A late sting

Round 2 is the second chance for fighters to impose leather on the other

The fighters rise from their stools in anticipation of more violence. Both are still in nearly mint condition and ready to engage in more fisticuffs.

Virani thinks: I can’t let you dictate to me like you did in the first. I have to be a bit more aggressive

DING!

Virani comes out of the corner with a point to prove – establish the jab. The Canadian’s jab is versatile, and she doesn’t mind using it. Virani might not mind using it, but Hee Jung doesn’t want to be hit by it, knowing that a landed jab can disrupt a defence and open up an opportunity for a power punch behind it – either a left hook or a right hand.

Virani’s jabbing attack right off the start often just finds air, or the gloves of the Empress.

Virani thinks: I was able to hit Alesia, but Hee Jung’s not easy to hit…gotta raise my level

Laila: “MacVicar shows more pep right off the opening bell, but Hee Jung appears to be up for the challenge. The Korean’s defence will be a tough nut to crack.”

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The Canadian Cobra isn’t deterred by a lack of early success, and she keeps pressuring Hee Jung around the ring – a reversal from the first round. But as Virani tries to pressure the champion towards the ropes, the veteran springs into action, not wanting to be in a confined space with Virani (though that probably makes her a minority of humanity) as she unleashes a combination ending with a right hand thrown with real intensity. Virani does well to take the punches on her gloves, dispelling the attack, but allowing Hee Jung to escape back to the center of the ring.

Virani thinks: She’s way too experienced to get trapped against the ropes. Great ring sense. We’ll see how well she thanks after I land flush.

Laila: “A clever combination from Hee Jung Park allows her to escape the danger of being against the ropes with a relentless Cobra bearing down on you. The Empress escapes with her footwork, but she sets it up with some active hands.”

Darius: “Good! Keep it up!”

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Cobra’s claws

The round dissolves into a tactical one, with both trying to get the other to over commit to a punch and then pounce on the opportunity. It’s an experience that might have been too much for Virani, if she hadn’t just faced Alesia Schumann, one of the best ‘tactical’ boxers in the world. While not the most exciting for the fans, this is high level chess being played out at high speed and with devastating results if you get it wrong.

Virani thinks: If I’m going to get in this fight, I’ve got to do it my way.

The Cobra tries a few feints and fakes before unleashing a left hook – not to the head, like Hee Jung anticipates, but to the other sweet spot for the left hook – the liver. This time, Virani just misses the intended area but it hurts anyways.

Laila: “MacVicar with a roasting left hook to the body – and we know that she was hunting for that deadly liver punch. Hee Jung guessed high, but Virani went low. It is quite amazing for someone with one of the best left hooks in the sport that she hasn’t finished anyone with a left hook to the liver. Bizarre.”

Hee Jung thinks: I’m too passive right now. Can’t let her unlock my defence so easily.

Alesia: “That’s the way, Cobra!”

Kayleigh thinks: “I could take both of these girls.  No problem.”

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Virani is feeling good after scoring probably her best punch of the fight and she wants to keep up the pressure. Hee Jung remains elusive, not nearly as active as the first round, but just as hard to hit.

The veteran’s sense of space is on display as she gets low and close to Virani, using her shoulder to just subtly throw off the left hand thrown by Virani, making it miss by quite a wide amount. The champion doesn’t throw back, content to frustrate the puncher.

Virani thinks: This bitch doesn’t like getting hit, does she? Argh!

Hee Jung thinks: Being in close with this girl is not that scary as long as she doesn’t get a hold of me.

Laila: “MacVicar is swinging, but she is missing. Hee Jung Park is showing that defensive acumen that allows her to be in close range with arguably the biggest puncher in the division. That’s confidence, and proficiency in action.”

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Not Quite My Tempo

Darius: “Tempo, now!”

Despite the shout from the corner, this round feels firmly in Virani’s control. The Canadian dictates where the fight takes place, and fights comfortably at her optimal range. The Cobra produces a shifty right hand to fool the Korean champion, who opened her guard to throw a counter left hook. No dice – Virani lands at range.

Virani thinks: Hope you like blue, Hee Jung.

Hee Jung thinks: No step backwards. Not going to give her even one round. Have to keep her confidence under wraps.

Laila: “This isn’t the knockout punch by MacVicar, not anywhere close, but this kind of progressive work from the Cobra will produce fireworks, it’s only a matter of time.”

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Empressing the challenger

Thomas: “Sit and counter, V!”

It is as if that right hand wakes up the fighter inside The Empress, as if the affront of potentially losing the round inspires her to greater heights. It’s also partially that Virani, as shouted by Thomas, begins to sit on the counter and wait for her chance to see strike.

The shift to the Empress’ favour is evident. Its emphasized by Virani trying to get low and try to land to the body, only to be rudely interrupted by Hee Jung’s compact right hook that catches her flush, producing a grunt from the Canadian.

Virani thinks: Too ambitious and I paid for it. Can’t do that against Hee Jung. Too good.

Laila: “The Empress isn’t going to take this round off. She lands a clever right hook that takes advantage of Virani trying to reach for a punch that she shouldn’t have gone for.”

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Virani, stung by that clean punch from Hee Jung, goes into a bit of a shell, protecting the slim lead that she may or may not have on the scorecards. This only further emboldens the veteran, but she has trouble breaking down Virani’s defence, always keen on not falling prey to a big counter from the Cobra.

She does unlock Virani’s defence with a few moments to go, with an exceedingly clever right hand that forces Virani’s upper body back and swivels her head and neck painfully.

Virani: “Urgh!”

Laila: “Oh that’s a lovely shot from Hee Jung Park, splitting the guard in a way that no one would have expected. That has to be a painful one for Virani, because she would have thought that there was no angle for the champion to get through. It appears there is no defence that she cannot unlock, and judging from the sound of her punches, she’s absolutely landing with power.

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Corners

Hee Jung carries the remainder of the time left in the round with ease.

DING!

Two rounds down. A fifth of the fight already over. The fighters retreat to their corners.

In the champions corner, the mood is upbeat. The champion has endured some good moments from the challenger, and been able to fight back to prove her early superiority.

Darius: “Tough round. Great burst at the end to steal the round away.”

Hee Jung: “Thanks. This might not be easy.”

Darius: “Listen, I want you to attack her jab. She’s using it a lot. Key on it and give me a big shot. She doesn’t respect your power, so she might get lazy. Load up and let it out.”

Hee Jung: “Her jab is a bit lazy. I’ll do it.”

Darius: “Okay, we aren’t going to do that for more than 30 seconds or so. At my signal, go back on the attack. We want to pressure her, take away her confidence, you are doing a good job in that.”

Hee Jung: “Understood.”

Challenger’s corner

The challenger isn’t as happy. Coach Thomas Nagy has to cool down the hotheaded Canadian.

Virani: “This wait and counter stuff isn’t working. When I was doing good, I was on the front foot. I took my foot off the gas and then she took control.”

Thomas: “It’s still part of the plan. This is well within our parameters, Virani. One more round, then we’ll step it up.

Virani thinks: Sticking with a strategy that lost the last two rounds doesn’t make sense!

Virani: Why are we waiting one more round – we should do it now!

Thomas: “Just stick to it, Virani. It’s a long fight.

Virani: “Sure, yeah, okay.”

Alesia: “You got this, Virani!”

Virani thinks: Well, at least someone has my back. Maybe I should have had Ally coach me. It worked for Chelsea.

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Hee Jung Park
Hee Jung Park
South Korean who is a legendary champion in multiple weight classes. She fights to secure her legacy 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.