Bonzo's Gym - A short Stable Review of 2018
Jan 2, 2019 10:32:36 GMT -6
Vassago, Lookout! Boxing, and 1 more like this
Post by Bonzo on Jan 2, 2019 10:32:36 GMT -6
BONZO'S GYM: STABLE REVIEW 2018
I haven‘t done a stable review in years, but I thought it would be fun to revisit the concept. Just a short look-back on the year, and some ideas about 2019, with a very special thanks to our archive-makers!
THE FIGHTERS:
Kira Kosarin
Katrina Law
Camille Kostek
Amanda Righetti
We‘ve also said goodbye to Milena Govich this year. Give it up for a one-time welterweight champion!
1. Kira Kosarin
The Numbers: 9 wins, 5 losses (64 %)
01/26/18. Def Kaya Scodelario (KO6)
03/02/18 Def Priyanka Chopra (KO5)
03/30/18. Lost to Evangeline Lilly (KO8)
05/11/18 Def Troian Bellisario (KO10)
05/26/18 (Unified Bantamweight Title) Lost to Ch Emily VanCamp (UD10)
06/21/18 Def Erica Durance (TKO7)
06/30/18 Def Jessica Nigri (KO6)
07/04/18 Def Ashley Greene (KO7)
07/27/18 Lost to Charlize Theron (TKO8)
08/15/18 Lost to Claire Danes (TKO8)
09/07/18 Def Bella Thorne (KO7)
10/26/18 Def Emily Ratajkowski (KO6)
12/01/18 (Unified Bantamweight Title) Lost to Nina Dobrev (KO8)
12/14/18 Def Margot Robbie (KO8)
The Verdict:
Kira has certainly established herself herself in the bantam elite...not a small feat for her second full-time year at boxing. 2018 has seen her beating some of the best young fighters of the division – notably Bellisario, Scodelario and Bella Thorne – but it‘s no secret we were hoping for a more crowning achievement. Kira snatched two title shots this year, and while we had an experience gap against seasoned, multi-time champ EVC, Kira was hungry to nick the belts from Nina Dobrev‘s waist, and failed at the task. 2019 must be about consistency in the ring – we firmly believe Kira‘s got the talent to stay a title threat across the year, but she can no longer afford to be spendthrift with her title shots. We also need her handling crafty veterans who know every trick up their sleeves (Danes, Theron) better.
The Rating: 4/5 – a more perfect score denied by a lack of reliability and two missed title opportunites.
Best moment: A badass showing against former lightweight legend Erica Durance – Erica‘s not who she was, but we liked the physicality and power Kira proved against her lightweight foe...this is the “big girl bantam“ boxing we want to see.
Worst moment: Take your pick from the title shots – Nina Dobrev‘s heartless liver shot – but in the end, it‘s got to be Claire Danes‘ ass-whuppin‘ during our summer event because that was the most “rookie“ Kira‘s looked all year: “Claire Danes steps-to like a pro, her eyes hardening into steely, finish-her glance…she’s pitching pik-pak sling shots underneath the Kosarin jug line now, as Kira pedals to ropes on autopilot, erupting into soft moans whenever Claire’s fists connect with her jug line, her arms loose/slack in semi-guard. Poor brunette staring into the harm, mouth open in shock, eyes moist: Claire’s feinting the straight right uppercut, Kira moves accordingly, then jack-knifes the left into Kira’s right side of face in bashing fashion, and THE REF STEPS IN, cradling a helpless, devastated Kira into his arms, struggling to hold loose brunette deadweight against him. One of the worst rounds of Kira’s young upward career ends in a brutal TKO8 at the hands of Claire friggin’ Danes!“
Fight ideas for 2019: Chloe Bennet (who schooled Kira in her third fight). Demi Lovato. Katheryn Winnick. We‘re also open to cross-divisioning and would look to Kendall Jenner on one side and newly bantam-ambitious Hayden Panettiere on the other. Kira also feels challenged by Briana Evigan‘s physicality.
2. Katrina Law
The Numbers: 0 wins, 3 losses (0 %)
01/26/18 Lost to Yvonne Strahovski (TKO7)
06/30/18 Lost to Bridget Regan (KO7)
08/15/18 Lost to Cassidy Freeman (KO6)
The Verdict:
It‘s no secret that our Katrina Law‘s struggling and a lot of it has to do with the explosive introduction of Camille Kostek who‘s a direct threat to Katrina‘s position in the stable, only recently defended against retirees Nadia Bjorlin and Milena Govich. Katrina hasn‘t seen a lot of action against the supermodels – and when she did, she fell to Hilary Rhoda twice – and her way forward is unclear. She‘s lost to two of the most legendary members of the “old guard“ this year and it‘s not clear moving in against the Hannahs, Tahnee and Karlies of the division this year will be improving her chances by much. Camille and her are inevitably on track for an intra-stable confrontation now and the outcome of that bout is going to tell you a lot about whether K-Law has a future at our stable.
The Rating: 0/5 – that‘s what three losses in three fights will get you, and no spirited, gutsy (but losing) performance against Cassidy Freeman will be able to save you here.
Worst moment: The axe-wielding uppercut from Cass Freeman which ended all of our hopes for a comeback: “Cass twitches back forward into the short left uppercut, a gorgeous blast stumbling K-Law’s feet. Kat’s slowly loosening on her legs, torso now, her hands limber at chest…Cass negotiates another half-step, then loads on the next left uppercut, and A-BLASTIN’ IT TO KATRINA’S SKULL! Devastating chin shot axe-drops listless Katrina like timber, has her crashing down onto knees and face, then sprawling to relax on her belly, her slightly opened mouth abutting canvas ground, her eyes twitching open, shut, open, shut as the ten count passes brunette by.“
Fight ideas for 2019: Camille Kostek, plus some other top welter models.
3. Camille Kostek
The Numbers: 6 wins, 3 losses (66 %)
03/24/18 Def Courtney Tailor (KO7)
05/26/18 Lost to Brooklyn Decker (TKO6)
06/30/18 Def Antje Utgaard (KO5)
07/27/18 Def Jennifer Lawrence (TKO6)
08/15/18 Lost to Tahnee Atkinson (KO5)
08/31/18 Lost to Ch Hannah Ferguson (KO7)
09/12/18 Def Bo Krsmanovic (TKO6)
10/26/18 Def Mandy Moore (TKO5)
12/14/18 Def Jennifer Lawrence (KO7)
The Verdict:
We‘ve signed former New England Patriots cheerleader, apparent Rob Gronkowski girlfriend and Sports Illustrated swimsuits model Camille Kostek as a prospect early in the year and had an open mind as to whether we‘d give her a full contract at the end of the year. No surprises here: Camille‘s passed with flying colours. There have been steps too far, of course, and the double whammy of Hannah and Tahnee (a smothering contest over her ruined body to boot) looked pretty dramatic. But in other fights, Camille‘s proved come-from-behind guts (Utgaard), overcame a very crafty veteran (Mandy Moore, more powerful than she‘s ever looked) and beat a title contender, Jennifer Lawrence, twice.
The Rating: 3/5 – Camille‘s going from “prospect“ to an officially signed full-time member of our stable.
Best moment: Camille was on track to be positively annihilated by a very hungry BIG-girl in Antje Utgaard when she found the off switch in what could be one of the most freakish knockouts of the year. It might have been more about Antje‘s punch-hungry exuberance in the ring, but it proved Camille could party with the big girls, for sure.
Worst moment: Easily, Tahnee Atkinson‘s smother finish at our summer event.
Fight ideas for 2019: Kate Upton. Don‘t say it when Righetti‘s around, but it‘s not like Camille doesn‘t dream about the title, too – who knows what the year might bring in that regard. We‘re also looking at other models not yet met in the ring, like Hilary Rhoda and Karlie Kloss. Depending on her success, don‘t rule out Big Rigs moving in hot once Camille‘s denying her place in the stable.
4. Amanda Righetti
The Numbers: 13 wins, 1 loss (93 %)
01/26/18 Def AJ Cook (KO6)
03/02/18 Def Kate Bock (KO4)
03/30/18 (Unified Welterweight Title) Lost to Ch Tahnee Atkinson (KO8)
04/27/18 Def Bo Krsmanovic (KO6)
05/26/18 Def Kate Upton (KO5)
06/30/18 Def Romee Strjid (KO6)
07/27/18 Def Josephine Skriver (KO7)
08/15/18 Def Yvonne Strahovski (KO10)
08/31/18 Def Laetitia Casta (KO5)
09/28/18 Def Michelle Ryan (KO5)
10/12/18 Def Bridget Regan (KO9)
10/26/18 Def Taylor Hill (KO7)
11/25/18 Def Ali Landry (KO6)
12/29/18 (Unified Welterweight Title) Def Kate Upton (TKO10)
The Verdict:
A year of records for our flagship fighter. 2018 will tie 2010 for its 14 fights a year, and is just one short of 2011‘s record of 15 fights in one year. Nothing beats this year‘s 13-1 record, though, and she‘s currently on an 11-fight winning streak to break her former two-time record of 9. 2018 was the first year that Amanda‘s fought as a member of the Hall of Fame which she was inducted into by Tractorpull in November 2017 and, unlike other legends, she‘s showing no signs of slowing down upon that honour. I‘ve written a lot about Amanda‘s struggles with the supermodel generation and I know that some folks have proclaimed a generational shift well under way that was going to see the so-called old guard being swept away by younger fighters. Well, a lot of our efforts were designed to stop that tide, and two back-to-back victories over Kate Upton have vindicated us. There are still some models to beat, of course, but Amanda‘s battered herself back into the pound-for-pound position, and we couldn‘t be prouder of her finally lifting the welterweight belts again in the December PPV, landing Bonzo‘s Gym its first title since September 2016.
The Rating: 5/5
Best moment: When proud Kate Upton had to be cradled to safety by the ref in the dying seconds of a ten-round welterweight WAR. Runner-ups: another late, heartbreaking win over the best lightweight of the last five years (Strahovski), plus an authoritative knockout of Taylor Hill that has apparently driven the hungry brunette back to lightweight.
Worst moment: Tahnee‘s crushing left hook that ended Amanda‘s first title attempt.
Fight ideas for 2019: No surprises at welter (Hannah, Tahnee, Brooklyn), plus some lightweights for fun and pride (MEW, Kendall Jenner, Adriana Lima). We also know Kate Upton‘s not going anywhere.
I haven‘t done a stable review in years, but I thought it would be fun to revisit the concept. Just a short look-back on the year, and some ideas about 2019, with a very special thanks to our archive-makers!
THE FIGHTERS:
Kira Kosarin
Katrina Law
Camille Kostek
Amanda Righetti
We‘ve also said goodbye to Milena Govich this year. Give it up for a one-time welterweight champion!
1. Kira Kosarin
The Numbers: 9 wins, 5 losses (64 %)
01/26/18. Def Kaya Scodelario (KO6)
03/02/18 Def Priyanka Chopra (KO5)
03/30/18. Lost to Evangeline Lilly (KO8)
05/11/18 Def Troian Bellisario (KO10)
05/26/18 (Unified Bantamweight Title) Lost to Ch Emily VanCamp (UD10)
06/21/18 Def Erica Durance (TKO7)
06/30/18 Def Jessica Nigri (KO6)
07/04/18 Def Ashley Greene (KO7)
07/27/18 Lost to Charlize Theron (TKO8)
08/15/18 Lost to Claire Danes (TKO8)
09/07/18 Def Bella Thorne (KO7)
10/26/18 Def Emily Ratajkowski (KO6)
12/01/18 (Unified Bantamweight Title) Lost to Nina Dobrev (KO8)
12/14/18 Def Margot Robbie (KO8)
The Verdict:
Kira has certainly established herself herself in the bantam elite...not a small feat for her second full-time year at boxing. 2018 has seen her beating some of the best young fighters of the division – notably Bellisario, Scodelario and Bella Thorne – but it‘s no secret we were hoping for a more crowning achievement. Kira snatched two title shots this year, and while we had an experience gap against seasoned, multi-time champ EVC, Kira was hungry to nick the belts from Nina Dobrev‘s waist, and failed at the task. 2019 must be about consistency in the ring – we firmly believe Kira‘s got the talent to stay a title threat across the year, but she can no longer afford to be spendthrift with her title shots. We also need her handling crafty veterans who know every trick up their sleeves (Danes, Theron) better.
The Rating: 4/5 – a more perfect score denied by a lack of reliability and two missed title opportunites.
Best moment: A badass showing against former lightweight legend Erica Durance – Erica‘s not who she was, but we liked the physicality and power Kira proved against her lightweight foe...this is the “big girl bantam“ boxing we want to see.
Worst moment: Take your pick from the title shots – Nina Dobrev‘s heartless liver shot – but in the end, it‘s got to be Claire Danes‘ ass-whuppin‘ during our summer event because that was the most “rookie“ Kira‘s looked all year: “Claire Danes steps-to like a pro, her eyes hardening into steely, finish-her glance…she’s pitching pik-pak sling shots underneath the Kosarin jug line now, as Kira pedals to ropes on autopilot, erupting into soft moans whenever Claire’s fists connect with her jug line, her arms loose/slack in semi-guard. Poor brunette staring into the harm, mouth open in shock, eyes moist: Claire’s feinting the straight right uppercut, Kira moves accordingly, then jack-knifes the left into Kira’s right side of face in bashing fashion, and THE REF STEPS IN, cradling a helpless, devastated Kira into his arms, struggling to hold loose brunette deadweight against him. One of the worst rounds of Kira’s young upward career ends in a brutal TKO8 at the hands of Claire friggin’ Danes!“
Fight ideas for 2019: Chloe Bennet (who schooled Kira in her third fight). Demi Lovato. Katheryn Winnick. We‘re also open to cross-divisioning and would look to Kendall Jenner on one side and newly bantam-ambitious Hayden Panettiere on the other. Kira also feels challenged by Briana Evigan‘s physicality.
2. Katrina Law
The Numbers: 0 wins, 3 losses (0 %)
01/26/18 Lost to Yvonne Strahovski (TKO7)
06/30/18 Lost to Bridget Regan (KO7)
08/15/18 Lost to Cassidy Freeman (KO6)
The Verdict:
It‘s no secret that our Katrina Law‘s struggling and a lot of it has to do with the explosive introduction of Camille Kostek who‘s a direct threat to Katrina‘s position in the stable, only recently defended against retirees Nadia Bjorlin and Milena Govich. Katrina hasn‘t seen a lot of action against the supermodels – and when she did, she fell to Hilary Rhoda twice – and her way forward is unclear. She‘s lost to two of the most legendary members of the “old guard“ this year and it‘s not clear moving in against the Hannahs, Tahnee and Karlies of the division this year will be improving her chances by much. Camille and her are inevitably on track for an intra-stable confrontation now and the outcome of that bout is going to tell you a lot about whether K-Law has a future at our stable.
The Rating: 0/5 – that‘s what three losses in three fights will get you, and no spirited, gutsy (but losing) performance against Cassidy Freeman will be able to save you here.
Worst moment: The axe-wielding uppercut from Cass Freeman which ended all of our hopes for a comeback: “Cass twitches back forward into the short left uppercut, a gorgeous blast stumbling K-Law’s feet. Kat’s slowly loosening on her legs, torso now, her hands limber at chest…Cass negotiates another half-step, then loads on the next left uppercut, and A-BLASTIN’ IT TO KATRINA’S SKULL! Devastating chin shot axe-drops listless Katrina like timber, has her crashing down onto knees and face, then sprawling to relax on her belly, her slightly opened mouth abutting canvas ground, her eyes twitching open, shut, open, shut as the ten count passes brunette by.“
Fight ideas for 2019: Camille Kostek, plus some other top welter models.
3. Camille Kostek
The Numbers: 6 wins, 3 losses (66 %)
03/24/18 Def Courtney Tailor (KO7)
05/26/18 Lost to Brooklyn Decker (TKO6)
06/30/18 Def Antje Utgaard (KO5)
07/27/18 Def Jennifer Lawrence (TKO6)
08/15/18 Lost to Tahnee Atkinson (KO5)
08/31/18 Lost to Ch Hannah Ferguson (KO7)
09/12/18 Def Bo Krsmanovic (TKO6)
10/26/18 Def Mandy Moore (TKO5)
12/14/18 Def Jennifer Lawrence (KO7)
The Verdict:
We‘ve signed former New England Patriots cheerleader, apparent Rob Gronkowski girlfriend and Sports Illustrated swimsuits model Camille Kostek as a prospect early in the year and had an open mind as to whether we‘d give her a full contract at the end of the year. No surprises here: Camille‘s passed with flying colours. There have been steps too far, of course, and the double whammy of Hannah and Tahnee (a smothering contest over her ruined body to boot) looked pretty dramatic. But in other fights, Camille‘s proved come-from-behind guts (Utgaard), overcame a very crafty veteran (Mandy Moore, more powerful than she‘s ever looked) and beat a title contender, Jennifer Lawrence, twice.
The Rating: 3/5 – Camille‘s going from “prospect“ to an officially signed full-time member of our stable.
Best moment: Camille was on track to be positively annihilated by a very hungry BIG-girl in Antje Utgaard when she found the off switch in what could be one of the most freakish knockouts of the year. It might have been more about Antje‘s punch-hungry exuberance in the ring, but it proved Camille could party with the big girls, for sure.
Worst moment: Easily, Tahnee Atkinson‘s smother finish at our summer event.
Fight ideas for 2019: Kate Upton. Don‘t say it when Righetti‘s around, but it‘s not like Camille doesn‘t dream about the title, too – who knows what the year might bring in that regard. We‘re also looking at other models not yet met in the ring, like Hilary Rhoda and Karlie Kloss. Depending on her success, don‘t rule out Big Rigs moving in hot once Camille‘s denying her place in the stable.
4. Amanda Righetti
The Numbers: 13 wins, 1 loss (93 %)
01/26/18 Def AJ Cook (KO6)
03/02/18 Def Kate Bock (KO4)
03/30/18 (Unified Welterweight Title) Lost to Ch Tahnee Atkinson (KO8)
04/27/18 Def Bo Krsmanovic (KO6)
05/26/18 Def Kate Upton (KO5)
06/30/18 Def Romee Strjid (KO6)
07/27/18 Def Josephine Skriver (KO7)
08/15/18 Def Yvonne Strahovski (KO10)
08/31/18 Def Laetitia Casta (KO5)
09/28/18 Def Michelle Ryan (KO5)
10/12/18 Def Bridget Regan (KO9)
10/26/18 Def Taylor Hill (KO7)
11/25/18 Def Ali Landry (KO6)
12/29/18 (Unified Welterweight Title) Def Kate Upton (TKO10)
The Verdict:
A year of records for our flagship fighter. 2018 will tie 2010 for its 14 fights a year, and is just one short of 2011‘s record of 15 fights in one year. Nothing beats this year‘s 13-1 record, though, and she‘s currently on an 11-fight winning streak to break her former two-time record of 9. 2018 was the first year that Amanda‘s fought as a member of the Hall of Fame which she was inducted into by Tractorpull in November 2017 and, unlike other legends, she‘s showing no signs of slowing down upon that honour. I‘ve written a lot about Amanda‘s struggles with the supermodel generation and I know that some folks have proclaimed a generational shift well under way that was going to see the so-called old guard being swept away by younger fighters. Well, a lot of our efforts were designed to stop that tide, and two back-to-back victories over Kate Upton have vindicated us. There are still some models to beat, of course, but Amanda‘s battered herself back into the pound-for-pound position, and we couldn‘t be prouder of her finally lifting the welterweight belts again in the December PPV, landing Bonzo‘s Gym its first title since September 2016.
The Rating: 5/5
Best moment: When proud Kate Upton had to be cradled to safety by the ref in the dying seconds of a ten-round welterweight WAR. Runner-ups: another late, heartbreaking win over the best lightweight of the last five years (Strahovski), plus an authoritative knockout of Taylor Hill that has apparently driven the hungry brunette back to lightweight.
Worst moment: Tahnee‘s crushing left hook that ended Amanda‘s first title attempt.
Fight ideas for 2019: No surprises at welter (Hannah, Tahnee, Brooklyn), plus some lightweights for fun and pride (MEW, Kendall Jenner, Adriana Lima). We also know Kate Upton‘s not going anywhere.