Heather Barker vs. Virani MacVicar – Round 7

Commentator: “The action in the 7th round is certainly a bit cagey. Both fighters obviously are well acquainted with each other at this point, and that is leading to some tentative moments. But Heather tries to break that trend with a punch to the body…but Virani beats her to the punch with a solid jab! Nice little jab from the Canadian Cobra…”

Virani: I know Heather wants to go back to the body…its making her a bit…predictable. When she shifts her weight, she adjusts her guard for a moment and I know its my time to jab. As Heather opens her body, my jab is already on the way, and it lands on target nicely. Active jab keeping me safe for the moment.

Commentator: “Virani seems agressive now…she’s on the front foot…and there’s a big right hand that scores very well! Heather Barker felt that one, and she is reeling here in the 7th!”

Virani: I see a split second opening through Heather’s guard, and I react instantly, stepping into a big right hand…I put a little extra behind this one…and it lands just about perfectly. I can hear Heather grunt over the roar of the crowd. She backs away, putting her guard up…she’s hurting from that one!

Heather: I see black leather coming in a bit too late… and pain explodes on my jaw. Holy crap, this girl has dynamite in her hands…

Thomas: “Yes! That’s the one!”

Commentator: “It’s a big left hook from Virani that lands flush! The Canadian Cobra has stung Heather Barker in the 7th!”

Virani: After my right hand Heather seems a bit…stunned. She tries to hide it, but I’ve been in the ring with her for many rounds and I get a real sense of how she’s feeling, and for the first time she feels hurt. I then see an opening for the left hook as Heather opens her body. I turn in first, and quicker with my left and I smash my left hand right on Heather’s chin…that was a big one.

Commentator: “And Heather Barker stumbles and GOES DOWN! The Champion is down after a big left hook from the challenger! Heather Barker tastes the canvas for the first time in her professional career! A big moment in this fight!”

Virani: Heather takes an awkward step backwards and then falls on her butt. This girl is hurt. I am going to knock this girl out if she gets up. I am going to win the championship right here.

Heather: It feels like I got hit with a sledgehammer. What the hell is in this girl’s gloves? My legs lose strength and I go down to the canvas. Damnit.

Thomas: “YEAH! YOU GOT HER!” This could be the moment…

At ringside:

Emma: “Yeah Virani!”

Commentator: “Heather Barker quickly scrambles to her knees as the count reaches ‘3.’ She looks into her corner towards her coach for instructions, or maybe just a bit of encouragement. Heather still seems to be stunned though, and our referee will have to keep an eye on that.”

Virani: Heather’s still moving, but I can see she’s hurt. I really nailed her with my left hook, and I’m not sure she is going to be able to shake it off very quickly. This is going to be my chance to end the fight.

Thomas: This is Virani’s moment. She’s always been a good finisher, and I’m not sure Heather is the type of fighter that fights well when hurt.

Heather: I hear the count from the ref starting, though the count seems to be going way more quickly than I think it should be. I manage to get to my knees and look over into my corner. What am I supposed to do here..

Sylvie: “GET UP AT 8, Heather! Up at 8!” My fighter is hurt, that much I can tell. This is going to be a very difficult next minute for Heather, she needs to take her time and get the full benefit of the count. Virani is well known to be an amazing finisher and she can put the hurt on anyone.”

Commentator: “Heather Barker gets to her feet at the count of ‘6’ and she raises her gloves as the count reaches ‘8.’ The Canadian Champion still looks a bit shaky on her feet at the moment and no doubt Virani will be looking to swarm Heather as soon as the fight continues!”

Jennifer: “7…8… Are you okay? Do you want to continue?”

Heather: “I’m okay.”

Jennifer: “Okay, I’m watching you though.”

Heather: “I’m good.”

Jennifer: “Okay, box!” I’m not sure I love the look in Heather’s eyes. Tough talk or not, she is clearly still a bit woozy. I’m going to watch this one closely. I know that Virani can punch really hard, so Heather might need to be saved quickly if things go south. Still though, being a champion means I don’t want to step in too early.

Heather: I’m not all the way recovered yet. I know Virani will be on me…but as long as I can show I’m not out of it, I think I can get my way out of this. Virani might even walk into a counter to. Gotta set that up.

Commentator: “The fight starts again…and Virani wastes no time unloading with a massive right hand! Oh my goodness, that one nearly took Heather’s head right off!”

Virani: I’m not going to give Heather time to recover. I’m sure she’s hurt. I’m going to make her even more hurt. I don’t fake, I don’t feint, I just throw a big bomb of a right hand that connects flush. I think I hurt Heather’s grandparents with that one.

Thomas: Sweet lord Virani can throw a haymaker when she wants to. Heather’s in deep, deep trouble now.

Virani’s perspective as Heather staggers backwards after taking a massive right hand.

Commentator: “Heather is badly hurt here in the 7th! She’s up against the ropes and looking worse for wear! Virani tries another vicious right hand, but Heather weaves to avoid it. Maybe the champion is not out of it yet!”

Virani: No subtlety here, I’m going to end this one with one more big right hand. I line it up and fire away, but Heather gamely twists to avoid it. Guess she’s not completely done yet!

Thomas: “CALM AND SLOW, Virani!” She just needs one more good punch to send Heather to the canvas. One more punch.

Sylvie: “CLINCH HEATHER!” That Virani can throw bombs with the best of them. I’m not sure Heather has ever been hurt like this. She needs to hold on, delay and recover.

Commentator: “The champion is still on the ropes and she appears to not be out of the woods yet! Virani flurries and then LANDS A MASSIVE LEFT HOOK! She blasted Heather clean on a jaw with the left hook again!”

Virani: Heather is still hurt…I throw some punches and then I see an opening for the left and I take it, smashing it home. Maybe that’s the final punch…

Thomas: “YES!”

Emma: “That’s the one! That’s gotta be it!”

Commentator: “Heather is down! The champ is down again! She fell hard on her shoulder, and I do not think she will be getting up!”

Virani: Heather collapses to the canvas, landing shoulder first…I think she’s done. I think I won…

Sylvie: “NO!”

Thomas: “YEAHHHHH! That’s it! She’s done!”

Jennifer: That was a hard fall…I think Heather is done…I gotta send Virani to the corner before I make my decision though.”

Commentator: “Heather rolls onto her back! The timekeeper has startked the count while Virani hustles to a neutral corner. I’m not even sure if there is going to be a count, Heather looks out of it! The referee is having a look…”

Virani: I get a good look at Heather before I scoot away to the neutral corner. I’m pretty confident that she’s gone. The way she fell, the way she rolled onto her back. That’s not the way a fighter who is with it reacts. I think I just won the title!

Thomas: “She’s OUT, ref!” This has got to be over.

Jennifer: I’m a sucker for tradition, and I like the idea of giving the champ the ability to get up. But it really does look like Heather is done. Two knockdowns within a minute and this one was a heavy fall. I think I’m going to call this one….

Emma: “IT’S OVER! NEW CHAMPION!”

Jennifer: I’ve given Heather all the leash I can. She’s still down and she’s showing no signs of recovery.

“SHE’s OUT!”

Commentator: “The fight is OVER! There is a new champion! Virani MacVicar has starched Heather Barker to win the Canadian title in the 7th round!”

Virani: “I DID IT!”

Thomas: “Congrats champ. What a knockout.”

Virani: “I finally caught her. She’s going to be okay, right?”

Thomas: “Oh yeah, she’s moving already. She’s just done. No way back after those left hooks.”

Virani: “Holy shit. This fight took nearly everything from me. I was hurt…a couple of times.”

Thomas: “So a typical Virani fight then?”

Virani: “It brings the fans, doesn’t it?”

Thomas: “Wouldn’t have it any other way, V. You’re the champ now, and will probably break into the world rankings. This is a big moment. Enjoy it.”

Virani: “Oh I am!”

At ringside:

Emma: “I’m so happy for Virani. What a fight, what a victory!”

Alesia: “SHE’S DONE IT! I need to get in the ring NOW. Come with me, Kayleigh!”

Kayleigh: “As long as you intimidate security for me.”

Heather v. Virani 70

Commentator: “One side celebrates, while the other must pick up the pieces. The good news is that Heather is obviously responding to the doctor. It was a scary knockout, but Heather seems to not as been as badly hurt as it first seemed. The crowd claps as Heather is helped into a sitting position. She doesn’t seem to be totally over the effects of the punches, not quite yet…no doubt she’ll go to the hospital for a quick check up.”

Heather: “Coach…I guess it’s over.”

Sylvie: “Do you remember the punch that dropped you?”

Heather: “Yeah. Both times. I just…it feels like a blur. I remember the whole thing, but I was like…disconnected from my body for a moment. That Indian girl can really punch. Damnit. I should have won.”

Sylvie: “It was a fight that could have gone either way. A break here, a punch there, and it would be you celebrating.”

Heather: “Damn. My title. My undefeated record.”

Sylvie: “All things that do not matter and can be won back. We will build on this.”

Heather: “Yeah…okay. Losing sucks. Lets never do this again.”

Heather v. Virani 71

Commentator: “We go down to ringside to get the official decision.”

Ring Announcer: “Ladies and Gentleman, referee Jennifer Beattie has called a halt to the action at 59 seconds of the 7th round, declaring your winner, by way of KNOCKOUT and NEW Canadian Featherweight Champion, ‘The Canadian Cobra’, Virani MacVicar!”

Commentator: “The crowd applauds as MacVicar celebrates with a winning smile and arms raised in triumph. Virani’s career has certainly rebounded after a pair of tough losses to Lilim Alterion and Masae.”

Virani: Hearing my name announced as the new Canadian Featherweight Champion is so damn awesome. It’s really a dream come true. I’m the best in my country. A part of me wants to start thinking about what this means for the world rankings, but for now I’m just super satisfied to be Canadian Champion.

Heather v. Virani 72

Commentator: “Looks like Virani wants to have a word with the defeated champion before she leaves the ring…”

Virani: “Heather! Hey!”

Heather: “Oh, hey…”

Virani: “I just wanted to thank you for a great fight. You really pushed me to my limits. You almost had me…a couple of times. Thank you for agreeing to fight me and for giving me a great fight.”

Heather: “It was a pleasure, Virani. I see why they call you the Canadian Cobra…you hit hard, girl!”

Virani: “You were taking my punches well until the very end.”

Heather: “I took them, but I was being hurt. Until I couldn’t take it any more.”

Virani: “You fought really well, I’d love to have a rematch when you are ready.”

Heather: “Thank you, but I think my future is at a higher weight class. I’m already bigger than you and my weight cut to Featherweight is torture. I’ll probably be moving up a division. And I don’t think I want to fight you again…once was enough!”

Virani: “Well…thank you, Heather. Maybe we can spar in a while.”

Heather: “I’d like that. Hey, I gotta get checked out. Congrats, Champ.”

Heather v. Virani 73

Commentator: “And look who is also in the ring, one of Virani’s old opponent, Kayleigh Parsons. She’s been spotted at other Virani fights, and it seems like she may be interested in offering a rematch.”

Virani: “Must you spoil my moment, Kayleigh?”

Kayleigh: “I’ll be quick. Let me be one of the first to congratulate you on your title win. Well deserved.”

Virani: “Thank you….”

Kayleigh: “I was planning on challenging the winner of this fight. I’m glad it was you that won. I’d really look forward to a rematch of our first fight, which was one of the fights of the year.”

Alesia thinks: “Hmmm. The calm before the storm? Virani proved something here and a rematch would give us a helluva fight.”

Virani: “Thanks for the offer, but if I’ve learned anything, its not making or accepting challenges after being punched in the head for 7 rounds. I’m not going to say anything which I may or may not regret later.”

Kayleigh: “Well, you know where to find me. All you should know is the fans want to see this rematch.”

Virani: “Thanks. Now get out of my ring.”

Kayleigh thinks: That was cold. But she wants the rematch, I can see it in her eyes.

Heather v. Virani 75

The team celebrates…

Heather v. Virani 76

Heather Barker
Heather Barker
A religious, caring and ambitious woman from Canada, now based in Marseille. One of the most tenacious boxers in the sport.
Virani MacVicar
Virani MacVicar
Current Featherweight champion. A Canadian puncher known for her knockouts that has developed a more all-round style.