Sarah Lancaster versus Karlie Kloss
(Written by Girls Friday/results Lookout!)
(Free agent vs Free agent)
Miami, FL

Intro:
This fight sees two tournament winners go head to head for bragging rights and to get the respect they both want off of people. Karlie Kloss only last month knocked out Gigi Hadid to win the first ever New Blood tournament in a fight that was designed to get the participants big fights. The same can be said for Sarah Lancaster, who won the welterweight revival tournament last year against Gemma Atkinson. Then she used that tournament to fight Bridget Regan for the FCBA welterweight title and won in a hard fought effort. She would lose it to pound for pound superstar Amanda Righetti in a devastating loss for her and she hasn't boxed since that defeat late last year. Both fighters have a lot of respect for each other, as they have experienced the same struggles to get big fights and rumour is that Sarah herself wanted to give the chance to Karlie.

At the media event for the fight, both women shook hands and exchanged polite conversation before they went to their seats.

Karlie was up to the podium first, wearing a long red dress and heels, she looked flawless as ever when addressing the assembled media. "I still can't honestly believe what's happened in the past two months, if you'd told me I'd beat Bo Krsmanovic and Gigi Hadid to become a tournament champion, I'd say your crazy"

Shaking her head before continuing her speech "Now I get to fight a top 5 welterweight, an idol of mine in the ring and someone I can relate to and hopefully have the same success as. But I have to put that aside for ten rounds to give my best performance yet to show I belong here with the best of the best so no hard feelings I hope Sarah" she finishes by nodding and smiling at her opponent. Sarah steps up to the podium in a figure hugging black dress and matching black heels that show she's been training hard.

"Thank you Karlie for the praise, I know certain parties, namely Tractorpull love to talk me and the revival tournament down" she says before her face goes red. "That tournament gave me a chance to show women like me could be champion and I did that against one of the toughest women in all of
boxing, Bridget Regan!" She shouts out to hopefully Tess Valmore but she bets Tess isn't there.

Turning to Karlie, she adds "I achieved my dreams and I see so much of myself in you but the question is do you belong in the top of the division or will you burn out quickly?"

Both women are ushered together for a stare down and they show how much this means to them by squaring up to each other and going nose to nose. Photos are shot as the stares are certainly not as friendly as they have been. But after the photos are taken, they step back from each other and smile as they bump fists before walking off stage.

Fight time on, Miami Beach the ring posts have been set up directly onto the beach, while bleachers have been set up for crowd members to get a great view.

Karlie Kloss arrives to the ring first to a loud cheer from the crowd, the popular model enters the ring wearing the same white swimsuit from her New Blood fights, her name is written in a lipstick pattern across the bust and her gloves are white. As she warms up in her corner, another loud cheer erupts as Sarah Lancaster walks to the ring, the proud Kansas girl is wearing a black swimsuit that hugs her body and has black gloves. Both get their gum shields in before heading to the ring centre, neither woman takes her eyes off the other as the try to psyche them out. Touching gloves, both women nod before jogging back to their corners for last minute instructions. The ref checks his watch and yells for the bell to start 10 rounds of welterweight action.

Round 1:
"Ding" Karlie uses her natural speed advantage early to beat Sarah across the sand to the ring centre and begins to knock her opponent around her. But Sarah is certainly no novice as she keeps her guard tight and tries to work her way forward under a very controlled Kloss's punches. Both can bang so there's some nerves on both sides to just charge in and slug it out at close range. Instead they box it out, jabbing away and trying to strike with a hard right punch when they notice a hole in the others guard. Karlie is having the better of this round as she keeps knocking Sarah to the outside and even presses her to the ropes for a bit before the wily veteran manages to dance her way off them. Sarah lands a few hard jabs to push Karlie back away from the centre of the ring but the blonde has the exquisite footwork to quickly change her angle of attack and dart side to side inside of being square on Lancaster to knock the brunettes head back till the bell. Before return to their corners without any prompts as the crowd are on edge for a firestorm coming between these two big strong women.

Round 2:
Sarah ups the tempo slightly as she starts throwing stiff combos to attack the head of Karlie, who is in retreat mode at the moment as she doesn't want an early nap due to carelessness. Karlie does manage to pierce through the guard of Sarah with a stinging jab but leaves herself open for a right hook that rocks her head to the side. Shaking her head, Karlie takes a hard straight to her mouth that knocks her back a step, which gets her back on her toes and moving around the sand again with her jab attacking the sides of Sarah's face. But back comes the older brunette, who knows she can't sit back and allow the young blonde to get comfortable at long range. Forcing herself to take a few clipping jabs, Sarah is throwing short sharp combos that are pressing Karlie back towards the ropes and if not for her agility, Kloss would be stuck to those ropes. The bell rings not long after and both seem happy enough with how they've done in the first two rounds as they chat to their seconds.

Round 3:
The round starts and Karlie doesn't anticipates the change in aggression by Sarah who is right in her face with brutal clubbing shots. Karlie is staggering somewhat in the sand as Sarah is plowing forward with some stiff punches that alternate between head and body. Sarah is showing why she is a two time champion in this division and the girl who is still up with the best in the world. Karlie manages to slow Sarah down with a vicious combo of her own that rocks the head of her opponent. But that doesn't stop the forward progress of Lancaster, who after half the round lands a cracking hook to the chin of Kloss that sends the blonde down to the sand. Like the veteran she is, Sarah gets to a neutral corner quickly as she doesn't want to waste any of the count by distracting the ref. She looks down at the blonde in the sand and has a look of is that it? Till she sees Karlie look up with sand covering her right cheek with eyes burning with the spirit to get her own back. Banging her gloves together, Sarah watches Karlie stand at 8 to a roar from the crowd who didn't want a early bath for either of these women. Karlie of course boxes defensively for the remainder of the round, she can't afford to get clipped again when she's not fully recovered. Luckily the bell rings with Sarah just not able to get her fists through the gloves of Karlie to maybe end this contest. Karlie has a stern talk from her second as she gets washed down and Sarah is keeping her focus on crushing this woman to keep herself on
top.

Round 4:
Sarah comes out quickly again as she looks for the knock out, pushing her jab to try and pierce the defense of Karlie before putting the sword like right through her opponent's face. Karlie is just about getting out the way of the right but is taking the jab too much as she is trying to shake the cobwebs away. Shoving Karlie against the ropes, Sarah pounds the body of her opponent causing Kloss to grunt under each punch and force the first clinch of the fight. Lancaster is trying to shove her opponent away but Kloss still has the strength to hold onto her till the ref has to order the break and maybe stupidly Karlie let's go without an argument. Keeping the pressure coming, Sarah feels like if she can trap Karlie, she can end this fight anytime. That's proving to be much easier said then done as Karlie keeps her away with her movement and speed over the sand. Karlie even begins to fire back as the round nears it's end as the effects of that knockdown seem to have worn off or at least she thinks they have. The bell rings not long after an exchange of punches and Karlie can be seen on her stool looking like it's fully dawned on her what a mountain she's climbing in this fight.

Round 5:
Out comes the fighters with Sarah again pressing forward but Karlie seems to be fully in her own zone now as she keeps her feet moving and her fists plowing forwards now at a much quicker rate. Sarah seems a little stumped by how Karlie can be OK but she's more worried about the fists she's taken to her own face and decides to fight back. A wild exchange of punches occurs as both girls lay a beating on the others heads and bodies to the delight of the crowd as the will to win pushes both on. Karlie takes the first big step back but it's to move out the way of a wild lunge from the brunette and crack her to the body with a great right hook. On closer inspection, Karlie is starting to bleed from her lip but Sarah looked hurt from that last body shot as she grimaces. Sarah shockingly starts to back off as she knows not to square up to Karlie when she's in a dominant position, so decides to keep her jab up in the face of Karlie till the bell rings not long after.

Round 6:
Karlie tries to come forward but meets a brick wall as Sarah seems OK again after that body shot did some damage and now it's even footing in the exchanges. Neither woman is taking prisoners as they clash but again it's Karlie who has to step away and go back to trying to out box a great boxer. Sarah steps forward again quickly to cut off the ring and manages to get what she wanted with some looping punches as Karlie is backed into a corner. A mighty brawl ensures with Karlie getting clip on those lips again which are dripping blood onto her chin but she won't back down and for the first time in the fight, Sarah asks herself "can she actually stop this girl?" Like the Duracell bunny, Karlie just keeps going as Sarah even gets her own head snapped back with a hard straight. But after she cracks Karlie head back, the two women clinch up again, neither is looking like they could be in a photoshoot for the next week with the bruises they have on their faces. Karlie lip is looking painful while Sarah has swelling forming around her right eye that looks like it could get serious. The ref pulls the fighters apart and Sarah tries to plant her feet in the sand to trade but Karlie is still able to move around like she's ice skating. The bell rings and Sarah looks surprised at Karlie who doesn't even realise what she's shown to Lancaster, who let's herself have a smile before she gets her head back into her zone.

Round 7:
The fighters are starting to slow down as we enter the late rounds, Karlie seems less effected as she is starting to press Sarah back by beating her opponent to the punch. Sarah is standing to get stuck in the sand as her legs tire and she's having to take any opportunity that presents itself to trade with Karlie. But Karlie is showing the skills that got her to the top of the New Bloods, while Sarah is getting rocked to that bad eye. The fight is turning by the looks of it in a big way as the older woman just can't keep her away now as Karlie is starting to knock her to the ropes to start throwing a flurry of punches that have the crowd cheering loudly. The ref is looking closely but Sarah manages to show she's not finished as she forces her way off the ropes with her power. The bell rings with both trading in the ring centre and they hold back at the bell to stare coldly at each other before walking back to their
corners.

Round 8:
Karlie seems to sense that Sarah is weakening but is met with resistance as the two slug it out in the centre of the ring. The crowd roar as both give and receive hard punches that rock each other. Sarah's eye looks to be shutting as she smashes Karlie to her nose and blood starts to flow from her nostrils as this war continues. Both clinch up as they feel the tiredness through their bodies, Sarah tries to look at her opponent but her eye is nearly swollen shut. Back at it they go after being separated, the volume of punches both are throwing is decreasing but they are throwing harder punches to try and end this. Sarah clinches up again as the strain of this fight is taking it's toll on her but she is doing her best to keep going as Karlie is trying to push her off. The ref has to physically push both apart as they reengage with single punches till the bell rings, with both nodding their respect at the other.

Round 9:
Sarah is in desperation mode as the ref is asking her if she wants to continue with her eye looking close to closing and she replies "yes! Don't end this now please" She forces Karlie back is a flurry of punches that knocks the blonde back towards the ropes, unluckily for her; she can't push forward quick enough as Kloss escapes off the ropes to create space. Seeing the look in the good eye of Sarah, Karlie knows that she can win this fight, the mountain peak is starting to show and she needs to pull herself up the rest of the way. Pushing herself forward in the sand to trade hooks with the brunette, Karlie is visible knocking Sarah backwards as the crowd stand to get a better view. Sarah looks wobbly as Karlie pounds her body then cracks her chin with a right hook that sends Sarah down to her side. Karlie can only slowly walk to a neutral corner as the ref begins his count, she looks down at Sarah and hopes that she stays down. But Sarah starts shoving herself up at 6 and looks up at Karlie with angry eyes as she won't stay down for anyone. Up at 9, she looks shaky but she shows enough wear with all to prove to the ref she can continue to fight as not long is left in the round. She takes a hard body shot but manages to hold on to Karlie till the bell finally rings and Karlie taps Sarah's back to tell her the rounds over. Slowly they disengage and they look at each other as Sarah seems to want to say something but she turns away with her head lowered.

Round 10:
Karlie comes out and puts both gloves out for Sarah to touch, the older women looks close to tears as she touches gloves. Sarah comes out for the round but she seems to accept that this is going to be difficult to survive till the final bell. She is in full retreat as she keeps her jab out as a shield to try and stop the stalking Karlie, who has eyes fully on the win in front of her. A minute goes by as the crowd seem to will Sarah onto survive the round as while they are fans of both, after such a hard battle for both they feel it deserves to go all the way. All hope is dashed for those supporters as Karlie cracks Sarah to that wounded right eye and down goes Lancaster in a heap to the sand. Karlie almost looks like she wants to dive down and give Sarah a hug as the ref ushers her back and she looks slightly teary. The ref counts but Sarah is out cold in the sand and he waves the fight off at 8 as Sarah isn't moving.
Winner: Karlie Kloss KO Round 10

After:
Karlie letting her emotions out falls, to her knees and roars to the world as she shuts her eyes as she can't believe she was able to beat her idol. The doctor is straight into the ring to check on Sarah who is starting to stir after being knocked out. Karlie is cleaned up as she looks over at Lancaster and is worried as she sees that Sarah's right eye is shut and the doctor is working on it. The blonde sits next to Sarah to check how she is and the older woman gives her a smile that is taking a lot to conjecture up. But she honestly is proud to have got 10 rounds with a girl she believes could make major waves in this division and she has been as badly beaten before.

Sarah says to Karlie "well you proved that you are the real deal so don't waste this win because I don't plan on just letting anyone beat me"

Karlie nearly tackles Sarah as she embraces her and the two women share smiles.

Afterwards Karlie with help from her second, helps up Sarah as she helps up and lifts her friends hand as the crowd claps for both women.

Karlie whispers "I'll make you proud and I hope someday we can fight for the title" which makes Sarah cry as she replies "I hope so too"

Leaving the ring together, anyone who thought Karlie winning the New Blood tournament just got an answer of how far this woman could go, while Sarah showed she is still able to go with anyone in the ring.