BEFORE:

"I'm excited," admits Haley Lu with a smile. "It's been...I don't know...more time than I thought? I figured I'd have had a shot up here by now. But, here it is against another girl from the Disney family...so, now's the time to make a mark."

"Haley Lu is right about one thing," says Meg with a nod. "She should have been fighting up here before now. I'M the one who'll be making marks tonight."



ROUND ONE:

O'Dell: "Back at ringside and that's 'Starving' by Hailee Steinfeld you hear behind us, but, it's not Ms. Steinfeld who's coming to the ring, but another Haley, and one of the singer's best friends, Haley Lu Richardson..."

McCarthy: "Yawn. Dancing Hooker Opponent. NO FCBA wins!"

Cassie: "Fans, every year we have to explain to Mac that the THEME of the first card of the year is fighters making their FCBA DEBUTS..."

Tess: "Meaning, none of them can HAVE FCBA wins, because they haven't yet FOUGHT in the FCBA..."

McCarthy: "AND, as I've told BOTH of you repeatedly, I HAD FCBA wins BEFORE my FCBA debut!"

O'Dell (sighing): "Richardson into the ring and helped off with the robe to reveal a banana yellow number showing off a body that's been highly trained for this debut. And, that's 'BAAM' you hear behind us, and here comes the singer of that tune, 'The Peapack Punisher', Meg Donnelly!"

Cassie: "Meg had a good first year for Front Street. Finished 5-1, definitely improved, and moved up in the rankings..."

Tess: "But, she's still probably at the bottom of a five-girl flyweight pecking order, so she definitely wants a result tonight."

O'Dell: "Meg into the ring and helped off with the robe by Jewel and Neve to reveal that yellow number we've seen before, so, dueling yellow bikinis tonight. And, the ladies are about ready to go. Time for some picks. Tess likes Meg. Mac?"

McCarthy: "NO FCBA wins. Donnelly."

O'Dell: "Cassie?"

Cassie: "I agree with Tess!"

O'Dell: "Unanimous to start the 2021 Asylum campaign. Blonde wants to box early. She's setting up, working the jab, moving the feet. Haley bobbing the head, stepping to and ROCKING MEG WITH A SHORT RIGHT HOOK! Out of nowhere, the brunette has the blonde HURT!"

McCarthy: "When is Weirdo going to send this Dancing Hooker packing???"

O'Dell: "Richardson letting the hands go now. She's driving Donnelly into the ropes and working her over to the body. Meg keeping the hands up, putting the body on sale, and Haley is buying, thumping the ribs and belly. Meg tying up, but Haley shoving her off and getting back to work..."

Cassie: "I'm impressed. Richardson didn't have a lot to lose here, and she's going for it."

O'Dell: "Sure is. We're down to thirty seconds left in the first and Haley's working on Meg along the ropes. Donnelly tying up. Ref going to break them, and Richardson right back to banging that body. Donnelly taking a thumping right to the bell. There it is. And, no doubt about the first. Richardson. Wide."

Tess: "And with the early 10-9 lead."



ROUND TWO:

O'Dell: "Richardson right after the blonde, letting the hands fly. Meg trying to manage this, slow it down with the jab and SHE GETS DROPPED! Richardson with a straight right and Donnelly dropped to her back! Haley BOUNCING to a neutral corner all smiles as the referee starts to count..."

Tess: "Like Cassie said, give the brunette credit. She's in it to win it."

O'Dell: "Referee's count at three. Four. Five. Six. Donnelly sitting up. Seven. Eight. Meg to her feet. Ref going to give her the mandatory and waive on Richardson. Haley giving the buzz saw impression now, backing up the blonde, pinning her to the cables, letting her have it..."

Cassie: "Solid defense from Meg here, blocking, rolling with..."

O'Dell: "And, just as impressive, nothing sloppy from Haley. She's setting up punches, working soundly, trying to get a stoppage here. Ref looking in, but Donnelly firing back in spots, defending well. Ten seconds left in the round. Good right from Haley and there's the bell. Big round, Richardson."

McCarthy: "She's up 20-17 and Weirdo may be sending one of his goons to clean out Donnelly's locker right now!"



ROUND THREE:

O'Dell: "Haley in control as she backs Meg up with hard combinations early. Blonde giving ground, jabbing back, trying to slow some of this down. Brunette again smart, sound, attacking aggressively but not getting sloppy, not giving her rival a lot of openings to work with..."

Cassie: "And, that's a key with a younger fighter, Jenny."

O'Dell: "Sure is. Easy to get caught up in it and slop a bunch of punches at a girl when you have an advantage, but that's not the way to win fights. What Richardson is doing IS a way to win fights. She's been in command this entire round. She's piling up points while looking to finish..."

McCarthy: "And, when she does, Donnelly's going to be in the STREETS..."

O'Dell: "Coming down the stretch. Meg getting more done now. She's got the legs back under her and she's able to give as good as she gets. Richardson, smartly, easing off the pedal a little. Still aggressive, but also still careful. And, there's the bell. Another wide round for Haley Lu Richardson..."

Tess: "And, she's up 30-26 after three. A huge hole for Donnelly."



ROUND FOUR:

O'Dell: "We're on more even terms as we start the fourth. Donnelly's got the legs back under her. She's boxing at range as Haley looks to work inside, get physical again. Meg, though, moving the feet, not dancing and circling, but moving effectively, giving round, going right away from Haley's right hook."

Cassie: "Good stuff from Meg right now..."

O'Dell: "And, with the hole she's in, she needs it. Richardson slipping forward, banging some body inside. Meg willing to fight on those terms, bangs back, but Haley gets the better of it in there and Meg circles away, sets up behind that jab again. Nice one-two to the face by Donnelly..."

Tess: "Give the blonde credit. In a hole, but not panicking."

O'Dell: "Definitely is not. She's working the fight plan, getting punches put together, boxing the brunette. Again, Richardson inside, works some body. Meg fires back, ladies both land some solid shot in there and then fall into a clinch. Ref getting between them, breaks them apart and there's the bell. Close. But, Donnelly's on the board."

McCarthy: "But, still down big, 39-36."



ROUND FIVE:

O'Dell: "Ladies back to work, and it's all about terms right now. Donnelly getting work done when she can keep Richardson at range, while Haley Lu's scoring well inside. Richardson working some body in there. Meg ties her up, shoves off, circles away. Gets back to the jab."

Tess: "Good stuff from both fighters right now, Jenny..."

O'Dell: "No doubt about it. Neither has a ton of experience, though Donnelly, obviously, has a lot more than Richardson, but both are working well tactically, neither getting sloppy. Just working solidly, trying to dictate terms as much as possible, though no one is able to do for long at the moment..."

McCarthy: "Richardson inside to work body again."

O'Dell: "No doubt, she's investing, but she's going upstairs in there as well. Good right, Haley, and Meg again circles away from her and gets back to the left jab, pop popping it right in the brunette's face. Final seconds ticking away and there's the bell. Nothing in it. Even round."

Cassie: "Which leaves Richardson up 49-46."



ROUND SIX:

O'Dell: "Pattern set now. Donnelly at range, Richardson inside. Haley getting more upstairs work done when she gets in close, but she's not neglecting that body. She's definitely invested there, but it hasn't paid off yet. Donnelly's taken the thumping and she's still moving well..."

McCarthy: "Just keep at it. Sooner or later..."

O'Dell: "That seems to be the plan. Meanwhile, Donnelly boxing well. She's getting punches put together, landing a good percentage despite some nice defensive work from Haley. Richardson back inside, going to work that tummy. Meg ties her up, shoves off. Circles away."

Cassie: "Again, nice tactical stuff from these two."

O'Dell: "No doubt about it. Twenty seconds left in another competitive round. Meg with a nice double-tap jab there and follows on with a right hand. Haley covers up, then works forward, hooks some body. Donnelly ties her up and there's the bell. Close again. Meg."

Tess: "Donnelly gaining ground. Down only two now, 58-56."



ROUND SEVEN:

O'Dell: "Donnelly working the feet and jab early. She's doubling and tripling up on the left now, using it to slow Richardson down. Haley still trying to work in, but not having much success. Instead, the blonde beating her to the punch, stopping her, leaving her hanging on the end of those lefts..."

Tess: "In perfect position for a follow on right."

O'Dell: "Absolutely, and Meg's not shy about throwing those, either. She's actually getting Richardson on the back foot now. Brunette spending a lot of time covering up this round while Meg calls the tune and finally is able to dictate those terms that have been so important in this fight."

Cassie: "Meg backing her up now..."

O'Dell: "Donnelly coming forward in spots. She's got the geometry she wants and the range down and everything is working for the blonde. Richardson not hurt, but she's taking a thumping in this stanza. Five seconds left. Good combination, Donnelly, and there's the bell. No doubt. Meg. Wide."

McCarthy: "But, Richardson still leads 67-66."



ROUND EIGHT:

O'Dell: "Donnelly in rhythm. She's snapping that jab into the face of the brunette, holding her with it, then following on with hard right hands. Richardson managing to stay out of reverse right now, but she can't get out of neutral. GOOD combination from the blonde right there!"

Cassie: "This is what Uncle Wiz keeps saying Meg can be. A boxer in the K-Stew mode..."

McCarthy: "This Dancing Hooker will never even APPROACH Stewart!"

O'Dell: "Meg with another solid combination. Richardson covering up, now being backed up with a solid right hand. Blonde has absolutely everything working right now and the brunette is looking for answers. RIGHT HAND, MEG! And Haley is hurt and there's a right hook and DOWN GOES RICHARDSON!"

Tess: "That was a NASTY hook right there..."

O'Dell: "Meg to a neutral corner. Haley down on her right side. Referee's count at three. Four. Five. Six. Richardson rolling to her belly at seven. Eight. She's pushing up to hands and knees at nine, but it's going to be too late. TEN! It's OVER! Haley still on all fours as the count passes her by and your winner by KO8 is 'The Peapack Punisher', Meg Donnelly!"



AFTER:

O'Dell: "Let's go up to the ring and Tess Valmore!"

Tess: "I have our winner, Meg Donnelly, and, Meg, not a good start tonight..."

Meg (shaking her head): "I've got to be READY for stuff like that. I'm not used to being favored in fights, to girls coming in without much to lose. I'll learn from that."

Tess: "But, you came back strong. Didn't panic."

Meg (nodding): "Yeah, the corner kept telling me I had time. Just go out and execute the fight plan. I did. And, I got her."