Kate Upton vs. Amy Willerton (Queen of the Beach)

BEFORE:

Two of the top welters in the FCBA square off in this one, but not for the lineal gold, instead for the title of Queen of the Beach. Willerton's been on quite the run lately, having won six in a row, a streak that includes impressive wins over Rhoda and Ferguson. A win tonight might put the British blonde on the inside track to the next shot at that lineal gold. But, that seems to be pretty far from Amy's mind this evening, and well it should be, considering the opposition. "If you're going to be legit at Big Girl in the FCBA," says Willerton, "You HAVE to beat Kate Upton. And, tonight, I'm going to leave her jugs up in the sand."

Speaking of titles, Kate is the one and only Queen of the Beach in FCBA history, having won the tournament to crown the first Queen last August and held the gold ever since. A win tonight could well put HER in position to get another shot at the lineal straps, belts she's held four times in her career already. But, like Amy, her focus tonight is on the beach and the blonde in the opposite corner. "She's had a nice half a year or so," Upton says with a shrug, "But. I've been dominating things around here for NINE YEARS now. And, that's not going to stop tonight."

ROUND ONE:

Willerton aggressive early, stepping right to Kate and making with the heavy leather. Not the best of strategies. Upton fires back, and, in several sharp exchanges, Amy comes out second best. Soon enough, the British blonde is in retreat across the sand as Kate walks her down behind that good left jab, banging away with heavy rights. Willerton's on the back foot and can't get off. She's at least moving some laterally to stay off the ropes, but that's about it for good news for the challenger. Late in the round, Upton lands a couple of SHARP right hands that spook the younger woman, leading her to give even more ground and cover up. Kate responds with some nice body work to take us to the bell. When it rings, Upton's claimed the points wide and put her rival on notice in the process.

ROUND TWO:

Willerton manages to settle things down. She works the jab at range, moves the feet, kicking sand up as she goes, makes Kate work to find with that left hand, and, when Upton manages to do it, quickly gets herself off square. She's not going to trade with a heavy-hitter like Kate...at least not this early in the fight. Upton? She's ok with this. She's rangy and likes to extend on her punches. And, she's plenty comfortable boxing at range on the sand, which is exactly what this round turns into. Both fighters land some hard shot, mind, but no one's hurt and no one's going all-in. Instead, the blondes are working their fight plans and each having some success doing so. It's close throughout, and, when the bell sounds, it's Amy who's taken the frame to even things at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Same again. Fighters getting comfortable now. Blondes extending on their punches, working the head and hands and, especially on the sand, the feet. It's all about distances and angles now, as both Brit and American work to get to spots they WANT to be in, while moving their opponents to spots they DON'T want to be in. And, there's success on both counts for both fighters. Result is another good, two-way round, with Willerton and Upton able to land some power shots and score well in combination. There's not a lot in it, and, when the two blondes turn it on in the final 30 seconds trying to steal the points, while heads are snapped back and sand goes flying, neither fighter can take control. At the bell, it's very, very close, but it's Amy once again, and the challenger moves into the 29-28 lead.

ROUND FOUR:

Round starts the way the last ended...but things don't stay on those terms for long. Amy slips a right hand, steps in and ROCKS KATE with a right hook! Upton's HURT! Champion now being battered back across the sand by flurry after flurry of hard shot from the challenger. Amy's got the range down, and she's calling in artillery strikes as she traps the American on the cables and looks for the 'off' button. Kate in the earmuff, rolling with, jabbing back on occasion, trying to run clock. Meanwhile, the Brit goes BODY in a major way, digging away to ribs and midsection, looking to lower that guard. But, Kate takes the licking and keeps on ticking, even managing, late in the round, to clinch and spin off the ropes back to open sand. Final seconds see Upton's legs return, but it's too little, too late. Amy's got the points wide, and she's built a 39-37 lead after four.

ROUND FIVE:

Back to extending at range, as both fighters work hard for position, kicking up sand as they move the feet. Upton committing a little more in this round. Corner has told her she's behind, and she's looking to impose some will on the Brit. BOOM! And, that quickly, she DOES it! A straight right hand by the American and Amy is HURT! Willerton stumbles back, nearly goes down, and Upton throws ALL the reserves into the fray. She's hammering away with both hands, driving all before her. Challenger trapped on the ropes and taking. Ref looking in closely. Amy trying to clinch, anything to slow this down. But Kate simply shoves off and keeps working, head, body, head. Willerton doing juuusssttt enough to keep the ref at bay, and she manages to continue doing so to the bell. When it rings, it's Kate wide and Amy's lead has been reduced to 48-47 at the half.

ROUND SIX:

Queen Kate looking to finish now. She's coming forward behind that big left jab, lining up her rival, landing big right hands that shake Willerton again and again. Corner shouting for Amy to move, but the legs aren't there. She's an easy target for Kate and...BOOM! Down goes Willerton! A right cross from Upton sends the British beauty crashing to her back in the sand! Upton quickly to a neutral corner. Referee counting down on Amy. Willerton sits up at seven and manages to get to her feet at nine. Ref clearly thinking about it during the mandatory, but he waves on Kate. Upton simply letting the hands go, driving Amy into the ropes and battering her with heavy leather to head and body. Willerton hanging on desperately as the ref looks in closely, but, once again, the challenger makes the bell. With the 10-8 round, however, Kate pulls into the lead 57-56.

ROUND SEVEN:

Kate rampant. Amy's in deep trouble here, woozy with no legs under her, and the Queen is all about taking her out of there. Amy all gutty, taking the punishment, giving ground, clinching when she can, just hanging on, trying to shake the cobwebs and get back in the fight. Upton, meanwhile, has seen all this before. She keeps the clinches short, shoving off or levering and working body. She's giving the challenger a THOROUGH going over, both upstairs and down, and, at times, it's hard to understand what's keeping Willerton on her feet. But, on her feet she stays, and, she mostly manages to stay off the ropes as well, until late in the round when Kate traps her and goes all in looking to get her out of there. Brit keeps the 'off' button hidden, however, and, when the bell rings, she's still on her feet. Kate, however, has pitched a shutout and now leads 68-66.

ROUND EIGHT:

Upton pushing now. She's burned a lot of energy the last few rounds, and she wants to finish this. She's lining Amy up, stepping to, and GETTING DROPPED WITH A RIGHT HAND COUNTER! Out of NOWHERE, Willerton sets the feet and KEYHOLES and right hand, and the Queen is flat on her back in the sand. Amy slow to a neutral corner, simply because she's still got plenty of cobwebs upstairs. Doesn't look like it will matter, but it does. Upton struggles to her feet at eight. Ref again thinks long and hard during the mandatory, but waves on Willerton. Amy damning any and all torpedoes as she wades forward winging away with both hands. Kate backed to the ropes, taking, STAGGERED with a right hook that sends her wobbling along the cables and IT'S OVER! The referee has seen enough and he leaps in to bundle Upton to safety! It's OVER! And your winner by TKO8 and NEW Queen of the Beach is Amy Willerton!

AFTER:

Amy looking as used up as any fighter who's ever won an FCBA fight has, but she manages a tired, pained smile. "Didn't quite get it done," she says, through puffy lips. "I left her jugs up in the sand, but she got up somehow. Didn't matter, though. I wasn't letting her off the hook. I got her out of there and I took her title. And, that's not the last title I'm going to take. Just wait and see. Just wait and see."