Lili Reinhart vs. Minka Kelly (Bantamweight Title)

BEFORE:

Not much hype needed for this one, which features Hall of Famer Minka and champion Lili, who's already defended the belts successfully five times and has a 34-2 career record. But, none of that worries the challenger, who's clearly coming in with nothing to lose, her own management having said her days of challenging for championships are over. "Let's not get carried away," Minka says with a gorgeous smile, "This isn't a 'just happy to be here' sort of thing. I'm here to win and take the titles. But, the pressure's not on ME, that's for sure."

"Even my management says it," says Lili. "This girl is in the Hall of Fame and still somehow underrated. Underestimate her at your peril. Well. I'm not doing that. No. I'm not doing that at all."

ROUND ONE:

Slick. That's the term for Minka in the opening stanza and it's really what the brunette beauty's been all about. There have been quicker bantams, more athletic bantams, stronger bantams, harder hitting bantams, but you could argue and quite persuasively, that, for the last decade and a half, there haven't been any slicker bantams than Minka Kelly. She's as good a boxer as you're likely to find, and that's on full display early, as she takes the fight to Reinhart off the bell, creating favorable terms and scoring on them. As the round goes on, the blonde settles in and begins to hold her own in the exchanges, even getting the better of a few of them in the late going. When the bell rings, though, it's the challenger who's done enough to grab the points close and take the 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

More of the same in the second. Fighters getting their respective boxes on and both blonde and brunette doing very well on these terms. Lili's getting a few more power shots on target, but in general things are about as even as can be through the first two minutes of the round. In the final minute, Minka makes some subtle adjustments and begins winning exchanges again. Lili's scoring, too, but she's not scoring as much as the challenger is. It's all about timing and range and angles now, and that's where the brunette shines. Final thirty seconds sees some sharp exchanges, and Kelly manages to get the better, albeit slightly, of every one of them. Thus, when the bell sounds ending the stanza, Minka's claimed her second straight close round and leads the champion 20-18.

ROUND THREE:

Boxing continues as both champion and challenger look for advantages. Plenty of movement in this round, of head, hands, and feet as first blonde, then brunette get to spots and get off in combination. This is the kind of round the purists love. No wasted motion, nothing sloppy, nothing unsound, just excellent boxing from both champion and challenger, and, for the third round in a row, there's not much in it. Final minute sees Minka again getting busier, looking to secure the points. This time, though, it's the champion who's getting the better of the exchanges, landing a few power shots that toss Kelly onto the defensive. Lili works a little body late, forcing Minka to clinch, and, when the bell rings, though it's close yet again, it's Reinhart who's taken the round and cut the challenger's lead to 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Same yet again. Both fighters comfortable now and nobody doing any adjusting, because everybody's having success. And, while you could, fairly, criticize the champion for fighting what's definitely the challenger's fight, that criticism would fall flat, since Lili's doing so pretty successfully. Result is another round for the purists. Lots of movement, much of it subtle, both fighters busy looking for angles and openings and getting off immediately when they find them. Some solid shot exchanged, but nobody hurt, and everybody turning up the heat in the final minute looking to secure the round. But, for second time in a row, it's the blonde beauty who turns the trick, landing some sharp combinations and a couple of power shots late to win it narrowly and even things up at 38.

ROUND FIVE:

Level change from Minka and it makes a difference. Kelly's gone into a quarter crouch now as she angles forward to middle distances to get off. Lili's having trouble finding with the left hand or getting the right on target and the result is the challenger taking control of things in the first minute. Brunette's on a roll as we reach the mid-point, actually backing up the champion a couple of times with sharp, accurate shot. Lili's scoring, but she's doing it mostly one punch at a time, as Minka builds a solid lead and keeps adding to it as the round goes on. Final minute sees Kelly as dominant as she's been in the fight. She's not just getting off first, she's getting off best, and she's keeping the champion on the back foot. At the bell, for the first time tonight, there's no doubt about it. It's Minka wide and the challenger back in the lead 48-47.

ROUND SIX:

Lili gets aggressive. Reinhart decides it's time to bring her power to bear, so she begins coming forward behind the left jab, and it gets Minka out of sorts and out of rhythm. Challenger's soon on the back foot, and that's where the champion is determined to keep her. She's staying very busy, head hunting with that accurate left jab, then dropping hooks and the odd cross off it, the former sometimes upstairs and sometimes down. Add it all up, and, for the first time all night, the blonde's got control of things. Minka's backing up more than she's punching, and, while the challenger's able to land some solid counters in spots, those are nowhere near enough to offset the work Reinhart's getting down. Once again there's no doubt about the result at the bell. It's Lilli wide and we're even at 57.

ROUND SEVEN:

Lili's got it going now. Champion's lining up the challenger, landing that jab, stepping in behind it, banging right hands home, tossing the brunette onto the back foot and keeping her there. All of a sudden, Minka can't get much going and can't keep Reinhart off. Instead, Lili's bringing the physical, forcing Kelly into retreat. It's a fighting retreat for sure. Minka's scoring points in counter. But, it's Reinhart who's in control of things, the champion who's getting more done and landing the crisper, harder punches. Near the end of the round, Minka lands a hard right in counter that slows Lili a bit, but it doesn't stop her. Instead, the champion keeps pressing the issue, piling up points and punishment right to the bell. When it rings, the blonde's taken it wide for the second time in a row and has pulled into a 67-66 lead.

ROUND EIGHT:

Reinhart continues to press. Minka continues to give ground. She's moving laterally more now, trying to stay off square, but Lili's still getting some hard shot on target. BOOM! Right hand counter, MINKA and Lili is HURT! Kelly manages to get the feet set just long enough to keyhole a counter and the champion is all wobbly-butt! Challenger onto the offensive immediately, sensing a chance to win this thing. She drives the blonde into the ropes and begins sending flurry after flurry of hard accurate shot her way. Reinhart keeping the guard high, rolling with, blocking, jabbing back in spots, all while Minka looks for the off switch and the ref looks in closely, prepared to step in if necessary. It isn't. Despite the brunette's best efforts, Lili makes it to the bell. But, Minka's taken it wide and evened things again, this time at 76.

ROUND NINE:

Minka pressing forward now. Kelly knows how close this thing is and that she has a chance to win the title right now. She's banging away, forcing Lili backward, looking for a big punch, taking a few chances along the way and eating the odd counter to do so. BOOM! Right hand, MINKA and DOWN GOES LILI! Reinhart dropped to her back by a BRILLIANT right hand from the challenger. Brunette to a neutral corner. Ref counting down on Lili who manages to get to her feet at eight, but looks plenty shabby. Ref gives her the mandatory and waves on Minka. Kelly a buzz saw, charging forward, forcing the blonde into the ropes. She ROCKS Reinhart with a right hand and then another and then it's OVER! The ref leaps in and it's OVER and Minka Kelly's done what even her management didn't think she could! Your winner by KO9 and NEW Unified Bantamweight Champion is Minka Kelly!

AFTER:

Minka looks like she's been in a fight, but, otherwise, you sure wouldn't be able to tell. Brunette is ALL smiles in the post, shaking her head in amazement at what the last month has brought. "Like I said," the new champ crows, "I wasn't happy just to be here. I came to take these belts. And, if nobody thought I could beat a girl as good as she is, well. I KNEW I could. And, now, everyone else knows it, too!"