Virani MacVicar vs. Lexi Mills – Round 7: Chopped Liver

As remembered by Virani MacVicar

Before I left my corner for the start of the 7th round, I vowed to myself that this was going to be the last round of this debacle. In this fight so far, I had put in about 2 good rounds of work. I needed to be better. Fortunately, Lexi wasn’t good enough to hurt me or knock me down, like any other top contender would have. And my two good rounds of action seemed to have been enough to hurt Lexi. This called for the vicious Virani. The one that knocks girls senseless in the middle of the ring. I was going to need that Virani right here, right now so I could salvage this fight.

That called for one thing – the left hook. My biggest weapon. Of course, by now, everyone knows that’s my biggest weapon, and that’s part of the problem. I’m more cautious about throwing it now, because everyone comes into the fight with a counter to the left hook. But at a certain point I just need to throw caution to the wind. I’m pretty sure that even if Lexi does have a counter, she’s probably not a big enough puncher to hurt me with the counter. So, eff it. Left hook first, foremost and always.

Early on in the round I’m aggressive with my own jab as Lexi tries to re-establish any positive momentum. I’m not going to let her build any. Lexi comes forward with a double jab, and this is my chance, the first jab lands lightly and she follows up with another one, but I step forward into it and slam a wicked left hook into the challenger’s chin as her second jab flails wide. Sweat flies off of Lexi’s brow as her eyes squeeze close to endure the pain. It’s a beautiful, violent visual, that only lasts for a second, but it’s beautiful to a fighter like me.

Lexi stumbles backwards and the crowd reacts to the challenger stumbling back, seemingly not quite sure of her footing. I pursue doggedly waiting for a sign that this is a put-on, a fake. But I quickly surmise that Lexi is actually hurt and ready to go. Her guard isn’t tight and her eyes aren’t totally focused anymore, these are the signs of a hurt fighter. The referee inches closer as she senses that her expertise may be called upon shortly. Good news for me. I don’t care if this is a knockout or referee stoppage, I just want this to be over.

Lexi doesn’t require much prodding to get into the ropes, where she’s got little chance to escape from the incoming punishment that I intend to very much provide in short order. Lexi gets her gloves up and I probe at them with my jab, before throwing a right hand which she ducks to avoid. A left hook instinctively follows, hoping to clip Lexi and add to her pain. Lexi again ducks down to avoid. Okay, there’s a pattern here….

Lexi may have ducked to avoid a few punches, but she’s setting a pattern. If someone is trying to duck, just go right up the bloody middle. I throw an uppercut right down the pipe, which lands clean on the chin, splitting Lexi’s guard. Now, she’s really reeling. The ref is nearby, looking intently at Lexi. This one can be over shortly…

This was starting to feel like it was the end. Lexi was clearly hurt and ready to go. The problem was going to be finding space to find that final punch. I could try to go back upstairs, but Lexi was doing a pretty good job of protecting her head even still. So it’s time for the alternative killshot, the liver. I’ve been working with Thomas to make that left hook to the liver another tool in my arsenal, and now felt like the time to unleash. I took a small step back to give myself room to punch and threw a shot towards that dangerously vulnerable part of the human anatomy.

*smack*

Lexi groans. That was paydirt.

Lexi’s reaction was instantaneous. She turns and drops to her knees in obvious distress. Damn, I think I did it…

The liver punch can be brutal, it hurts like absolute hell to receive and can incapacitate even the toughest person and boxers are all tough.


I know the routine by now, I don’t need any encouragement to find my way to the neutral corner, I wanted this fight to be over as soon as possible, and I’m pretty confident that it is over, judging from Lexi’s reaction. I got to the neutral corner and see that Lexi is writhing in pain by the ropes, having rolled over onto her side. As the referee starts the count, Lexi spits out her mouthpiece. The count gets to 4 and then the referee decides better of it, waving off the fight.

Lexi’s brave challenge was over.

Usually I feel delighted when I get a knockout victory, but honestly I just felt more relief than anything. This had been a shit performance. Against a better opponent it would have been me laying on the canvas, getting counted out. I had taken this fight for granted, taken my opponent for granted and she had punished me for much of the fight before I had gotten my head into the fight. I should have polished this girl off in 4 rounds, tops. It should have been another highlight reel for me, but this one…this one was one I wanted to forget – not the lesson, but the fight itself. At the very least, I’m still Canadian champion.

Now I needed to prepare for the post-fight showdown with ‘The Empress.’ Hopefully we could set up a big fight, a fight that I really, really want. A fight against a top opponent that can really propel my career forward.

Virani MacVicar
Virani MacVicar
Current Featherweight champion. A Canadian puncher known for her knockouts that has developed a more all-round style.