Alanah Pearce vs Laura Harrier

Pre-Fight:

Alanah on the challenges of not fighting in a year: “Yeah it’s definitely going to be something I have to overcome. Pacing, timing, stamina… those things can only come with bouts. So I think those will be challenges. But, I also don’t think Laura can handle my power. She can only beat bantamweights and I’ve fought in the welterweight division. I think my power is just going to be too much for her.”

Laura on fighting a bigger opponent: “The stable seems to be concerned my only two wins are against borderline bantam/lightweights. So, they’ve put me in the ring with a girl who is frankly… going to get hurt tonight. She hasn’t fought in a year. I don’t care how much size she has on me. She’s not boxing ready. It’ll be a slaughter. Round 3 she’s going down. Calling it now.”

R1:

Laura with dark blue gloves and shorts, Alanah with a red get-up. The two fighters start off center ring circling each other a bit. Laura trying to prove a point early as she comes in and with some fast-fists catches Alanah off-guard. A few quick jabs and a follow-up right uppercut that sneaks through the middle of Alanah’s gloves and Harrier has started off fast. Laura stays in close and goes to the body. When Alanah tries to punch back, Laura simply ducks and rocks Pearce with a straight right hand.

The blonde Australian takes a few steps back and collects herself with a heavy breath.

Harrier back at it, but she misses with a jab and opens herself up to a right hook.

And down goes Harrier!!!

One big swing and Laura drops! Crashing on her shoulder, she rolls over onto her hands and knees. She shakes her head a bit and blinks rapidly. The ref over her counting. Laura pops up and assures the ref that she’s fine.

Pearce comes back in and Laura looks wide-eyed and scared. Alanah goes under her guard and works the body. Right, left, right, left. Sinking her gloves into the side of Laura’s abdomen. The bell rings and leaves Laura mouth-open, clutching her stomach as Pearce walks back with a knockdown on the board.

Pearce up 10-8

R2:

Laura takes a much more measured approach to begin round 2. She dances around a bit more and seems a little timid. She tosses some half-hearted jabs here and there. Lands a combo or two. But Alanah stays on her and it’s only a matter of time until the fresh Aussie lands another big blow. This time she walks Laura into a right hand that staggers her. Harrier tumbles forward and catches herself mid-rope.

Alanah comes in and just as Harrier turns around hits her with a left-right hook combo to the chin. Laura in serious danger of going down again. She raises her guard, but Alanah pounds away at the body. Laura's jaw drops and as the bell rings her mouthguard falls out of her mouth. She stumbles back to her corner as it’s all Pearce.

Pearce goes up 20-17

R3:

Laura looks disheartened. She comes out and Alanah works a jab over the top of her guard that she simply doesn’t have an answer for. The power of Pearce starting to get to her, Laura retreats on her heels. But Alanah is after her again. Banged up against the ropes, Harrier tries some desperate crosses that actually land on the over-aggressive Alanah.

Laura sneaks out from the ropes. She eats a right. She fires one back though. Maybe it’s just a defense mechanism, but Laura is now refusing to move and starts to trade punches with her bigger foe. It doesn’t go well for her.

Harrier lands a few punches. But Alanah simply bullies her back to the ropes. Right cross. Then she catches her with a left. Harrier’s corner screaming at her, telling her to move. But she’s just getting abused at this point. A right hook breaks Laura’s gard and a left cross dazes her. Alanah hits her with a right cross that sends her sprawled out across the ropes, arms flying open. Laura drops again. Tears start to stream down her cheek as she rolls over on her stomach.

Alanah clearly thinks she’s done and is ready to celebrate. But somehow Laura is able to push herself up before the 10 count. Through her tears, she tells the ref she’s ready to continue.

Pearce comes in and hits her with another brutal right as the bell rings, which snaps Laura’s head to the side and spins her around. She barely catches herself on the top rope.

It’s all Pearce… 30-25.

R4:

Laura meets Alanah in the middle of the ring and goes toe-to-toe with her again. Her corner screams at her. They tell her to move. Use her superior speed. Use her quicker hands. But Laura is defiant. Alanah meanwhile continues to pummel her opponent. Blood and spit squirts out from Laura’s mouth after another brutal right hand and Harrier continues to just take the abuse.

Right hand, right hand, right hand… Laura back on the ropes again. The ref has half a mind to stop the slaughter. Laura’s guard goes up. Bam, bam… two lefts to the ribs and Harrier is doubled over. Alanah’s corner calls for the fight to be called, but Pearce has no problem continuing to wallop her opponent. She stands Laura up with an uppercut.

Alanah continues to dominate the fight as Laura’s woes continue halfway through the round. But then, a lightbulb seems to go off in Laura’s head. She ducks a right and follows up with her own uppercut. Alanah is forced to back off. Harrier tosses a few jabs and follows with a right straight. Pearce realizes too late that her gloves are heavy. She’s punched herself out!

Laura smirks.

A dizzying display of quick hitters come Alanah’s way. Rights and lefts pummel her face from all over. Laura walks Alanah back to the corner and looks like she’s about to go for the kill when the bell suddenly rings.

What looked like the potentially final round of the fight ends up going Laura’s way just barely as she closes the gap a big. Pearce up 39-35.

R5:

Alanah’s time off clearly having a massive effect on her conditioning as she can’t get her guard up all the way. It’s open season for Harrier, whose fists come fast and hard. She marks up Alanah’s cheek as best she can. But Pearce can still swing. And when she puts a charge into one, she rocks Laura hard. A right uppercut to the gut almost stalls Harrier completely as her knees buckle.

Pearce sees an opportunity. She pivots and throws everything she has into an uppercut that nails Laura’s chin!

But Harrier stays up. She stays up and comes back at Alanah. Vicious combos overwhelm the Aussie and she finds herself with her back in a corner once again. Right cross. Duck. Left hook. Duck. Jab, jab. Harrier on fire. Alanah hits Laura with a jab. But she eats it and connects with a straight right. The bell rings and Laura’s closed the gap yet again with a very impressive round.

Pearce up 48-45.

R6:

The two fighters come out of their corners. One looks like a blood mess. The other looks fine. But that doesn’t tell the story at all. Alanah is sucking wind despite her outward appearance. Laura is bouncing up and down despite her face looking like a catcher’s mit.

Alanah’s punches are slow. And Laura is able to easily avoid them. Two minutes into the round and Laura has set Alanah up enough that she’s able to guide her into a beautiful left hand. Alanah eats the canvas hard. Down stiff as a board with no signs of movement. The ref counts Pearce out as Laura in spectacular come-from behind fashion wins the fight.

WINNER IN ROUND 6 VIA KO: LAURA HARRIER

Post-Fight:

Alanah’s response to being asked about her getting worn out: “I thought my power could overcome that against her. I was wrong. I made a misjudgement. I should have fought smarter. I didn’t and lost for it.”

Laura’s response to her “ugly” win: “I mean that’s the side of it that we sometimes forget. My face got pummeled. But that’s fine. I’m glad the fight went that way. I’m glad I showed that I can get into the ring with a welterweight, get knocked on my ass multiple times, and get back up and finish her off. Anyone who thinks I can only fight bantams or I can’t handle the power in the lightweight division… you’re wrong. I just had to take a beating to prove I could dish one out too.”