Avril Lavigne:

(33, 5’2, 128 lbs, 11:7 FCBA, The Dollhouse)

Vs.
Kat Graham:

(28, 5'2, 115 lbs, 17:12 FCBA, Free Agent)

Results: Lookout!; Story: Caspian & The Dollhouse

BEFORE:
Perhaps a reversal of roles is in order, with Ms Avril Lavigne finally set to face off against someone she doesn’t *totally* hate. Kat Graham saying as much as she smiles to reporters backstage. Both girls having belonged to the same Front Street roster prior and being relative good friends, making it only natural that they’re holding back their comments right now as they mouth off against each other.

“Me and Kat used to be total BFF’s when I was at Front Street,” Avril says with a laugh at first. “I would still consider her a good friend even though we went our separate ways. We actually used to spar sometimes and it was tons of fun….but tonight is for realz b*tches!” she turns to Kat with a half-serious, half-joking look. “I’m totally kicking your ass tonight, Kat! Even though we’re friends, I’m not going to go easy on her, and I don't think she's going to go easy on me. She’s a good fighter, but I can *totally* beat her and that’s what im going to do tonight!”

Noticeable distance between where these girls are seated on the bench: though they may say that they’re well acquainted, neither of them willing to get within arm’s distance of one another. Kat confirming this immediately after, smiling with a hint of saltiness on her face when it’s her turn to be interviewed.

”Ok, yes. Avril and I are good friends, and that isn’t going to change tonight, as far as I'm concerned. However, like Av said, once that fight starts, for those 10 rounds inside that ring, she is NOT my friend. She is my punching bag…” Kat turns to Avril to gauge her reaction with a cocky smirk on her own. “I’m sure Avril learned a lot while being at Front Street and she’s certainly been doing well for herself since returning to boxing, but there’s a reason I was their BEST Flyweight. I still train at FS almost daily, and tonight is going to be proof that I’m still at the top of my game. Even if it means beating up an old friend. Good luck Av, you’re going to need it!”

By the end of the interview, both girls with strained smiles on their faces as they close distance and shake hands before heading off in opposite directions to make final preparations. Who knows what will happen once the bell rings, like they said.

Avril the first to enter the arena, usual punk-rock music blasting through the speakers and a shake of her fists to the beat. She’s dressed in her regular Dollhouse attire, blonde hair tied up in a high messy ponytail. Kat next to enter, confidently striding to the ring in a black sports bra and white spandex briefs, complete with light-grey gloves. She poses at the end of the walkway like a model showing off her fight-wear.

Referee gives the final go ahead and this bout is about to start! Here we go with ten rounds of Flyweight action!

ROUND 1:
Kat surprisingly the aggressive one from the get-go, wanting to show that SHE’s the real pro in the ring and that Avril is the fake rookie. One can’t blame her too much - imagine being on the backburner all this while, whilst your former teammate (some would say desk-secretary) is suddenly off winning matches and making you look like the one chained to a computer. Graham dancing around Avril looking to pressure her with punches, at first using her range to dominate with quantity before moving in closer and slamming in hooks to the guard. Graham in no hurry here, being the experienced fighter and having sparred with Avril before. She knows just enough to frustrate her opponent and wear her down for the long run. This is of course much to the detriment of Avril, who’s getting absolutely slaughtered in the opening round. Kat focusing on the singer’s body, lobbing straight blows to the tummy each time Avril tries to fight back - she must certainly know a weakness or two after all their time spent together. Lavigne doing her best to find that fire that so characterised her earlier rounds, but the bell betrays her too soon, making her give up the first round to her former teammate by a big margin.

ROUND 2:
Avril continuing being defensive, somehow wary of Kat and maybe suddenly worried that this fight might be the biggest mistake of her career thus far. It’s one thing to fight an enemy whom you absolutely loathe, but another challenge to fight a former friend who knows your fighting style inside out. Avril taking tentative jabs at Graham but starting to second guess herself that Kat knows her punches before they even land. The result is just more hesitancy from the Dollhouse star and less aggressive punching in a punching contest. Kat looking to take advantage, stepping forward a little more and landing more shots to the belly from afar, relishing the grunts coming from the blonde’s mouth. Last minute however sees a sudden turn in pacing: Avril retaliating immediately from a one-two shot to her guard with a one-two puh puh of her own straight into Kat’s, stunning the Swiss-American with an ‘OOooo’-shaped mouth. Perhaps giving Kat a little taste of her own medicine is just what Avril needs to recover here. Suddenly, Kat is the one on the retreat, covering up her own body as Avril jabs towards her more consistently. This round turns out to be a draw, with both women showing some offensive skills.

ROUND 3:
Both girls now having a taste of victory, but Kat still with the slight advantage though, making true to her word of treating Avril like the enemy as she surges forward good and early, hoping to go all-in and heat things up. Avril getting stunned when her jabs are absorbed by the guard, then suddenly she finds her body getting violated again with straight hands from Kat that land stiffly to her paunch. Kat not showing any mercy as she concentrates on the blonde singer’s body, shooting in lefts and rights, taking every opportunity to open up on Lavigne’s ab-less midriff. Avril almost crying out in pain as the third such exchange leaves her gasping for breath and covering up with both hands. The Canadian retreats for a moment to rest and reevaluate, hating the sight of Kat smirking at her from across the ring. Avril’s turn to charge in, much to the surprise of everyone watching, who were thinking that at least she might choose to play it safe for the rest of this round after that abuse. Those who know her better, however, nodding in approval at Avril’s tactics: Kat eagerly firing off another combo at the head, then feinting at the body. Avril however playing the know-your-opponent game both ways, anticipating the move and deftly avoiding to one side. A step to the left, then forward, AND SHE BURIES a hand up right into Kat’s body, her fist almost disappearing into her midsection as Kat lets out a deep grunt, her eyes going wide! Rest of the round sees Avril continuing to dominate, targeting the guard and head. Kat covering up and backing away in haste, with Avril switching targets down below instead, paying her back with tummy shots all the way to the bell. Kat’s own body pock-marked red and panting hard on the ropes at the end of these three minutes. Two can play at that game, according to Avril!

ROUND 4:
As if by mutual agreement, both girls simultaneously start pounding on each other’s bodies in the middle of the ring! Grunts emitted from lips as they swing in lefts and rights, packing gloves into belly buttons and digging leather into the sides. How much more can they keep this abuse up? Avril finally taking one too many shots to the belly, bending over with a hnnnggggghhh as she struggles to stay upright with the throbbing pain shooting through her abdomen. Kat still breathing heavily, swinging away, determined to end thing right here, but Lavigne desperately surging forward and using the American’s body as a prop to support her own. Kat getting controlled by the heavier Canadian as she struggles to free her arms in order to continue punching, but Avril not letting her, keeping her arms wrapped around the chest, to the extent where the referee has to force them apart and reset the girls at opposite ends of the ring. There’s still a minute left on the clock, and once the bell re-rings, Avril surprises the brunette as she SPRINGS forward, a superwoman overhand punch sent straight down the middle of Kat’s guard, pushing her backwards a couple of steps! Kat’s defences holding on, intact, but she needs to quickly renew that fire within. She stuns Avril with some unexpected jabs to the chest, giving her enough time to retreat again, stifling Lavigne’s attempts for now. Kat on her part seems to be cursing herself under her breath for not capitalizing and getting controlled like that in the middle of the round.

ROUND 5:
We reach the halfway mark and both girls would be wise to use the time to catch their breaths. Not what Avril has in mind it seems as she comes out of her corner looking ready to resume her quest for that elusive knockdown. However, tired looking blonde finding it more and more difficult to catch Kat and make her stay put to take the punishment she’s dishing out: it’s a combination of her own growing fatigue and Kat’s fitness and own expert footwork that are keeping the punches off her. Graham indeed showing everyone how it’s done: swerving out of the way of lunging hooks from Avril right at the last second, before biting back with a few quick, snap jabs into the side of Lavigne’s pretty face for good measure. Ouch and Ugh. Avril getting more frustrated than hurt by this lopsided exchange. Last thirty seconds and she knows she needs to do something drastic in order to get some damage in. She flings a combo at Kat’s head, hoping for the brunette to take the bait. Kat weaving right as predicted, then taking a swig at her ‘friend’s’ body from the side. Avril however ready for her, shifts her guard down low to block, then DIGS her own right hand into Graham’s body from the side. Dull grunt from Kat’s lips as her body cratered in one side, her kidneys sending panic signals to her brain. Follow-up one-two jab-jab to the nose is all Avril manages however, before Graham is long gone again, retreating all the way out of reach, with Avril too tired to give chase.

ROUND 6:
Here we go with the sixth, with plenty of action from each side up to this point. Avril is slow out of her corner, looking like she’s almost out of gas, if we’re being honest. But hey, you never really know with her, as some of her wins just seem to come out of nowhere with some well timed power punches. These old friends have a knack for going after each other’s weaknesses, with more punches to the body and chest this round than we can count so far. They sense that the other girl is just about to go under with another well-placed strike, and perhaps that’s why Kat’s acting like a body-hunting machine, striking low each time she gets in range of Avril, even landing a punch or two into her chest. Avril squealing, has to deal with the sudden re-offensive from her friend. But she remembers that Kat also susceptible to some good old belly-bashing, gets lucky with a parry of a left hook aimed at her rib-cage, slapping the punch away awkwardly. Look of wide-eyed horror in Kat’s eyes and her open mouth, as Avril wades in with a NASTY looking right hook, the glove landing square on Kat’s temple with a loud SMACK and HGGGGUGGHH. Kat completely shell shocked, stumbles awkwardly backwards, but her legs are on the verge of giving up the fight completely. Avril sensing this is now or never throwing caution to the wind and going full ham on the startled brunette swinging wild inaccurate hooks at Kat’s face with no mercy. Poor Kat too disoriented to defend against this final onslaught from the Punk Princess as a few stray wild swings find their target, blasting the brunette’s head and finally sending an overwhelmed Graham collapsing to the mat on her side with a loud groan, before rolling to her back, arm resting on her forehead, eyes blinking rapidly. Lavigne panting hard, falling to one knee next to the fallen brunette, completely exhausted and surely hoping her friend is not planning on getting back on her feet anytime soon. Referee quickly helping Avril to her feet and to a neutral corner before starting to count Kat Graham out. The brunette rolls to her side again, weakly trying to push herself off the mat, but the damage to her head seems to be too much at this point – she groggily makes it to her hands and knees at 9 but gives up and crushes down to her side realizing the ref just signaled for the bell! Graham simply can’t get off the mat and this contest is OVER

Official Decision: Avril Lavigne defeats Kat Graham via KO6!

AFTER:
Wow, huge win and a big smile of relief from the Dollhouse star as she slumps in her corner, lazily raising one hand up high in celebration, breathing hard with a visible wince on her face as her body reminds her that it has taken a beating here tonight. After a few long moments, Avril finally gathering her strength and ventures over to Kat’s corner, who’s still being attended to by medics on her stool, an ice pack now applied to her forehead. First time we’re seeing such a gentle, cordial post-fight Avril, as she exchanges a few warm words with her friend, proceeds to high-five her, then, good lord, delivers a short hug around her shoulders. Hell hath certainly frozen over, ladies and gents, if Avril is being nice to her opponent.

Later, Ms Lavigne beaming as she consorts with reporters. “That was such a SICK fight. Kat is really good, but maybe not as good as she used to be… Whatever. I don’t know. Who cares?! I won, b*tches!” she laughs, back to her usual self in a flash.

That shocking loss to Camila Mendes perhaps only a little dent in Avril’s otherwise stellar career so far. Who knew that a former retiree of the ring could reach such heights once again? What’s next for the Canadian punk-princess?