-chop hooks to Amanda’s tummy/kidney/tits, has redhead gasping in pain, back-pedalling ropeside into tense, left-foot, right-foot oscillation. Gemma waltzes inside, picking her left in spots, hammering brutish right hands to Righetti’s guard/neck/arms…she’s putting Big Rigs thru the promised grinding machine, making redhead suffer.

R4: Righetti ups intensity and jab tempo, shrewdly breaking apart Gemma’s powerful left-hand rhythm, her hard-edged hooks to blonde’s mouth/cheeks slowly punching Atkinson dizzy, shifting her from rock solid to a bit unsteady…suddenly it’s Amanda again with the dominant mid-ring position now, controlling space/timing via the long, straight jabs, her good leg movement, containing blonde more and more with her steady outside power. Second minute, Atkinson belligerent, punch-hungry, looking for spots…she’s powering her way closer again, forcing Rigs into committed, toe-to-toe bashing battles now, exchanging hooks. Righetti finds her rhythm anew behind strong, firm guard, mixing up her body shots now…she’s angling hooks to Gemma’s ribs, exploding into fierce, chopping straights inside to tits, socking Gemma’s skull with some brutal counter punches. Rigs consolidates in the third as Gemma stays leggy, rangier, a little sheepish because she’s getting pounded on the inside, now allowing Amanda to control her better via the loooong jab to ribs/tits, as girls swap rounds again.

R5: Righetti’s jab seems to do the job early…slowly, she’s driving her girl to apron as Atkinson hesitates, rolling-with in circles, then suddenly exploding forward to beat a spinning Righetti jab to a buff uppercut to the chin line! Shrugged, off-ropes angle hurts Amanda brutally…she’s suddenly banged up! Gemma reaches under the folding redhead’s arms, starts plowing the Righetti gut via short, sturdy rights, just a-stackin’ her girl up there. Amanda: she’s floating on ropes, her buttocks shuddering, guard in tight earmuff as Atkinson leans in aggressively, pawing the left hand to Righetti’s shoulder/collar to tie up her girl into straight position, then striking out via rights to mouth/nose, tits/gut! Gemma’s punching power taking its toll on Big Rigs…Gemma’s shredding her, those effortless, drifting right hands pulverizing Righetti’s proud tummy – steady drumbeat loosens up strong redhead in methodical fashion, slowly folding her forward off ropes in swoon, her lips parted in shock…and ’Manda’s getting swept off her feet to TAKE A KNEE! Righetti stumbles forward in disoriented fashion…she topples over from a SAVAGE rib shot, slackly collapsing to sit on her haunches near the ropes…she needs forearms for support, her whole body swaying. Crowd already on its feet, but Amanda beats a late count…and Gemma steps in close again, stalking a woozy Rigs to ropes, punishing her there. Huge round for Atkinson: we haven’t seen Righetti getting put down by such a vicious body punch in a long time, and Gemma hopes to pull away now via her muscular power!

R6: Righetti rallies her remaining strengths, force-feeding Atkinson the wide, PRICKLY jab from her circling outside range, nicely recovering her legs along the way…Gemma’s stubborn, sharp, but curiously shut out of punches early, getting picked up on her way in, leaning in too late with her receipts when Amanda’s already bobbing out of the range again. Gemma’s frustrated after solid, smart, leggy two minutes from redhead, not applying the pressure she was hoping to follow up with after last round’s attrition battle…Atkinson’s aggression not paying off late: she’s stalking Rigs to the ropes in the third, those whipping lefts just rolling again when her own right hand drifts by Righetti’s skull, eating ‘Manda’s right cross counter to mouth in receipt, chop! Gemma: her mouth open in shock, her legs baby-stepping backward in pain, those ribs/tits getting now pummeled via Righetti’s short, blowing right uppercuts! Amanda’s still in pain, but her counters proves effective…she’s got a slackening Gemma’s butt on the ropes down the stretch now, penetrating via the right hand, at one point SLAMMING Gemma’s head back over top rope to a roar of excitement as a woozy Atkinson – muscular thigh a-tremblin’ – falls/pushes into a rigid clinch, straining her buttocks to hold her ground.

R7: Righetti marches in like a warrior, driving back Gemma via those thick, rhythmic jabs, outpunching Brit in mid-ring territory…Atkinson competitive, rolling-with in circles to hook/cross Rigs into tits/tummy, but wincing in pain from Amanda’s own piercing shots into her sides/flanks/arms…Gemma’s a little sluggish! Atkinson in backward gear now, her legs stunned, slowly falling off Righetti’s pace…blonde settling into counters instead, exploding into right haymakers all the way from her hips, but Rigs keeps her in range via the straight, buff lefts to stabilize tottering blonde in mid-torso region. A bit later: Gemma shuffles left shoulder to Rigs, jabbing her sturdy to keep off, but ‘Manda pours forward, leaning in relentlessly, stunning blonde via short right hand to mouth, splitting Gemma’s mitts wide open, tacking her torso away in time to avoid Gemma’s instinctive haymaker counter swing! Atkinson groans, staggering in hurt on the spot, fixed into porous earmuff: Rigs grunts, propping up Gems with more firming left-hooks to guard/skull, then sucks the right cross past Gemma’s face, pasting her! Atkinson’s eyes roll back as she’s folded limp into ropes, her legs plummeting, suddenly a rickety beauty ON ALL fOURS! Gemma’s hurt, muscular blonde now fragile, trying to rise in autopilot motions, looking confused, her motions robotic/staccato. Atkinson beats the count in brave, impressive fashion to wander into second minute – but oh, she’s a vulnerable vixen now, reeling to ropes, her knees bending queasy…Righetti’s ruthless, slugging the straight left, whack-whack, then picks out her right hand spot! Short right cross to jaw unhinges blonde with brutal one-punch power as Gemma folds up, collapsing WITH A THUD into a motionless heap, arms trapped underneath her, mouth on canvas, eyes closed, slumbering as Rigs bring out the sledgehammer, KO7 Amanda Righetti!

After: Righetti jubilant, raising her hands in triumph, even putting her right foot on Gemma’s wide, glistering back while flexing her arms in rare gesture of bravado for disciplined redhead…back-and-forth actions sees Gemma’s power hurting Rigs to the body early, then falling off pace. “Gemma’s one of the strongest girls in the business, but hit her on the chin, and things start looking very differently”, Amanda smiles, accomplishing a statement victory after disastrous Ferguson loss.