BBU Bantamweight Title Bout

Results: Lookout     Writing: Archer

Katie: 35 YO, 5’5 ½ (1.66 m), 8-1-0, 8 KO since 2016. Foxfire Atlantic Boxing

Helen: 29 YO, 5’3 (1.60 m), 16-14-0, 15 KO since 2010, BBU Free Agent

Before:   “Helen was Bantam Champion just last year, she seemed like a very credible veteran bantam for me to defend against,” Katie McGrath explains before the fight. “She’s a bit small for a bantam, I will acknowledge, but she’s got youth and experience. She’ll be a worthy opponent for me.”

“I appreciate this opportunity,” Helen says, “especially since I am a ‘free agent’ these days. You don't get a lot of title shots when you are unmanaged, but if anyone thinks I am a jobber, I would like to remind them I successfully defended my title 3 times after winning it from Lea Seydoux. I would like nothing better than to get it back and go for at least 3 more successful defenses. I more than ready to face off against Katie.”

Katie comes to the ring in a striking red bikini with black boots and gloves (red laces). Hair in battle braid down her back. Helen is in a cream yellow bikini with sunny yellow gloves and boots (black laces). Her hair is in a battle braid with a cream yellow ribbon intertwined.

Ring instructions go smoothly. Gloves are tapped and the fighters go to their corners. The bell rings…

Round 1:

Katie out quickly and punching fast as Helen is a bit slow getting out of her corner at the bell. Katie working Helen to the jaw with quick swats and then confusing Helen with some solid hooks to the belly. Helen seems rusty as she struggles to cope with Katie’s quick moves and constantly shifting punch targets. Helen trying to back away to give herself some distance to regroup, but now Katie is firing hard into Helen’s breasts to add to the challenger’s misery. Helen finally able to get her jab going and makes a stand as Helen tries to force her back into the ropes. Vigorous exchange of head shots, but then Katie lands a chin shot that puts an electric shock shudder through Helens body. Katie then resumes her efforts to force the now stunned Helen into the ropes, but Helen punching back to the ribs manages to stall the attack. Then the bell rings. Katie McGrath wins the round wide.

Round 2:

Helen Flanagan showing much more aggression this round. She is out of her corner quickly and is quick to start trading punches with Katie McGrath. Helen bobbing and weaving now and firing steadily into Katie to the body.  Katie trying to counter, but the steady impacts of Helen’s leather slamming to her body are forcing Katie onto the defensive. Helen senses the change in momentum and ups her punch rate to the body, but then strikes at Katie’s jaw with rights and lefts that leave the champion covering up as she tries to pull back. Helen staying close, blocking or blunting Katie’s countering efforts and scoring with quick shots to the face. Katie’s quickly becomes bruised and swollen in a number of places. Katie tries to protect her face with her gloves, but now has Helen pounding away at her body from breasts to stomach and back again. Round ends with Katie all hunched up and Helen looking dominating as she wins the round wide.

Round 3:

Katie revived by the Foxfire Atlantic corner crew during the break. She comes back out with determination and takes on Helen at once. Helen swatted hard to the jaw by Katie’s right/left blows. Then Katie drops down to strike at Helen’s midsection. Helen trying to drive Katie back with the jab, but then Katie gets in an overhand right to the nose. Helene recoils as her nose spurts blood and she covers of her protect her devastated nose. Katie goes to the body with jackhammer pounding blows that doubled Helen up as she is shuffling backwards. Katie driving Helen into the ropes and then pounding away as Helen huddles there absorbing Katie’s thrashings blows to her shuddering body. Bell finally sounds to end Helens ordeal. Helen goes slowly to her corner looking like she’s in a fog  from all the punching she took from Katie this round. Katie McGrath wins the round wide.

Round 4:

Now it Helen Flanagan being urgently worked on by her corner crew during the break. She does come out battered, but moving well for the new round. Katie is coming at her strong with punches to the breasts and off the side of the head. Helen counters with a well-aimed shot to the chin that staggers Katie and then she hooks into Katie’s midsection, driving her back all bent over. Katie struggling to fight her way clear of Helen, but then she takes a banging right to the side of the head that sends her slamming into the nearby ropes. Helen then tries to keep Katie pinned against the ropes while pounding away at her as hard as she can, Katie able to protect her head, but her body is now worked over by Helen in a methodical beatings. Katie managing to stay up, but her body twists and turns as it tries to escape Helen’s relentless leather. Only the bell ends Helens punching and Katie is left to stagger to her corner. Helen Flanagan comes back to win the round wide.

Round 5:

FAB corner crew again comes to the rescue of a badly battered Katie McGrath and get her out in reasonably good order for the next round.  Helen Flanagan right back at Katie and crowds up on her with body punching. Looks like Helen intend to get Katie back on the ropes, but Katie is resisting the effort,. She punches back at Helens body and tries to circle her way clear. Helen doggedly staying with Katie and still trying to crush her resistance with the boy blows. Katie now working over Helen’s knockers. Helen not liking the sustained attack on her breasts, strikes back at Katie’s smaller rack, but she can’t seem to get Katie to break it off. Then Helen goes to Katie’s belly ad brings short, punishing rights and lefts slamming into the champ’s abs. Katie dropping back, but trying to use her jab to slow up Helens pursuit. Helen can’t get Katie onto the ropes and they battle it out at point-blank range until the bell rings. Close round, but the judges give it to Helen Flanagan.

Round 6:

Katie and Helen both out promptly at the bell. Helen coming in, ready to resume the attack on Katie’s body, but Katie moving away from her. Helen giving chase swinging at Katie’s head, but Katie lunges back in and cracks a right uppercut into Helen’s unguarded chin. Helen’s head jerks back and her body lurches back as well. Katie now springs forward bringing head-swiveling rights and lefts whipping Helens head around. Helen backing up, backing up while flailing at Katie with a confused jab. Katie brushes past Helen’s collapsing defense and snaps home left and right uppercuts. These hurl Helen back into the ropes and then she bounces forward to crash into the canvas face-first as Katie jumps back. Katie is off to the neutral corner. Helen raising her head with a vacant expression on her face, then closes her eyes and lays her cheek down on the canvas She is sleeping peacefully as the referee finishes:

“NINE!...TEN!...YOU ARE OUT!!!”

THE WINNER AND STILL BBU BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION: KATE MCGRATH DEFEATS HELEN FLANAGAN KO6.

After:  “I think it went pretty much as I planned,” Katie McGrath tells reporters after the bout. “I wanted Helen to give me a good, hard fight and that’s just what she did. I think I actually do my best when I am under pressure and she did that. I got knocked pretty hard there in the 2nd and 4th especially, but I came back and knocked her. I have to say I it feels very satisfying to have two successful defenses on my record. Who is next? I have no idea, but you can be assured she will be worthy of the opportunity.”

As for Helen Flanagan she , not surprisingly, has only a few once she has recovered: “That fight was very close. In fact, I thought I was pulling ahead going into the 5th. Too late, I found out I had underestimated her and—well, you all saw what happened. I lost and that’s what matters, but I’ll be back, I can promise you that!”

Katie McGrath seems to be settling in to wearing that championship belt. She’s won her second title defense. It wasn’t easy, but she flattened the veteran Helen Flanagan and proved she deserved the belts. What comes next for her should be very interested. As for Helen, she showed she’s got what takes to be a ranked BBU Bantam. Hopefully that will get her some attention and new fights soon.