Bombshell

Melina causes shock and stupor

A gap opened in the first round of this contest between Sarita Waris and Melina Kaplan. Can the journeyman close it? Let’s find out in Round 2.

The young German changes her approach when she meets the Finn in the middle of the ring. She’s coming forward and throwing hands more often. Even though the blonde has no respect for the purplehead, she’s more cautious and defensive.

Melina goes for a threatening straight left in the middle of the ring but her swing misses as Sarita anticipates the punch and leans outside.

Sarita Waris Melina Kaplan 8-1
Sarita Waris Melina Kaplan 8-2

Persistence

The following stretch features more of the same with the purple and white clad lady trying hard to connect but often hitting gloves or plain missing. It’s not easy to hit a skilled chick who moves well.

However, Melina keeps applying pressure because the new intensity gives her more control of the ring. Sarita can’t just strike back the way she did in the first engagement, so it’s progress.

The German can finally convert that into a scoring chance after a minute. She feints the jab a couple of times without releasing it and her opponent wants to come in with a right hook over the top. The purplehead then slips a left in the opening to land it straight in the liver.

Esther: “Kaplan finds her target! A thumping left that made Waris squeal upon impact.”

Anna: “It doesn’t matter how good a boxer you are: the liver is your Achilles heel if it takes the brunt of a punch, and it surely just happened.”

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It takes about a second for the pain to spread across Sarita’s torso. When it does, her legs soften up and she drops forward on her knees. The crowd cheers.

Esther: “Waris is down! Kaplan scores the first knockdown of her professional career and she does it against a ranked contender! The tables have turned very quickly into this match, which may not be the easy affair she anticipated.”

Chased to a corner by the referee, the Weimar native goes for a sarcastic celebration while her grounded and hurt opponent tries to recover from her ordeal.

Melina: “She said I’d be taking a knee. Here we go!”

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Amid excited cheers, the official has to raise her voice while giving Sarita a count.

Akane: “One… two… three… four…”

Sarita gets halfway up.

Anna: “I think she’ll beat this count but can she get back to full strength? Her body language tells us that her energy bar took a solid hit, and that she’s shell-shocked.”

Akane: “Five… six… seven… eight. Are you ready to continue?”

Sarita: “Yeah.”

Esther: “It’s game on. Will the feisty Finn have the legs to box effectively with a minute and 45 seconds to go?”

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U-turn

Melina’s approach when the action resumes is to go back in with a solid work rate, but she refuses to throw caution to the wind. Injured animals can bite hard, as she has seen multiple times when watching other people’s fights.

Within seconds, the Teutonic girl notices that the Scandinavian is a little less mobile than before due to body pain. She puts herself within punching range without going an inch closer, looking to trade from a distance and landing glancing blows while trying to pick the right spot.

She finds success when the blonde makes a minor mistake by trying to go downstairs with a long left to slow the action down. Melina reacts by firing an overhand right. That right hand is backed by full-body torsion and it twists just at the right moment, for an explosion of leather in Sarita’s jaw.

PISH!

Esther: “Kaplan clocks Waris with a peach of a right hand and momentum is on her side.”

Anna: “She’s showing composure for someone who isn’t used to success against quality opponents. She didn’t throw herself forward in desperation after the knockdown. Opting instead for effectiveness.”

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The shark

Melina takes control of the ring by circling like a shark around Sarita. Throwing well-timed punches, winning the trades and withdrawing at the first sign of a risky counterattack.

The number 31 at Super Lightweight makes her most clever move with just over 30 seconds to go in the round. Sarita throws a left cross, prompting Melina to instinctively lean outside before coming in with a right hand. The blonde can’t see the purple glove coming under her arm, so she eats another knuckle sandwich.

Melina thinks: “I didn’t know I could do that.”

Esther: “There is a growing sense that Kaplan has picked up new skills here.”

Anna: “I think that a little stint with Alesia in Munich has done her a lot of good. She may only have needed a bit of success to believe in herself.”

Sarita Waris Melina Kaplan 13-1
Sarita Waris Melina Kaplan 13-2

The number five contender finally regains agility in the final stage. Falling behind, she feels the need to at least get a moral victory before hearing the bell. So, she attacks in the hope of landing a decent punch.

One of the Finn’s best weapons is that she can switch-hit and therefore strike with either hand, with power, from any angle. She figures that a big right hook will take her counterpart by surprise.

By now, though, Melina is brave enough to at least try standing her ground. When the blonde “sits” to unleash the aggression, the purplehead comes in first with a left hook from a low position.

PAFF! The glove and cheek both compress for a full impact.

Melina thinks: “That’s what it feels like to beat some ass.”

Sarita Waris Melina Kaplan 14-1
Sarita Waris Melina Kaplan 14-2
Sarita Waris Melina Kaplan 14-3

A couple of fruitless attempts to get anything going later, the bell rings to end the round.

A much happier German gets back to the red corner.

Alesia: “Stay on your feet.”

Melina: “Why?”

Alesia: “Showing that you’re the strongest woman here.”

Melina laughs: “That’s actually you.”

Alesia smiles: “Nah nah nah. This is your ring and I’m lucky to be your second. And what did I say before? You’re gonna win.”

Melina: “I gotta say… I’m totally enjoying this.”

Alesia: “And looking great at it. Now, keep your eyes on the prize. Manage the space, time the shots and keep extending those arms when punching. That’s how you generate power and hurt her. Outbox her and the result will come. She messed with the wrong people.”

Sarita Waris Melina Kaplan 15

You don’t find this positivity on the other side.

Maxim: “Yo. It’s time to get something going. Remember how the sweet science works? Hit without getting hit.”

Sarita: “That liver shot slowed me down.”

Maxim: “Yeah, but that’s because you didn’t take pressure well. I need you to snap out of it. Let your hands go faster, with combinations, so she can’t be first and can’t land her punches at will. She has to pay the price when she gets into range.”

Sarita: “Ok.”

Maxim: “Then, she’ll think twice before attacking and it will give you freedom to act.”

Sarita Waris Melina Kaplan 16

Anna: “Who would have expected this? Melina Kaplan treats herself to a 10-8 round due to that knockdown, and takes a one-point lead at 19-18. This isn’t the walk in the park that some predicted.”

Akane: “Seconds out!”

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Sarita Waris Melina Kaplan Round 1

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Sarita Waris Melina Kaplan Round 3
Sarita Waris
Sarita Waris
Hailng from Salo, Finland, the “Princess of Darkness” has knockout power, supreme belief that she is the best and a remorseless bad girl attitude.
Melina Kaplan
Melina Kaplan
A sweetheart from Weimar, Germany, who has gone from journeyman to a prospect at Super Lightweight.