Akane Watanabe vs. Vera Stone – Round 1

Ding! The crowd cheers for what is Akane’s German debut in Hamburg against Vera Stone.

Zelda: “BOX!”

The two foes circle around each other and trade pawing jabs. Nothing unusual there as two boxers need to feel each other out to find their range and timing.

Akane is more active and eager to find the target early. She fakes a sidestep only to bounce forward and throw a lightning-quick jab. Vera brings her right hand forward to block it but it’s too late. Pish!

The crowd cheers for its new darling.

Esther: “Watanabe is the first to strike with a sharp jab to target Stone near the right eye, something that she does sadistically to all her opponents. There is also spring in the young gazelle’s step. Is this a prairie or a boxing ring?”

At ringside:

Alesia: “Oh yes. This sharp jab is the way to get things underway.”

Sophie: “She used her full range. So well thrown.”

Pressure, pressure. Akane controls movement from the middle of the ring and looks for exposed flesh to punch.

Vera works hard to decode Little Storm’s methods in the hope that she can absorb pressure and find ways to hit her. Akane throws a classic right cross and Vera lifts her left hand to block it with her wrist.

The crowd eggs Akane on as an opening seems available downstairs.

Vera thinks: “She’s a pest!”

Esther: “Watanabe’s ability to dictate the pace of a fight is remarkable. She has to be aware, though, that Stone only has to land a couple of power shots to make anyone dizzy. Kinda like it only takes a couple of drinks for your pesky uncle or aunt to be in a sorry state at the family Christmas party.”

Vera spent much of the opening minute on the back foot but she becomes more aggressive.

The Celtic champion now stands her ground in the middle of the ring while throwing punches. That doesn’t stop Akane from being active. She sends a fast jab in Vera’s way, but the Scot moves to her right, makes the shot miss by a hair and catches the red-and-black clad lady with an overhand right.

Esther: “Great timing from Stone, who answers to Watanabe’s bullying with yellow leather. A good reminder that counterattackers can never be taken for granted.”

At ringside:

Sophie: “Oof. That kind of shot must remind her of what you did in Tokyo.”

Alesia: “Akane got better, though. I don’t think the result will be the same.”

Akane retreats for a moment after eating yellow leather, but she stays true to her game plan.

After a short breather, the Japanese-German resumes putting Vera under pressure. She selfishly keeps control of the middle of the ring and throws punches to keep her opponent busy.

Akane turns to her left and the Scot is convinced that she can tag her. She throws a right cross while stepping back. The young woman in black and red, however, finishes pivoting, bends her upper body and throws a jab to the body. On target!

Esther: “Quality from Watanabe. She moves her head and upper body while throwing punches to hit the target while avoiding the counterattack. We see Halmich’s training methods applied in a competitive ring, which is satisfying for boxing connaisseurs. It’s hard not to admire her intelligence when you have watched her fight and have sparred with her.”

Akane and Vera have the same mindset: combinations are needed to land clean shots.

Both ladies follow up on previous moves. Vera pulls her right hand back to rotate and throw a left hook. Akane shifts her body ambitiously from a jab to the body. She brings it back, drops her right hand slightly and rises up.

The sheer velocity of the Japanese-German’s movement gives her the advantage and Vera gets paffed. A mixture of applaud, cheers, “ohhhhh!” and “jaaaaaa!” comes from the crowd.

Esther: “A split second ago, Watanabe seemed deep seated after throwing a jab and now she tries to unseat Stone’s mouthpiece with a strong uppercut! That jaw-dislocating firecracker just exploded and I think I saw a Schumann logo on the box! Without a doubt, that the pair has worked together on that punch!”

At ringside:

Alesia: “THAT’S HOW IT’S DONE!”

Sophie: “Looks like uppercut practice has worked out well!”

Alesia laughs.

Tagged hard by an uppercut earlier, Vera feels behind. She wants to finish Round 1 strongly.

Still under pressure, the Scot plays a counterattacking game, replying with stiff punches as soon as Akane is done throwing.

At 0:27, Vera launches an attack with a very strong jab in the middle of the ring. The Little Storm takes a step back and pulls out to block the incoming punch, just on time.

Esther: “Not so long ago, Watanabe would have walked into that jab. She would probably have eaten a few more punches, too. This time, she pulls off a textbook defensive move to show off her boxing literacy. If I try to read her mind, I predict that a jab is coming out next.”

At ringside:

Sophie: “Solid defending! What a block!”

Alesia: “Oh yes. A more well-rounded Akane will be damn hard to beat. I’m glad we are on the same side now.”

Akane made a cool defensive move to block a jab a second ago. Now comes the counter.

The Little Storm bounces forward and releases a jab before Vera can go back to a normal stance.

Esther: “Watanabe shows good ring generalship in this opening round. It looks, to me, like her defense has vastly improved to complement her attacking skills. Vera Stone may feel frustration as her host controls the action.”

Vera hears the 10-seconds warning. She launches an offensive to try and take the round.

She lands a couple of good shots and hits gloves, too. The result is that Akane finds herself in a corner with a few remaining seconds to go. There is a twinkle in the Scot’s eyes.

Vera thinks: “Ohhh, I got you now. This will hurt.”

Akane thinks: “Shit. I don’t like this Akane sandwich between her and the corner.”

Esther: “Red alert for Watanabe. Many opponents who have been in this position with Stone have taken vicious punches, and some noses were broken. It gives me the chills from here.”

At ringside:

Alesia: “Uh oh. She can’t get out of there easily.”

Sophie
: “Is her defense improved enough to resist here?”

Alesia: “I honestly don’t know.”

Sophie: “Scheiße.”

With Akane in a corner late in Round 1, Vera feels the irresistible urge to hurt someone.

She goes for the right cross first but Little Storm crouches to duck under it, only feeling the wind created by a shot that could have done severe damage.

Vera follows up with a potentially face-crunching left hook but the Japanese-German keeps slipping to avoid it, this time by pulling back.

The Scot keeps trying, throwing a right hook aimed at Akane’s face, but the lady in black and red doesn’t cooperate. She ducks under this one, too!

Corners may disagree on their appreciation of the action.

Esther: “A few seconds ago, Watanabe risked serious abuse at the hands of Vera Stone, and she is most likely to finish the round unscathed! New defensive skills are rising above the surface like the shark that wants to bite your leg as you venture too far in the water at the beach.”

At ringside:

Sophie: “Haha!”

Alesia: “Muhahahahaha!”

Can Akane do anything but avoid punches at the bell? She gives it a try.

Having dodged three bombs in the form of Vera’s gloved fists, Little Storm has a wide opening as Vera finishes her punching motion. She goes forward and down to take aim with a right to the body.

Pish!

Vera: “Argh!”

A split second later, the bell rings to signal the end of Round 1. The crowd claps a solid effort by the Japanese-German.

Esther: “Tricky Akane gets one last punch in just in time. Judging by her reaction, Stone may have preferred throwing another punch and missing instead!”

At ringside:

Alesia: “Talk about outboxing an opponent. A perfect job from the corner.”

Sophie: “I’m smitten.”

Esther: “Let’s go to the blue corner first, where we should expect some intensity in the talk.”

Yoojung: “Am I coaching a cute little kitty cat? I thought I had signed up for the fierce Vera Stone! And what the hell were you thinking at the end? Headhunting when her hands were up? You should have gone to the body!”

Vera remains silent. She knows she that her first round did not meet expectations.

Yoojung: “Just because you are a counterpuncher doesn’t mean you have to wait until you get hit to react! You’re not active enough. Get your act together! Be the first to throw shots when she approaches. Seize the initiative! When you land, get closer and work inside with combinations. Do you understand me?”

Vera: “Yes.”

Yoojung: “You face a good fighter but she doesn’t have the best chin. Step it up!”

Esther: “As expected, Yoojung Lim is not happy with her fighter’s performance. Let’s flip the magic switch to go to the red corner.”

Regina: “That was a good start. You used space and timing to your advantage and that’s exactly how someone has to box against Vera.”

Akane: “Thank you.”

Regina: “Breathe deep. Gotta recuperate as much as possible between rounds. Remember that Vera is dangerous on the counter. It only takes her one punch to take control of a fight. Keep her under pressure but move your head and upper body as you come in. Never walk in straight.”

Akane: “Yes.”

Zelda: “Seconds out!”

Our TV analyst wrote the first numbers on her scorecard. Let’s find out what she thinks of this fight after one round.

Esther: “You would have to be as blind as a bat to not give this round to Watanabe, who established a jab dictatorship. She was more active and accurate than Stone, with measured pace for an effective start. Clear skies for the Little Storm.”