MALIKA MENARD VS SARA SAMPAIO
Results: Lookout Writing: Archer
Malika: 29 YO, 5’9 1/2 (1.76 m), 20-6-0 (15 KO) since 2011, Foxfire Atlantic Boxing vs

Sara: 25 YO, 5’8 (1.73 m), 4-1-0 (4 KO) since 2016, Girls Friday

Before: “I was eager to get back in the ring,” Malika Menard tells the press. “I enjoyed my time as BBU Lightweight champion so much that I wish to regain the belt. What better way that to defeat a younger, but talented lightweight like Sara Sampaio. Besides, reducing a pretty face to bloody wreckage is always a bonus and she has such a pretty one, too.”
"Typical proud French boxer,” retorts Portuguese model Sara Sampaio, “the idea that I could turn her face into a ruin has never occurred to her. She thinks me an easy win. I am going to show her how wrong she is!”
Malika opts for a classic black bikini, black gloves and boots. Hair pulled back and secured with a blue ribbon. Sara in a faux leopard print bra and bikini panties. White gloves and boots with black laces. Hair in piled up on her head in a top knot.
Ex-champion trying to body up and the slightly smaller Sara, but Sara stands her ground with defiance until referee restores order. Back in their corners once the instructions have been completed. They are looking intensely at each other as the bell rings…

R1: Malika and Sara quickly get to mid ring and start firing. Malika going right for Sara's beautiful face with her first intimidating blows, but Sara stuffs punches into Malika’s mouth and chin.
Malika brought to a surprised halt as Sara digs hooks into the French boxer’s midsection then pastes the former champion with a whacking right to the jaw. Malika backing up behind her jab as Sara moves her punching higher to smite Malika’s proud rack.
Malika scowling as she returns the favor with jabs to Sara’s breasts, but an uppercut right to the chin as Malika resuming her backward movement. Sara now starting to circle as she unleashes punches at a high rate. They aren’t all hurting Malika as they strike head and body, but it’s keeping Malika’s countering efforts down and ensures Sara stays in charge to the bell.
No surprise that the opening round goes wide to Sara Sampaio.
R2: Malika and Sara dueling as the French boxer strikes back at the Portuguese puncher.
Malika knocking Sara’s head back with repeated punches to the forehead and eyebrows.
Sara ducking down and striking at Malika’s chest most of the time, but then pops her in the chin with a quick right when Malika gets careless.
Malika momentarily stunned by the chin shot and Sara comes pounding to the belly and breasts with straight rights and lefts.
Malika being hammered back step by step, but then puts an overhand right into Sara’s nose to bring her to a dismayed halt as crimson dribbles from one nostril.
Malika using the pause to pull herself together and then come forward into a close in battle of the jabwith Sara. Sara seems to have recovered too and fights back hard. Exciting action as neither fighter wants to be the first to back up.
Stomach and chests getting a lot of impacts. Then Sara puts a left hook to the belly that jolts Malika and then brings the right over Malika’s gloves to crash into the side of her head. Malika’s whole body shakes and she stumbles back. Sara rushing in but Malika’s desperate defensive jab catches her in that bleeding nose once again.
Sara recoiling as Malika tries to pursue, but Sara catches Malika in the right eye with hard left and follow-up right. That stalls Malika’s advance, but Sara not hard in the follow up as she tries to regroup. Bell rings. Sara’s got that bloody nose. Malika’s right eye is swelling up. Both avoiding the other as they turn away to their corners. Meanwhile judges decide to give the round to Sara,but Malika made it close this round.
R3: Foxfire Atlantic and Girls Friday corner crews earn their money as they try to get their banged up fighters ready.
Malika Menard seems to the fresher off her stool at the bell and goes after the more cautious Sara Sampaio with a sustained attack on Sara’s head and face. Sara hunching up behind her gloves not answering Malika barrage with nearly enough counters to keep the Frenchwoman off her. Malika looking comfortable for the first time as she cuts off the ring and punches Sara back to the ropes.
Sara finally digging in and jabbing back to Malika’s chest that makes Malika’s bra cups dance. Malika goes hard to the belly with hooks and has Sara shuddering as her torso tips forward at the waist. Then Malika lifts some punches into Sara’s face, getting between her gloves to do enough damage that Sara falls back behind a shaky jab. Malika not quite able to get Sara onto the ropes, but keeps her on the defensive and Malika wins the round wide on points.
R4: Sara told she needs to show more offense this round and she charges right at Malika with lunging punches that catch the ex-champion hard to the side of the head.
Malika seems to have been caught by surprise and retreats before she can organize her jab.
Sara taking advantage of Malika’s disarray to smack her again and again in the chest and stomach. Then she gets the chance to crack a short right off Malika chin and keep her in retreat. Now it is Malika nearing the ropes and Sara ducks her head down as she comes forward punching Malika at the waist to force her into the strands. Very nice boxing tactics from Sara, but Malika promptly starts clinching and keeping Sara from taking full advantage of the situation before the bell rings.
Nevertheless it is Sara Sampaio round won by a wide margin. Malika looking troubled as she goes to her corner and Sara is smiling as she goes to her own.
R5: Sara’s comeback in the previous now triggers an answering counteroffensive from Malika. However as Malika tries to force her way in, she founds Sara resisting with a jab that stings the veteran in that swelling right eye.
Malika falters and on comes Sara trying to reach Malika’s head with follow-up punching. Malika countering with her own jab to Sara’s bruised face and this drives Sara back.
Malika resumes the attack with attention to the body (with special attention to hammering Sara’s bra cups).
Sara responds with breast punching of her own and then the action shifts to an exchange of belly punches that soon has both fighters tipped forward, but Malika then finds Sara’s chin late with her uppercuts. Sara rocked as is lurching back. Malika leaping after her with a finishing roundhouse right, but Sara turns and punch hits her shoulder instead.
Bell rings as Malika is trying to get at a wobbly Sara, but the referee jumps in the block this. Hard fought round that Malika Menard is able to pull out in a close fashion.
Malika walking back to her corner gloves held high to the delight of her fans. Sara trying to hide the rubber in her step, but is not entirely successful in this.
R6: Sara again cautious at the beginning of the round, but it puts her in a good defensive position when Malika comes charging in.
Malika trying to force her punches between Sara’s gloves, but is not able to do it. Sara making her pay with the jab to the face.
Malika has to keep ducking to protect her right eye,but then the veteran starts circling and goads Sara with bouncing punches off the head. Sara getting rocked by these. That top of is starting to unravel and tendrils of hair starting to come down onto her face in a distracting fashion.
Then Malika feints to the breasts, but strikes hard with jolting hooks to the belly. Sara trying to circle away as she backs up, but Malika staying with her goes back to the belly with more hard hooks.
Sara gasping then Malika feints to the belly again. Down goes Sara’s gloves and BANG! Malika strikes hard to the jaw with lefts and rights in rapid succession. Sara’s knees give way and she sinks forward as Malika then blasts her with an uppercut under the chin.
Sara shoots backwards to land on her back, sliding along until she comes to rest under the ropes. Malika marching to the neutral corner watches as a dazed Sara paws at the overhead ropes as the referee starts to count. Sara manages to pull herself into a crouching position, but then her knees give out and she sinks into a kneeling position as she hears the referee :“EIGHT!....NINE!...TEN!...YOU”RE OUT!”

THE WINNER: MALIKA MENARD DEFEATS SARA SAMPAIO KO6!

After:
Malika doesn’t wait for gloves to be removed. She coolly strides over to where the unhappy Sara is still kneeling. Malika elbows the concerned referee aside and hoists Sara to her feet. Sara still shaky, but Malika has her arm firmly around the defeated girl’s waist and then half carries, half drags her around the ring. Sara weeping in misery especially when Malika pauses to allow photographers to get special pictures of the winner and the defeated.
Girls Friday corner has Kelly Gale and Alessandra Ambrosio glaring at Malika has she completes the circuit and thrusts Sara into the arms of trainer Taryn Terrell.
Kelly and Alessandra look ready to jump Malika who stares them down. (The arrival of FAB lightweights Rosemund Pike, Chantelle Houghton and Laury Thilleman further allows Malika to make her exit, but the Girls Friday lightweights don’t look happy about any of this).
“She had some skills, but she was not ready for me,” Malika tells the press. “I am quite eager for my next fight. I hope it will be one step closer my regaining the title I so enjoyed holding."
Says Sara Sampaio: “I am not complaining about her beating me. She knocked me out and I couldn't get to my feet. What I object to is her heartless display of me to the crowd. She is not a good person. I hope one day to see her pay for what she did to me. In fact, I hope to be the one who does it.”
Hard feelings left after the fight should not obscure this was a pretty good fight while it lasted. Sara Sampaio showed some good fighting skills, but they just weren’t enough to overcome the ex-champion Malika Menard. Good first step back into contention for Malika, but she’ll have to beat more than a talented rookie to be in true contention again.