Ashley Graham vs Gemma Atkinson

Big Ashley is still only 33, and is hoping to enhance her FCBA profile, taking on 38 year old former welterweight champion Gemma, who is probably fighting a couple of years after she should have quit, because she’s losing too many fights in both FCBA and BBU these days



Gemma still looks great in a red bra and panties set, but her eyes widen when she sees big Ashley in her blue lingerie outfit, the American looking very aggressive tonight

Round 1

The girls are checking each other out in the opening minute or so, neither wanting to over commit, well aware of their opponent’s punching power, just sending out left jabs at each other, Ashley though is gradually working Gemma backwards into her corner, where she lands a nice combination, left jab, right hook, left jab, and those punches looked good as they sent Gemma’s head backwards, the former champion grabbing hold of Ashley to stop her getting through again, and she turns her around before breaking the hold, and jabs Ashley solidly twice, before the younger girl gives her a solid straight right to her gut, Gemma wincing and maybe acknowledging that Ashley has hurt her to take the opening round

Round 2

Ashley is gaining confidence, and she hits Gemma with a couple of good shots before the Brit can settle, looking to work her into a corner again, and she’s got her backed into the ropes, the big girl using her strength to bully Gemma, but the blonde has too much experience, hits Ashley’s substantial body with two left hooks, and has her turned around very nicely, backing her into the ropes instead, and she gives the younger girl a decent combination of punches to her face, before she switches ‘downstairs’ and looks to drain the big model of energy by punishing her ribs and flanks, making her pant and gasp, Ashley not as wily at getting out of trouble, and looking vulnerable as Gemma finishes the round strongly, smacking a lovely right hook across the American’s left cheek, and looking triumphant



Round 3



Now that both girls have felt the force of each other’s punches, and survived, they seem more inclined to mix it, and they trade blows immediately, each following up their jabs with right hooks to the other’s face, and they nod at each other in respect, acknowledging the power, but Ashley wants to increase the momentum, and she’s beginning to worry Gemma with some hard bodyshots, the Brit beginning to wilt under the power of the big American, who seems to be setting her up very nicely and backing her into the ropes, but Gemma thuds a lovely left uppercut up between Ashley’s gloves, making her wobble, and suddenly the tables are turned, and it’s Ashley looking in trouble, her bottom lip swelling and bleeding, and she doesn’t like it when Gemma pings her with a good right hook to her ribs, takes another one of the same to her jaw, and goes down! Ashley clears her head, and is up again at 6, Gemma annoyed that the bell stops her from inflicting more punishment

Round 4

Ashley seems to have recovered from that knockdown, but Gemma’s in control right now, and she’s finding it easy to cuff the big American with her left jab and right cross combinations, although those punches aren’t going to do too much damage, so she comes in closer, and the girls trade thudding hooks to each other’s face, Ashley the first to back away, but Gemma seems to suspect a trap, and doesn’t follow up, the usually dopey Mancunian having lost a fight too often when attacking a girl feigning injury, so Ashley makes the decision to attack her, and lands a couple of solid straight punches, then hurts the Brit with a good shot to her belly, before Gemma composes herself, gets on her toes, and peppers Ashley’s face with neat jabs in an energetic finish to a tight round

Round 5

Both girls seem keen to get on with this now, neither being known for going 10 rounds, and they trade right hooks in the centre of the ring, Ashley coming off better this time, and she hits and hurts Gemma again with a straight left to her belly as the Brit retreats, making her gasp, and now Gemma looks vulnerable, doesn’t get herself out of trouble, and pays the penalty as big Ashley rips punches into her body, effectively trapping her against the ropes midway between her own and a neutral corner, then she lines the Brit up and crashes a left hook into her face, Gemma swiftly dropping to the canvas as if poleaxed, and she’s still looking dazed and shaky when she gets up again at 8, Ashley looking in no hurry to finish the older girl off though, as she gives her a couple more hefty swipes to her ribs, then a straight one to her gut again, Gemma folding over, and collapsing to her knees, gasping for air, but again on her feet at 8, and this time it’s Ashley who is frustrated by the ringing of the round ending bell

Round 6

Ashley’s corner wants her to knock Gemma out as soon as she can, but Ashley herself seems to want to teach the Brit a little lesson in combat tonight as she swats the blonde’s head side to side, blood and sweat spraying, the former champion cut now around both eyes, and she looks pretty much exhausted, with Ashley nailing her first with a straight right to her mouth, then a left to her ribs, and that’s dropped Gemma again! The former champion looks very sorry for herself as she raises her aching body upright again at 7, but once she’s in ranges, Ashley grins, the Brit in too much pain to keep her arms up, and, remembering the uppercut Gemma floored her with earlier, she returns the compliment, the big girl’s right gloves flashing up between Gemma’s and ending her interest in the fight, the blonde flat on her back and unconscious!

Result: Ashley Graham knocked out Gemma Atkinson in round 6

Ashley looked good tonight, but has Gemma got anything left to offer? It’s a long time since she avoided defeat, and she’s beginning to look second class in this division