BEFORE:
Both fighters have won their first two tournament fights and are plainly eager to continue to advance. Pre-fight press conference finds the two models pushing and hip bumping as they pose for photos. Both wearing bikini bottoms—blue for Barbara and red for Candice with “War in Heaven” logoed tee-shirts.

“If you think you can stop me—you’ve been hit in the head too many times,” sneers Barbara. “I don’t know how someone with your mediocre record even got invited to this thing and got this far, but the jokes ends now!”

“You arrogant bytch!” cries the indignant Candice. “You win a few fights against a bunch of panty models who couldn’t fight their way out of wet paper bag and you dare to insult me! You are going to pay for this!”

Barbara then gives Candice a shove and knocks her back a couple of steps. Candice lets out a war cry and charges her rival. Down they go in a tangle of long legs, hair and top pulling. They roll around on the stage, neither able to dominate until Security drags them apart. They are hauled through opposite wings of the stage uttering dire threats and insults.

Bad feelings still there at fight time. Candice in a blue, halter top bikini with blue gloves and wetted down hair hanging loose. Barbara in a white and tan checkered bikini. Tan gloves with hair hanging loose. Two get into a chest-bumping match to enliven the ring instructions and referee has to sternly warn them to restore order. Two eventually back in their corners impatiently waiting to go. The bell rings. The crowd bursts into exited cheers as the two bitter rivals head for each other.

ROUND 1: 
Candice so eager to get at Barbara that she lunges forward and tries to take Barbie’s head off with a big sweeping right. Barbara coolly ducking under the punch and brings her own right cracking into Candice’s chin. Candice staggering back on trembling legs. Barbara smoothly following up with hooks to the belly and some straight shots into Candice’s bikini top. Candice retreating as she tries to get her jab going. Barbara smoothly circling and firing away to head and body. Candice taking a lot of leather before she finally gets that jab going and disrupts Barbara’s attempts to come in close. Barbara stung with punches to her face and stomach as he more wary as the round ends, but she has still won the first stanza by a wide margin.

ROUND 2: 
Candice again making an undisciplined attack on Barbara to start the round. This time she is able to bounce some shots off the brunette’s head, but Barbara counters with shots to the jaw and midsection. Candice stumbling back, though she is quicker to get her defensive jab up this time and make Barbara work for points. Trouble is, Barbara works hard at drawing Candice off balance and is rewarded with quick shots that score to Candice’s jaw. Ugly red swellings on appearing on Candice’s face and she is obliged to raise her gloves to protect her head. This allows Barbara to work on the wide expanse of the Swanepoel torso. Candice soon hunched up and trying to drive Barbara back, but Barbara willing take punches to maintain pressure and emerges at the bell with a second round she’s won wide.

ROUND 3: 
Foxfire Lightweight trainer Rachel Nichols speaking urgently to her fighter. Candice comes out with none of the recklessness seen in the first two rounds. Candice moves to challenge Barbara but she is more controlled in her punching and she’s finding gaps. Barbara struck hard in the left eye and has her nose bloodied. Barbara fights back and attacks Candice to the body. Candice pushed back initially as the blows tilt her forward, but she then counters with fresh punches of her own to Barbara’s body. Two slip into fierce, toe to toe body punching that stays quite even, but then Candice clouts Barbara in the forehead with a sudden overhand right. Barbara shudders and lurches backwards. Candice going for the head, but gets blocked as Barbara proves to be an evasive target. Candice punching away enough to bottle up Barbara but she’s not doing a lot of damage. Still Candice emerges with a close, hard-fought round.

ROUND 4: 
Barbara now showing caution as Candice comes at her. Barbara working to protect her head, but Candice quickly shifts her attention to Barbara’s body. Very methodical punching of Barbara’s torso from breasts to belly with some nice shots into the side ribs from a dominating Candice. Barbara jabbing back as she seems to be trying to avoid another close-in battle with Candice. Candice now the one circling and punching which allows her to look very dominate this round as she wins it by a wide margin.

ROUND 5: 
Candice returns with more circle and punching, but this time Barbara adopts the same tactics. Creates a dynamic battle this round as the two fighters are all over the ring, working to find openings and making quick feints to fool the other. Candice likes working Barbara to the body with special attention to stinging her side ribs. Barbara working hooks into Candice’s stomach and breasts. Back and forth the battle rages. Then Barbara suddenly strikes with cobra-like speed bringing a driving right between Candice’s eyes as her high guard drops. Candice’s legs stiffen and then Barbara brings a hard left to the jaw. Candice sent reeling away, but then comes back with a desperate right to the head that staggers Barbara momentarily. Two fighters try to shake it off as they stumble into one another to exchange belly shot in close. Barbara able to force Candice back just as the bell rings. She wins the round by a close margin, but both fighters are slow getting back to their corners.

ROUND 6: 
Question during break is: Who will recover from R5 first? Both ABC and Foxfire corners work hard. Both fighters come out slowly, but then Barbara strikes first with a left hook to the belly that sinks deep. Candice goes up on her toes with a gurgle and then Barbara brings a right uppercut smashing into Candice’s unguarded chin. Candice stumbling away, crashes into the ropes and then slides to her knees, right arm hanging over a middle rope. Barbara quickly to the neutral corner and looks on with interest as referee moves in to count. Candice trying to rise, climbing the ropes, but her legs won’t support her. She sinks back into a kneeling position, looks over at the excited Barbara Palvin and then hangs her head in despair as she hears:

“NINE!...TEN!..YER OUT!”

Official Decision: Barbara Palvin defeats Candice Swanepoel via KO6!!

AFTER:
Barbara happily waving to fans. Then her gloves are removed and she rushes over to the ropes where Candice is still kneeling with tears running down her cheeks.

“Aw, poor Candy, I just spoiled your winning streak,” Barbara taunts.

“I can’t believe I lost to you!” Candice groans.

“But you did, now on your feet and let me show you off to the crowd,” Barbara says hauling Candice erect and keeps her up with a firm arm around her waist.

“You thought you could beat me! Ha! I have left you crying in your bikini,” Barbara gloats as she drags the moaning and weepy Candice around the ring.

“I am crying because I am so mad that you beat me!” Candice chokes out. “I can’t stand you!”

“And that I beat you makes me feel especially warm and happy,” Barbara replies with a happy grin.

Candice just groans again and falls silent. They complete the circuit and Barbara then pushes Candice into the arms of a stern-faced Rachel Nichols.

“Enjoy this while you can,” Rachel Nichols tells Barbara, “There is still a good chance yopu’ll end up like this.”

“Actually, I like my chances more than ever,” Barbara says with assurance and then saunters back to her own corner.

Although Barbara Palvin got off to a fast start (helped by an over-eager opponent whose wild punching left her open for nasty counters), Candice Swanepoel did come back, but was unable to sustain it. Barbara rocked Candice late in the 5th round and Barbara got stung hard herself. It was Barbara who came back the strongest in R6 to win the bout. So Barbara Palvin advances and Candice Swanepoel will be on the sidelines as the “War in Heaven” rages on.