The breaking point

Persistence pays off for Kayleigh, but is it HER MOMENT?

The fifth round marks a watershed moment. If things are going the way they seem to be going, it would just about clinch the fight if it goes to the scorecards. Both fighters are pretty much aware of that as the fight resume.

Kasanda thinks: One more like the last one. Focused. That’s what I need to be.

Kayleigh thinks: All it takes is one moment. Just have to keep putting her to the test.

In spite of what both fighters are thinking, Round 5 is the cagiest round of the fight. Both fighters settle into patterns that have already been established. Kasandra dictates from the outside while Kayleigh awaits an opening.

The Blonde Bully comes off second best as she tries to force the action. She leaves an opening for Kasandra to exploit, a crisp left hook that comes over the top of Kayleigh’s resetting guard. The impact of the white Adidas turns Kayleigh’s head and upper body around.

Amanda: “This is the script to this one so far, and this round feels like one of those familiar episodes in the middle of the season. The plot is moving forward, but slowly, and we are just waiting for something big to take place. Don’t change the channel, please.”

The round never develops into much, but it’s safe to say that Kasandra puts another one on her side of the ledger. She makes things truly, utterly desperate for the former champion, who seems to be getting shut out on the scorecards.

Round 6

Some fighters need to be desperate to fight at their best. Kayleigh has rarely been forced to be a desperate fighter, but right now she is one. She needs to find out what’s left in the tank, and what risks she’s willing to take to get back into the fight. So far she hasn’t risked too much, which is what you’d expect from someone who’s being punched in the head for each mistake she makes. The alternative isn’t much better at the moment either.

As Kayleigh stalks down Kasandra, the action is near the corner, Kasandra again has assumed a confident, hands low guard, her upper body moving in towards Kayleigh almost tauntingly, but clearly being able to pull back if Kayleigh tries something.

Unlike in the fourth round, Kayleigh’s own hands are low, which is also a dare of its own. Kayleigh would like nothing more than for Kasandra to initiate an exchange. The Pole is ahead on the scorecards, and she remains patient.

Kayleigh thinks: Fuck it, if she’s this good, she can have me. I’ll be damned if I go out without a fight.

Kayleigh bites down on her mouthpiece and steps in, drawing the expected jab from Kasandra, which barely misses the blonde’s face as she slips to the side. A right hand follows behind from the redhead, but Kayleigh has already gambled. She steps out with her rear leg to pivot and throw a left hand to the exposed flank. Were Kasandra’s right hand to connect, it could catch Kayleigh as she’s moving in and this is the kind of punch that could end the fight at any time.

Who comes out on top?

Kasandra’s right hand whizzes by Kayleigh’s head, missing by a small margin. Just a half second too slow. If you are a Kayleigh fan, the Englishwoman is just a half second too quick. Kayleigh’s left hook almost can’t miss and she goes for the liver of the Polish fighter, as her black Ringside glove pounds into Kasandra’s body.

PAFF!

Amanda: “Kayleigh scores with a punishing body blow! That body shot just sounded different!”

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Kasandra’s liver reports distress to the brain and the brain takes over. No more of this fighting thing, it’s time for a pain overload.

The Polish fighter drops rapidly, falling to her knees, her face contorting with the pain that is overwhelming her senses. She looks vainly into her corner at her coach, who cannot quite believe what just happened.

One moment she was standing and fighting, the next she’s in enough pain she can barely think. The magic of the liver punch.

Kayleigh has one brief exhalation of delight and relief, but she makes her way quickly towards the neutral corner. The blonde doesn’t want to grant Kasandra any more time than necessary to get up.

Amanda: “I don’t believe it! That is one of the first major punches of the night and Sobieski is down and she might be done! That was a ferocious left hook to the liver and that’s something not everyone can get up from.”

With Kayleigh in the neutral corner, referee Clarissa Starling starts the count.

Clarissa: “1….2…..3…..4…..5”

While Kayleigh waits impassively, Kasandra has gone from on all fours to a crouched position, but her face betrays the amount of pain she is still in. The question remains if she can fully get to her feet and if she can convince the referee she is capable of continuing.

Thomas: “Kass! Take your time. Breathe! You can do this! Believe!”

Amanda: “Sobieski’s corner is telling her to get up, but the mind may not have the final say here. Even a willing fighter might not be able to beat the count after taking a punch like that from Kayleigh Parsons.”

Kasandra takes just about the full count, but she overcomes the pain to stand under her own power and put her gloves up.

Clarissa: “Do you want to continue?”

Kasandra: “Yes ref.”

Clarissa thinks: She’s up, but she’s still hurt. Don’t think this needs to be stopped, but I’ll keep an eye on it.

Clarissa: “Okay, box!”

Kayleigh thinks: Christ. That would have been too easy, I suppose.

Amanda: “Willpower overcomes pain as Sobieski is able to beat the count, but she still doesn’t look right on her feet. Parsons must take advantage!”

Up, but hurting

With three-minute rounds, there’s lots of time left for Kayleigh to hunt for the finish. Instead of having to survive 25 seconds, ‘Bombel’ has to survive almost a minute and half. Kasandra does her best to make the clock run out, but when the action is going, for the first time it’s all Kayleigh Parsons.

With Kasandra’s legs not working with the same alacrity that they propelled her with earlier in the fight, Kayleigh finds it easier to track down ‘Bombel.’ When in range we see the full creative side of Kayleigh’s offensive talents, snapping punches through and around Kasandra’s guard as she tries to cover up.

Particularly punishing is a clever uppercut through Kasandra’s guard as she tries to lean away from a punch, but ends up leaning in to the black leather.

Amanda: “Sobieski is noted for having a particularly good chin, but that chin is getting rocked by some big shots here from Kayleigh Parsons here.”

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It’s purely survival mode now for Kasandra as Kayleigh steps on the gas to try to get a finish in a fight that she was getting completely outclassed in. Kasandra isn’t given a chance to recover or reset as Kayleigh keeps the pressure up.

The English fighter finds Kasandra tenacious and tough, seemingly taking as many clean punches in this round as she took in the entire fight to this point.

As the round comes closer to its conclusion, Kayleigh looks for a conclusive blow to put the redhead down again, freezing Kasandra with a feint and then going back to the left hook that put Kasandra on the canvas in the first place. Though the black leather draws a pained grunt from Kasandra, she manages to stay on her feet, fighting the pain and the clock.

Amanda: “Sobieski is under siege and is getting punished by Kayleigh Parsons here. The piece of mind to go back to the body from Parsons is part of the reason why she gets so many stoppages. She has power, yes, but its the brains and composure that get her the finishes that she takes such pride in.”

Under pressure and still hurt, Kasandra has to resort to the most basic form of defence. When she can, she just latches on to Kayleigh and holds her until told to break.

As the round winds down, she manages to get a hold of Kayleigh, wrapping up the blonde with what would be, in other circumstances, quite a lovely hug. Kayleigh doesn’t seem to appreciate the gesture.

Clarissa: “Break. Break! Kasandra, let her go!”

Kayleigh: “Let go of me, bitch!”

Kasandra does so reluctantly, but more time has ticked off the round with her delaying tactics.

Amanda: “Sobieski is saved by the bell. She took an absolute shellacking from Kayleigh Parsons in the sixth. She only needed that one moment to put this fight back into contested status. The question now is if Kasandra can recover. She’ll get one minute to do so.”

Corners

Kasandra: “Fuck.”

Thomas: “Don’t worry about it. The important thing is that you made it through the round. Just need to refocus, take a breath and get back to what you were doing.”

Kasandra: “But she’s figured me out now.”

Thomas: “I don’t want to hear another word out of you right now. This is the moment in the fight where you need to prove yourself. If boxing was just a contest of skills, this sport would be boring and predictable. But it’s a contest of skills and heart. I know you have both. You think you only seem to have one of those. But having heart is just a choice. If you don’t have it, Kayleigh will run you over next round, and that’ll be that. But if you do, you’ll get back out there, fight through the pain, and you’ll GIVE THAT BITCH exactly what she gave YOU last round. And when you look back on your career in 15-20 years, yeah, maybe you lose this fight, but at least you’ll know that you gave it your all. Now get out there and kick her ass like I know you can.”

Amanda: “A blunt speech from Thomas Nagy. This fight does seem to be hanging in the balance at the moment. On my scorecard, if that even matters, the knockdown brings the scores far closer. Through six, I have Sobieski up 58-55, meaning she still does have a substantial lead. Of course, hometown scorecards have been known to favour Parsons in the past.”

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Kasandra Sobieski
Kasandra Sobieski
A lanky Polish fighter known for classy and fluid technical boxing. Featherweight contender.
Kayleigh Parsons
Kayleigh Parsons
A confident Englishwoman with skills to match. Technically skilled with underrated power. Former Featherweight champion.