Mary Elizabeth Winstead vs Katy Perry (Unified Lightweight Championship)

(Results: Lookout. Words: Wiz)

BEFORE:

Fourth meeting between two fighters who've both held the Unified Lightweight Championship, and, amazingly, the third meeting with the belts on the line. Winstead won the first two of those, taking the belts from Perry in 2015 and successfully defending them in 2018. In between, on the beach, Perry stopped Winstead in seven. But, none of that is going to matter on this evening, as both brunettes are determined to walk out of the ring with the belts. "Obviously, I respect MEW," says the challenger with a smile. "She's a Hall of Famer in my book, no matter WHAT the know-nothings who run the Hall of Fame think. But, we've been in the ring together before. I KNOW how to beat her. And, that's what I'm going to do."

"Katy is actually one of my favorite opponents," says Mary with a smile of her own. "She gave me the shot that led to winning the Unified belts for the first time, and we've had some great fights over the years. But, there's a reason I've won two of the three of these. She's plenty good. But, I'm just a little better."

ROUND ONE:

Winnie gets her box on. And, shows everyone why she's currently holding all the lightweight gold. Katy's a dangerous boxer-puncher. She moves well and has excellent hands and power. And, absolutely NONE of that matters in this round, because, the champion gets rolling with that long left poke in Katy's face and starts firing on all cylinders immediately. She's landing punches in bunches, putting up a suppressive fire that keeps Perry on the defensive. Challenger manages to score in spots, landing a couple of big right hands that get the crowd's attention, but it's Mary who's in control from the opening bell, working hard and smart and keeping her rival off balance for most of the duration. When the bell rings, Mary's left no doubt about anything. It's Winstead wide to take the 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

Winstead in control early, working the hands and feet, outboxing Perry, much to Katy's dismay. As things go on, however, Perry begins to get into a rhythm of her own, and the result is good, two way stuff. Now, it's not Winstead getting off, then preempting Perry. Instead, Winstead is scoring and Katy's firing right back, giving as good as she gets. There are some sharp exchanges, and they get even sharper as the round goes on, with both brunettes landing some big shots that snap back heads and get the crowd going. Nobody's hurt, but everybody's scoring and scoring well, despite sound defense being played on both sides. Final seconds see the best exchange of the fight, with Perry backing up Mary with a hard right hand. At the bell, though, while it's close, it's Winstead again, pushing her lead to 20-18.

ROUND THREE:

More two-way stuff as the ladies have settled into boxing now. One wonders if and when Katy will push the issue. Everyone knows the "old" Katy, the pre-2013 version, would already be trying to slug it out, damning any and all torpedoes. But, of course, THAT Katy Perry has been gone for a long time. THIS one is a boxer-puncher who can play the game Mary Elizabeth wants to play, and very, very well, too, and that's exactly what she's content to do at the moment. Result is another good, two-way round with not much in it at all. Both fighters are getting work done. Neither is able to hurt the other, and neither is able to create any space, let alone establish any sort of control. Thus, when the bell rings, it's close again, but, this time, it's Perry who carries the points and cuts MEW's lead to 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Same yet again. Both fighters have settled in now, and you're seeing what you'd expect to see in a battle between two top-shelf veterans who've been in the ring against one another before. Both fighters are working hard and working smart. They're setting up punches well, moving head, hands, and feet, slipping, blocking, countering. It's great stuff for the purist, and, frankly, great stuff for the average fan, too, because there's plenty of action. What there's not a lot of is space between the two fighters when it comes to the cards. For the third round in a row, there's basically nothing in it, and we look to be heading to a possible even round before Winstead turns it on with a pair of nice combinations in the final seconds to steal the points and move her lead back up to two at 39-37.

ROUND FIVE:

And, more of the same. As their rankings and previous bouts would suggest, these two brunettes are very well matched, and it's showing in a BIG way. It's move and counter move, punch and counter punch. Both fighters playing excellent defense, setting up hard right hands with good, crisp jabs, getting the hands out and right back again. There's nothing lazy, nothing sloppy, and even though both fighters have passed their respective 37th birthdays, no signs of slowing down from either. Instead, the round is pretty much a repeat of the last two, with both fighters scoring and nobody gaining any real advantage throughout. And, this time, there's no late Winstead rally. Still, when the bell rings, while it's very close, it's the champion who takes the round and extends her lead to 49-46.

ROUND SIX:

And even more of the same. Two-way boxing the name of the game, as champion and challenger go at it with sound, effective offense and defense. Some hard shot landing, as it has all fight, but nobody hu...BOOM! Right hand, PERRY and WINSTEAD IS STEPPIN' IN FENCE POST HOLES! That quickly, the champion is in deep trouble as Katy calls in the heavy artillery and drives Mary Elizabeth back to the ropes. Winstead forms the tight earmuff as Perry goes to town, taking full advantage of the opportunity to line up the champion and PUMMEL her with absolute BOMBS. Ref looking in closely. Winstead hanging on desperately, jabbing back here and there, but taking a beating right to the bell. When it rings, it's Katy wide, but the champion is still on her feet and still up 58-56.

ROUND SEVEN:

Perry all aggression now. She's got Mary in trouble and she knows it. She's stepping to, letting the hands go, backing the champion up again and again. Mary Elizabeth playing defense, giving ground, countering in spots, working the clock as she waits for her balky legs to come around. BOOM! Right hand, KATY and DOWN GOES WINSTEAD! A straight right from Perry deposits the champion on her back! Challenger quickly to a neutral corner to watch and wait. Winstead staring up at the ref as the numbers get bigger. Sits up at six. Struggles to her feet at nine. Referee gives her the mandatory, thinking about it the whole time...and waves on Katy! Perry ALL about the finish now, backing Winnie up into the ropes and letting her have it with both hands. Winstead listing, but staying afloat. Ref on a hair-trigger. But, the champ manages to hang on to the bell. When it rings, it's a 10-8 round for Perry, though, and the cards are now even at 66.

ROUND EIGHT:

Perry looking for the finish. She's backing up Mary Elizabeth at will. Champ unsteady on her feet, unable to hold canvas, not doing much more than keeping the guard high and jabbing back here and there. Challenger working hard but staying sound, not winging away wasting energy. Instead, she's setting up punches, working to both head and body, committing on a lot of it, but not on everything. And, it all works very, very well. By the final minute, the champion is pinned to the cables and Katy's shelling her with both hands. Winstead grimly hanging on as the referee watches closely again. Perry determined to find that "off" switch, but Mary is denying her access to it, and manages to do so right to the bell. When it rings, the challenger has pitched a shutout and has her first lead of the night, 76-75.

ROUND NINE:

Perry continuing the pressure. Winstead giving ground, firing back more now, but still getting the worst of things. Katy working the left, dropping right hands off of it, keeping Mary in reverse. Winstead holding ground here and there now, though, firing back with good shot. But, it's still the challenger who's in contr...BOOM! Right hand counter, Winstead and DOWN GOES PERRY! Katy dropped to her rump by a NASTY straight right, and now it's the champ moving to a neutral corner to watch the ref count. Perry waits until seven to get to her feet. Ref gives her the mandatory and ON COMES THE CHAMPION. Winstead a buzz saw, driving Perry back into the ropes and letting her have it with both hands. Ref looking in as the clock runs down and HE LEAPS IN! Challenger protesting to no avail! It's OVER! And your winner by TKO9 and STILL Unified Lightweight Champion is Mary Elizabeth Winstead!

AFTER:

Champ definitely looking like she's been in a fight, but she's got a smile on her face anyway. "It was exactly what I expected," Mary says. "I knew it would be tough and I knew it would be physical, but I knew I'd walk out with my belts. Like I said in the prefight, she's a great fighter. But, I'm just a little better."