BEFORE:



"This is a great opportunity for me," says Rhona with a smile. "Gemma and I respect one another, and I always love testing myself against a fellow Brit. And, this is one test I plan to PASS."

"Rhona's an all-day sucker," says Gemma with a nod. "She's as hard a hitter as you're likely to find at this weight, and she knows what she's doing in there. She's a challenge. And, a big one. But. I'm up to it."



ROUND ONE:



O'Dell: "Back at ringside and that's 'Mars Bringer of War' by Gustav Holst..."

McCarthy: "And, I checked. The Gustav Holst I knew in high school is NOT the guy who wrote this..."

Tess: "As if anyone needed to CHECK that..."

McCarthy: "SHUT UP, WALMART!"

O'Dell: "Drink up, boys, and drink in the lovely Rhona Mitra of the Bazz Fight Club as she makes her way to the ring..."

Cassie: "RHO-NA! RHO-NA! RHO-NA!"

McCarthy: "AS I was saying, the Gustav Holst I used to know..."

Tess: "The one you used to call 'The Goosemeister'...."

McCarthy: "That's right. Turns out, he left Chicago after high school, moved to Maine, and became a lobster fisherman."

Cassie: "So, The Goosemeister is a lobsterman?"

McCarthy: "No, he didn't turn INTO a lobster! He just FISHES for lobster..."

O'Dell (sighing): "OK, we're going to stop this right now, because we're going to break YouTube. Mitra into the ring and helped off with the robe by Jewel and Neve to reveal a gray number and a body that looks anything but 41 years old. And, that's 'London Calling' by The Clash you hear behind us, and here comes 'The Gravesend Gladiator', Gemma Arterton!"

Tess: "Gemma one of three Front Street fighters currently in the lightweight top ten according to Boxing World, and if she wants to stay there, she needs to get the 'W' tonight..."

Cassie: "And, she's got her work cut out for her against Rhona."

O'Dell: "Arterton into the ring and helped off with the robe by Jewel and Neve. She's wearing that violet bikini we've seen before. And, the ladies are about ready to go. Time for some picks. Tess likes Gemma. Mac?"

McCarthy: "Arterton's like almost all Weirdo's girls. Overrated. Mitra."

O'Dell: "Cassie?"

Cassie: "Oh, I'm going with Rhona!"

O'Dell: "And, there's the bell. Ladies set up at gunnery range and get to work. No surprise here, as you've got two fighters with length, excellent jabs, and great right hands. No reason not to be somewhere where you can extend on your punches, and that's exactly where the two Brits want to be, for the moment, at least."

Cassie: "And, I'm going to say this, and it's no rap on Gemma, but she doesn't have the power Rhona does...because not many lights do."

O'Dell: "Ladies moving the feet, the head, the hands. Working hard to set up punches. Showing excellent defense as well, slipping and blocking leather. Some excellent boxing going on right here, no question about that, and I wonder which of these ladies these terms favors, Mac..."

McCarthy: "Not sure it's an advantage for either. Both can fight this way. Now, if PALICKI were in there, well, they wouldn't want to be boxing with HER..."

O'Dell: "Down the stretch in a competitive, back-and-forth first. Good combination Gemma ANSWERED by a solid combination from Rhona! Wow, did Mitra get something on the right hand that ended THAT flurry! Five seconds to go, ladies snap some jabs and there's the bell. Close first. Rhona."

Tess: "And, Mitra's up 10-9."



ROUND TWO:



O'Dell: "Second begins on the same terms. Ladies at range, jabbing, working for openings for the right hand, then dropping them in to those open spots. Mitra another HARD right hand! Best two punches of the fight so far have been Rhona's UNTIL THAT ONE! Straight right from Gemma!"

Tess: "Mitra's BUZZED!"

O'Dell: "No question about it, and Arterton now getting the big guns on target and letting the heavy shell fly! Mitra covering up, giving a little ground, but mostly holding canvas with those sturdy legs of hers. Good right hook from Arterton! That backed Rhona up. Gemma piling up points now, but Rhona's hanging in..."

Cassie: "She's OK. She's firing back in spots, staying off the ropes..."

O'Dell: "That, she is. Twenty seconds left in the second. Arterton ANOTHER sharp flurry, but Mitra ships the leather and gives just a little ground. Ten seconds. Gemma steps to and Rhona ties her up. Arterton shoving free, but there's the bell. Gems is going to grab the points wide, but Rhona held up under heavy leather VERY well..."

McCarthy: "And, we're even at 19 after two."



ROUND THREE:



O'Dell: "Third begins with Arterton looking to pressure and GETTING NAILED BY A RIGHT HAND FROM RHONA! Mitra a beautiful right hand and now ARTERTON is buzzed! Rhona's turned this thing around with one right hand, and Gemma's now being backed up by some heavy leather..."

Cassie: "That's my GIRL right there!"

O'Dell: "Gems being forced back into the ropes now, and Rhona lining her up for heavy shot. Arterton with the hands up, leaning back into the ropes, rolling with the punches, trying to hang on now. Mitra all about the finish as we head into the final minute of the round, and she's got plenty of time..."

McCarthy: "And, she's taking advantage of it. Being patient."

O'Dell: "Definitely is. Setting up her punches, not getting wild, working hard, banging a little body now. Thirty seconds to go. Gemma jabbing back, doing enough to keep the referee at bay. Ten seconds left. Arterton going to ride it out. There's the bell. But, a huge round for Mitra, who takes the points wide."

Tess: "And goes back into the lead, 29-28."



ROUND FOUR:



O'Dell: "Mitra looking to consolidate as we start the fourth. Gemma still giving ground, but it's a fighting retreat now. She's countering in spots, slowing Rhona down, but still doesn't have the legs to hold her canvas, and Mitra knows it. Rhona working that sharp jab, dropping rights behind it..."

Tess: "Arterton moving better this round, turning, staying off the ropes."

O'Dell: "And, it's making a difference. Rhona still fighting lead, but Gemma now able to stay in the round, get her own leather on. Mitra remaining patient. Not going to take a lot of chances against a girl who can punch like Gems can. But, she's still applying pressure, still working hard..."

Cassie: "And still scoring with both hands."

O'Dell: "Coming down the stretch. Arterton a SOLID combination! Best flurry of the round. Rhona fires right back with a combination of her own. Ten seconds to go. ANOTHER sharp exchange between the two brunette Brits, and there's the bell. Good round. Close to Rhona, who extends her lead."

McCarthy: "39-37 after four."



ROUND FIVE:



O'Dell: "Back at range to start the fifth. Brunettes setting up behind their left hands. Neither pushing forward now, as both have the legs firmly underneath them and are getting plenty behind those punches. Gems angling, slipping, putting together a nice flurry. Rhona counters with a sharp right hand..."

Cassie: "Rhona's right is ALWAYS sharp with the power she has. She doesn't even have to land it square."

O'Dell: "Arterton turning, using the feet, looking to get to spots for those flurries, like THAT one. Rhona again countering sharply, backs Gemma up a step with that. Arterton circles, pops her jab, slips a left and lands a nice one-two. Rhona AGAIN counters and lands a good right hand..."

Tess: "This is turning into a heck of a fight..."

O'Dell: "And we're just about half way through. Twenty seconds to go in the fifth. Rhona lets the lands go and landed a good right in there and Gemma fires back with a CRUNCHING right hand that got Rhona's attention at the bell. Another close, two-way round, but this one to Arterton."

McCarthy: "But, Mitra's still up, 48-47 at the half."



ROUND SIX: 



O'Dell: "Right back to range to start the sixth. Mitra double-tapping the jab, following on with a right hand and GETTING NAILED with a right hand counter! Rhona's legs did a shimmy and now Gemma's letting the hands go, backing up the older woman as Mitra forms the earmuff and gives ground..."

McCarthy: "Lot of big shots have landed in this fight."

O'Dell: "No doubt about it, and that may have been the biggest of the bunch. Gemma slowly backing Rhona up, working her into the ropes. Mitra taking some heavy shot, jabbing back here and there, but taking quite a hammering right now. Gems going body, as Rhona's got it on sale..."

Cassie: "Going to have to put a TON of work in there to have an effect, as hard as Rhona's body is."

O'Dell: "Gems back up top and then back to the body. She's banging away with everything she's got trying to take Mitra out of there, but, again, Rhona's sturdy legs holding her up. Ten seconds left in the sixth. Good right hand from Gemma, but there's the bell. Rhona still standing, as Arterton throws a shutout."

Tess: "And evens the fight at 57."



ROUND SEVEN:



O'Dell: "Arterton coming forward in a big way to start the seventh. She's determined to finish, walking in behind the left hand, backing MItra up with rights. Rhona showing some lateral movement, working to stay off the ropes. Gemma moving the feet, squaring her fellow brunette, landing a hard right..."

Cassie: "Rhona starting to shake this off. Moving better, Jenny."

O'Dell: "Definitely seems to be, but Gems still pressuring, lands a nice left hook that forces Mitra to cover up. Arterton follows on with a HARD flurry and that shook Mitra and DOWN GOES RHONA! Left hook followed by a BLISTERING right hand from Gemma and Rhona dropped to her back!"

McCarthy: "Don't think she's getting up..."

O'Dell: "Gemma to a neutral corner. Referee's count at three. Four. Five. And, Rhona IS getting up. She rolls to her hands and knees at six. Pushes up to her feet and STUMBLES INTO THE ROPES! Mitra back on her hands and knees trying to pull herself up at eight. Nine. TEN! It's OVER! And your winner by KO7 is 'The Gravesend Gladiator', Gemma Arterton!"

Tess: "I'll say it again. That was a heck of a fight."



AFTER:



O'Dell: "Let's go up to the ring and Tess Valmore!"

Tess: "I have our winner, Gemma Arterton, and, Gems, that was a WAR..."

Gemma (nodding): "Always is with her. She can absolutely HIT and with that kind of power, well. You're going to feel it at some point in the fight and for several days after, that's for sure."

Tess: "But, you managed to take the shots and find a way to win..."

Gemma: "Well, that's what you've got to do at this level. You're GOING to get hit, and, if you can't recover, you aren't going to have any success in the FCBA."