Purple commander

Heather gets back in the game

A new mentality shows up for one of the fighters as the bell rings to signal the beginning of Round 4. One about giving an effort being essential to get a result.

Heather thinks: “I at least have to try. Otherwise I’ll hate myself later.”

Still insecure in front of Leyla Abdul, the White Swan makes the most conservative interpretation of her coach’s advice. Pump that jab very quickly and keep moving, without trying anything too fancy or risky. Leyla sees it coming her way and has to lean back to avoid taking the hit.

Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 19-1
Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 19-2
Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 19-3

Positions

The Canadian makes herself hard to catch and lets her hands go regularly with changes of pace to prevent accurate guesses of what she’ll do next. The German has to curb her attacking instincts to avoid walking into shots, which makes the ring a safer space for the purplehead for more than a minute.

Esther: “Barker is showing encouraging signs. She isn’t dispensing power shots on target but at the same time, she’s not consuming them either.”

Anna: “Sometimes you need a bulwark to avoid getting hurt.”

Maxim: “Come on, Leyla!”

The Muslim woman hears her corner’s call and decides to take a risk. She darts forward with a fast right cross. Heather ducks under it. She wants to counter with a right to the body but she sees Leyla’s left hand protecting the area and threatening to shoot up as an uppercut. She retreats.

Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 20-1
Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 20-2
Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 20-3

That little shove

Frustration emerges on the German champion’s side as the North American effectively shields herself against aggression and lands the occasional glancing punch.

Leyla thinks: “Gotta put myself in the line of fire, I guess.”

With less than a minute remaining in the round, The Volcano double jabs the White Swan’s guard as a diversion before coming in with a right hand. When she does, Heather sidesteps to the left and gives her a shove in the shoulder.

Esther: “Barker displays solid ring generalship to repress Abdul’s attempts at getting into her space and this time, she takes away her leg stability.”

Anna: “This is clever boxing from a fighter who is probably regaining her confidence after a difficult third round.”

Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 21-1
Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 21-2
Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 21-3

Fish hook

Known for her intensity, Leyla isn’t getting the battle heat she wants. She gets intensifies the pressure with advances and punches that successfully drive Heather out of the centre of the ring.

Sylvie: “Don’t let her take control!”

Not far from the red corner, the number three at Lightweight baits the number two by dropping her left hand slightly. When Leyla comes in with an overhand right, Heather unloads a stiff jab that lands squarely in the cheek. Pish!

The crowd applauds as she keeps making nice moves to stay out of harm’s way for the rest of the round.

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Stubborn Swan

At the break, Sylvie is happy but she requires more glove-to-face contact because that’s how you deliver pain and score points in this sport. Maxim asks Leyla to stay calm and keep boxing until she can find an opening which he sees as inevitable.

The Canadian isn’t particularly cooperative. She carries the first minute with ease thanks to stubborn jabbing and more frequent combinations. She accelerates the pace of her footwork to float around Leyla, whose impatience is growing by the minute.

Such emotion rapidly becomes counterproductive for the German, who overreaches when trying to find Heather’s abdomen with a right cross. The purple and white clad pugilist steps to the right and sends a right hook crashing into her cheek.

Esther: “Abdul told Barker that she’d knock her out and if I understand correctly, she doesn’t agree with the objective.”

Anna: “I can’t imagine why. Anyhow, she’s doing textbook boxing which, I believe, will make the right impression at the judging tables.”

Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 23-1
Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 23-2
Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 23-3

Spicy mix

By the final minute of Round 5, Heather now feels in control instead of being tentative. She glides around the ring and lets her hands go even before Leyla can start throwing punches. Such as this moment when she goes to the left and comes back in with a spicy left hook to whack Leyla’s jaw.

Esther: “Barker makes it look easy now. Landing her best punches of the fight and looking upbeat after overcoming a scare.”

Anna: “This is the competence fans have come to expect from her.”

When the bell rings to end the round, the crowd gives the White Swan a round of applause.”

Alesia: “That was beautiful to watch.”

Sophie: “She can turn violence into an art form.”

Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 24-1
Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 24-2

While Maxim requires his charge to mix things up with counters, not just pure aggression, Leyla’s gym mates don’t share the Schumann sisters’ opinion.

Astrid: “That was annoying to watch. I didn’t expect a steamroller from Leyla but didn’t want to see Heather flip it around to that level.”

Steffi: “I think Leyla was a little predictable there. Heather is moving well, too. She’s focused.”

Astrid: “I’d like this match to be a little scrappier.”

Steffi laughs: “Typical Astrid.”

Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 25-1
Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 25-2

Esther: “As the two camps get ready for Round 6, we have a different outlook. Abdul’s lead has shrunk due to Barker’s solid boxing.”

Anna: “The last two rounds have been shutdown rounds from the Canadian. She controlled the action and landed quality punches, especially in Round 5. This means Abdul’s lead halved on my card, with enough time to make up for a rough start.”

Heather Barker Leyla Abdul 26
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Zelda: “Seconds out!”

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Heather Barker Leyla Abdul Rounds 6-7
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.
Leyla Abdul
Leyla Abdul
A Muslim boxer who doesn't mind going to war, works with the Philly shell and trades with anyone. A German Lightweight champion.