Kristen Stewart versus Lucy Hale

BEFORE:

Battle of former Unified Flyweight Champions, both of whom had impressive 2019 campaigns. Hale, after struggling in 2018, spent last year claiming impressive scalps like Mendes, Collins, and Roberts, while Stewart finally broke through in big fights, beating four straight Hall of Famers and wresting the title from Michelle Williams. Both former champs are currently ranked in the top six, and both are eager for this test. "Lucy's very good, obviously," says Kristen with a nod. "You've seen the quality of girls she's beaten. But. After the kinds of girls I spent last year fighting, I know I can come out on top tonight. And, I'm GOING to."

"Yeah," says Lucy with a smile. "She had a nice run last year. But. It's a new year. As Kristen's about to find out."

ROUND ONE:

Hale's got a good fight plan. She's giving up height and reach, and there are ways to offset that. One is to get right in your rival's GRILL, and that's the one Lucy's chosen. She's moving the feet, keeping the hands up, angling past Kristen's jab, then getting in tight and letting the hands go. Stewart's willing to bang in there with her. Problem is, she can't stabilize her front. Lucy's landing too much heavy leather, backing the taller girl up, forcing her over to the defensive again and again. Stewart begins trying to tie up, and, while that slows things down a bit, it doesn't stop Lucy, who's keeping the work rate high and her opponent on her back foot. Late round sees Hale in complete control, taking the fight to Stewart who seems relieved when the bell rings. It's Hale wide in the first and up 10-9.

ROUND TWO:

More of the same early. Lucy's rolling and so is Kristen. Difference is, Hale is rolling FORWARD and Stewart's rolling BACKWARD. Hale banging a little body in there at times, but she's mostly working upstairs, landing hard, accurate shot that keeps K-Stew off balance. Mid-round sees a bit of a change. Stewart starting to get some offense going, giving as good as she gets in there, landing some good, solid shot for the first time in the fight. Hale not cowed, though. She keeps coming, pressuring, working hard. Landing plenty of solid shot of her own. And, all that hard work is paying off, because, despite Stewart's ability to get off the back foot, Hale's the one who's built up the lead, and, as the final seconds of the round tick away, that lead holds up, giving Lucy her second straight stanza and increasing her edge on the cards to 20-18.

ROUND THREE:

Stewart starts to get rolling now. She's beginning to time Hale with the jab, and that's very bad news for Lucy. Stewart's accurate lefts leave the shorter woman hanging on the outside, out of range to punch, but in perfect range for follow up rights from Stewart. By mid-round, Stewart's in firm control, picking up Lucy again and again. Hale's not hurt, but she's getting punished, as hard, accurate right after hard, accurate right lands. Shorter woman still plenty game. She's working hard to close and pressure, but, at the moment, it's just not working. Instead, Stewart consolidates control and piles up both points and hurt all the way to the bell. By the time it rings, Kristen's grabbed her first round of the night, and she's grabbed it wide to cut Lucy's lead to 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

More Stewart early. Kristen's got the geometry she wants right now, and as a pile of good fighters could tell you, that's not good news for her opponent, no matter who she might be. Hale working hard, trying to get to where she can fire back, but she's having no succe...BOOM! Right hand, K-STEW and Lucy is HURT! Hale stumbles sideways and nearly goes down and Kristen LETS THE HANDS GO! Stewart battering Hale back into the ropes and then having at her. Lucy in desperate trouble, getting taken to the woodshed. K-Stew banging a little body, but mostly working upstairs, looking for the shot that finishes the thing. Ref looking in closely, not going to watch much more of this. Hale hanging on desperately, doing just enough to stay alive. BELL! And in a nick of time. K-Stew pitches a shutout and evens things at 38. But. Lucy is still alive.

ROUND FIVE:

K-Stew on the march. She's backing up Lucy, landing more and more of that hard, accurate shot. Hale playing defense, keeping the hands high, countering here and there...BOOM! Right hand, Lucy and K-STEW IS HURT! Hale catches Kristen with a BRILLIANT counter and now it's the shorter girl on the offensive. Lucy winging away, backing up a wobbly Stewart, forcing her against the cables and paying her back with interest for the previous round. Hale working some body, banging the ribs and midsection, trying to bring the guard down. Failing that, it's back upstairs, where she punishes Kristen and, like Stewart in the previous round, looks for the 'off' switch. Looks, but doesn't find. Despite her best efforts, Hale unable to finish, and, at the bell, Kristen's still standing. But. It's Lucy wide and back up on the cards 48-47.

ROUND SIX:

Hale in control. Stewart's legs still wobbly, and Lucy taking full advantage, getting ALL up in the taller girl's grill, pressuring, banging away to both head and body. This is more of what we saw in the first, with Lucy getting to her spots and getting off in combination. K-Stew tying up when she can, keeping the guard up, jabbing back here and there, but doing very little else as she plays for time. Hale banging away, working K-Stew back to the ropes again. Stewart in a tight ear muff, rolling with, blocking, almost all defense. She's throwing back here and there, not going to let the ref stop it because nothing's coming back, but she's clearly riding this thing out. Final twenty seconds or so sees Kristen more aggressive off the ropes resulting in a couple of sharp exchanges, but, when the bell rings, Lucy's pitched a shutout and leads by two again, 58-56.

ROUND SEVEN:

Hale pressures early but Kristen's got the legs back now, and it shows. Stewart moving, working the jab, getting the distance she wants, then dropping right hands. Quickly, terms change from Lucy trying to penetrate to Lucy being backed up as Stewart gets the range and begins calling in artillery strikes. Hale trying to hold canvas, but can't get it done. Instead, she's stuck in reverse as Stewart's offensive builds momentum and Stewart herself builds up points. Lucy's, again, not hurt, but she's getting punished by hard, accurate fire. She's shipping it all very well, but despite her best efforts, she's unable to stop shipping so much of it. Final seconds see Hale trapped on the ropes and Stewart banging away to the bell. When it rings, it's Kristen wide and it's a one-point fight again with Lucy up 67-66.

ROUND EIGHT:

Stewart's got the range. She's getting the jab on target, controlling Lucy with it. Hale trying to work forward, getting the guard up, bobbing, weaving, but none of it's working. This is K-Stew's famed accuracy writ large. She's filling every small space in Hale's guard with punches and Lucy doesn't seem to have an answer. By mid-round, Hale's being backed up again and is countering in retreat. Stewart showing due caution, remembers what happened in the fifth. She's not walking into anything. But, that doesn't stop Hale from landing some solid counters, as the shorter girl begins finding some openings of her own. BOOM! Straight right, K-Stew and LUCY IS HURT! Hale GOBSMACKED, stumbling and DROPPED BY A LEFT HOOK! Lucy crashes to her left side as Kristen head for a neutral corner. Hale rolling over to her belly at five, pushing to hands and knees at seven, tries to stand at eight and CRUMPLES BACK TO THE CANVAS! It's OVER! And your winner by KO8 is Kristen Stewart!

AFTER:

Kristen showing a ton of respect for her opponent in the post-fight. "I can see how she's been beating top fighters," the former champ says with a nod. "She's very slick and, don't let that small frame fool you, she can HIT. But. As she just found out, so can I."