Hanging by a thread

Alesia Schumann is in pain, on the canvas, after falling at the hands of Taylor Grant twice in three minutes. She is conscious and aware that the referee has started a count.

Ontario: “One… two…”

It’s a grueling experience to get up once more. The German champ groans and starts moving slowly.

Ontario: “Three… four…”

The Diva’s head spins as she makes it to one knee before looking up at the official.

The short-sighted vision is blurry as the Diva keeps picking herself off the floor and looks to the neutral corner. She sees a confident and daring Taylor who doesn’t mind what will happen next. If she wins, she wins. If she gets to come forward and keep fighting in Round 3, she doesn’t mind.

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The big push

Ontario: “Five…”

Ally thinks: “I can make it. What to do about Taylor, though, I really don’t know.”

She takes a breather before making the final effort.

Ontario: “Six… seven… eight.”

Alesia springs up and keeps her hands at torso level. She knows that she only needs to convince the ref that she can make it back to her corner.

Ontario: “Nine… look at me! Are you okay?”

Alesia: “Yes. I want to see my coach.”

Ontario: “Off you go, then.”

Ding!

Jim: “Round 2 is over with Schumann scraping herself from the floor to at least have a talk with Regina Halmich. It’s up to the coach and official to decide whether she can continue after a disastrous round.”

Warren: “Speed kills. Taylor Grant has uncommon speed even for elite boxers. Schumann has not adapted well to her hand movement and paid the price for it. Radical change is needed.”

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Strong will

Ally takes a seat in the red corner. She doesn’t look overly tired, but there is a hint of discouragement on her face.

Regina: “Tell me how you’re feeling.”

Alesia: “Her hands are too fast and they come from everywhere. I can’t deal with it. I don’t know what to do.”

Regina: “Don’t beat yourself up.”

Alesia: “Taylor’s the one doing it.”

The coach’s face hardens.

Regina: “Stop this now. I’ll make you win this fight. We didn’t come here to get demolished. I didn’t come here for another loss in the States either. I’ll make you win this.”

The Bavarian’s eyes widen. Her trainer’s resolve is surprisingly strong and contagious. Nothing is more reassuring than this kind of determination in Regina’s eyes, to any fighter in her stable. Especially Alesia, with whom she has a special connection.

Regina: “We’re going back to square one and focusing on the basics. Your only goal for the third round is not getting hit.”

Alesia: “And jab?”

Regina: “Yes. The basics. Defend and jab. Make this round boring. It will shut these noisy fans up so Taylor can’t draw energy from them. The defensive tactics will make her doubt that she can land a clean hit again. That won’t win you the round, but it will turn everything upside down. After that, we can focus on winning.”

Alesia: “Right.”

Regina: “Now breathe. Deep breaths.”

The coach puts both hands on Alesia’s face to make her feel reassured while she takes in the oxygen. Then, she puts vaseline in her face with the tip of her fingers.

The ref has been watching in the background.

Ontario thinks: “She’s 100% there. Listening closely and understanding her coach’s instructions. She can continue.”

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She wants more

It’s blue skies across the ring.

Nina: “That was fantastic. Nobody can deal with your hands. Not even her.”

Taylor: “Thanks. What do I do next?”

Nina: “I don’t want her to have a chance to get back into the fight. Flood her with punches when she’s at range. Attack early. The ref might stop it, and we don’t mind that. A TKO in the third round is a brilliant result to take home.”

Taylor: “I’ll do it.”

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At the guest tables, there is concern.

Chelsea: “Oof. Those two knockdowns scared me. Taylor is so brutal.”

Virani: “Watching friends fight isn’t for weak hearts. Welcome to our world. I’m concerned as well, but don’t despair. Regina will give Ally a plan to adapt. That’s how she rolls.”

Chelsea: “Yeah. We can only watch. By the way, you’re Canadian Featherweight champ. How many local opponents do you have in total?”

Virani smirks: “As many as you fought so far in the pro ranks.”

The American guffaws. The Canadian pulled off self-deprecation and a clever gut punch in a single line.

Chelsea: “Well played!”

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Jim: “Only two rounds into this match, there is already a large gap between the two fighters. Tell us about your score.”

Warren: “The second round is a no-brainer. 10-7 for Grant due to the two knockdowns. She ran over Schumann. Those are desperate times for the visitor, who never found her feet.”

Jim: “Does the Halmich game plan make sense to you?”

Warren: “It’s logical, but having to take baby steps to stay alive highlights the difficulty level of the Germans’ mission. I won’t say that it’s impossible, but there is no margin for a mistake. Schumann will have to be perfect.”

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Alesia Schumann Taylor Grant Round 2
Alesia Schumann
Alesia Schumann
Super Lightweight champion of the world, German champion and one of the pound for pound best. The Diva is known for her tactical strength and durability.