Taylor Swift versus Gemma Arterton

BEFORE:

Not a lot of hype needed for this one, a matchup of two of the top lightweights in the world, both of whom are former Unified Lightweight Champions. And, neither of whom lack confidence. "Well, I've heard Wiz is concerned about Front Street's record against me," Taylor says with a smile. "Well, he shouldn't be. Everybody in the FCBA has the exact same problem."

"She's one of the best, no doubt of it," says Gemma. "Well. So, am I. Let's lace 'em up and see what happens."

ROUND ONE:

Recon in a major way in the first, no surprise, since the pair have never met before. Arterton probing, Swift preferring to work at range, using all that length to her advantage. Blonde likes the jab-jab-follow pattern. Brunette quickly adjusts to it, moving head, hands, feet, all about the angles to slip just inside of the blonde's longer range. Taylor, of course, has legs of her own, and she knows how to use them, slipping back and to the right, giving herself a little more room, just an instant more time to get the jab on and slow Arterton's angling forward movement. It's excellent tactical stuff from two of the better tacticians in the FCBA, so it's no surprise that there's not much in it. Nobody able to gain any real edge before the bell sounds ending the first, and those results show up on the card. It's a draw and we start even at 10.

ROUND TWO:

Tactical work continues with Gems working inside Taylor's jab to middle distances where the brunette can get off. Swift continues to work for range, trying to keep the brunette just a little further out. She's using good movement, including a drop step, in those efforts. Arterton, not frustrated or hurried, keeps working. She knows she can get to her spots, and she makes no mistake when she does, getting off in quick combination. As for the blonde, she's working the left hand well, getting it on target again and again to set up hard right hands. All results in a good, two-way round in which neither fighter gets as much of her own terms as she wants, but both get enough to do some damage and score some points. At the bell, it's close once again, but, once again it's Swift, who's now up 20-19.

ROUND THREE:

More good, two-way stuff. Both fighters establishing what they want to establish, but no one able to gain any control. This is the kind of thing, obviously, that happens with evenly-matched fighters, where bouts are won at the margins and not via any sort of dominance. That's clearly the way we're headed here, with blonde and brunette working hard and doing just about everything very, very well. It's not just the offense, though both are showing plenty of creativity with that. It's defense, too, hands out and back quickly, head and feet moving, slipping, blocking, angling, making things difficult for the opponent. All adds up to a third straight very competitive round, with both fighters having their moments. This time, though, Gemma has a few more of them, and, when the bell rings, she's on the board, having evened the fight at 29.

ROUND FOUR:

Finally, after nine minutes, one of the fighters gets rolling, and it's the blonde. Swift's got the jab going early, and now she's committing in a big way to the follow on right hands. She's holding the brunette up, then nailing her again and again with hard shot. Taylor getting more and more into her rhythm as the round goes on, really taking the fight to Arterton. Brunette's not hurt, but she's definitely coming off second best, landing punches here and there, but mostly being preempted by some excellent stuff from the blonde. Late in the round, Swift backs up her rival twice with hard right hands and she's able to put the finishing touches on a dominant performance with a NASTY flurry that sends sweat flying at the bell. No doubt this time. Taylor. Wide. And back in the lead 39-38.

ROUND FIVE:

Swift rolling early, until. BOOM! A straight right hand from Gemma WOBBLES TAYLOR! And, that quickly, the blonde is in stumbling retreat! Arterton loading up big bombs as she comes forward, sending Taylor back, back, back, until she's trapped on the ropes. Taylor forms a tight earmuff and Gemma decides to buy body in bulk. She's thumping ribs and midsection, really digging at the blonde. Swift leaning forward, tying up. Gems punching free and ROCKING HER AGAIN with a left hook! Swift in trouble! Ref looking in closely. Taylor tying up desperately, finally manages to bring the ref in to force a break. Blonde back to the tight earmuff as Arterton now goes upstairs looking to finish. Taylor leaning back, rolling with, hanging on, and manages to make it to the bell. It's Gemma and wide, though, and we're even again at 48.

ROUND SIX:

Gems in control, stepping to the blonde, backing her up with hard, accurate shot. Taylor managing now, using the jab, giving ground, trying to keep Arterton at bay. Not working all that well, though, because Gemma's getting lots of leather on with both hands, piling up both points and hurt. Still, Taylor able to stay off the ropes, bang back in spots. Clear, however, that the brunette is in command throughout. She's cleaning up nicely, even if she isn't able to take the blonde out of there. And, despite her best efforts, the British beauty ISN'T able to do that. What she CAN do, however, is take control of the fight, bringing the physical and working Swift over from bell to bell. When the round ends, Taylor's still standing and looking to have shaken the worst of the damage. And, Gemma's won the round wide to take the lead 58-57.

ROUND SEVEN:

Swift better now. Has the legs back under her and getting back on even ground as blonde and brunette get back to the skilled boxing we saw earlier in the fight. Taylor using that length well, Gemma countering it with angles, playing the geometric game very well. Good, two-way stuff with neither fighter able to gain much of an advantage until, in the final minute, BOOM! Right hand, SWIFT! Gemma wobbles, and is DROPPED by a three-punch combination! Arterton sent to her back as Taylor heads to a neutral corner. Referee counting down at a dazed Gems. Brunette struggling up at seven, gets to her feet looking very unsteady and THE REF WAIVES IT OFF! He's ruling the brunette didn't beat the count and it's OVER! And your winner by KO7 is Taylor Swift!

AFTER:

Swift looking likes she's been in a fight in the post. "Yeah, she can hit. Knew that coming in. She's very, very good. That's why I wanted to do this. At this point in my career, I want the best of the best. So, I can prove, again and again, that I can BEAT them. Which is just what I did tonight."