BEFORE:

"Only six girls a year get a shot on this card," says Emma with a smile. "And, some girls, including the one I'm going to fight tonight, have used this as a springboard to much bigger things. Well. Here's the opportunity. And, I'll make the most of it."

"Emma might well have a bright future ahead in the FCBA," says Meg with a nod. "But, she does NOT have a bright future in the ring tonight."

ROUND ONE:

O'Dell: "Back at ringside and that's 'Can't Get Enough' by J. Cole, and here comes one of J. Cole's biggest fans, blonde beauty Emma Meisel!"

McCarthy: "A Typical Dancing Hooker Opponent. NO FCBA wins!"

Tess: "But..."

Cassie: "Worth it, BFF?"

Tess: "No, because we'll have to hear about how she had FCBA wins before she had FCBA fights..."

Cassie: "Exactly...."

McCarthy: "What ARE you two babbling about?"

O'Dell: "A-HEM! Let's concentrate on the ring, or I'm going to start asking myself just HOW much of Pointy's reserve stock I'd had when I signed up for another year of this! Meisel into the ring and helped off with the robe to reveal a red number that's got the crowd buzzing. And, that's 'BAMM' you hear behind us, and here comes the singer of that tune, 'The Peapack Punisher', Meg Donnelly!"

Cassie: "Donnelly has done VERY well since making her Front Street debut on this card two years ago. But, this is the year she'll be looking to take a big step forward, and that starts tonight."

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

McCarthy: "NO FCBA wins! Donnelly!"

O'Dell: "Cassie?"

Cassie: "I agree with Tess!"

O'Dell: "Unanimous in the first, and Meg right to the jab. Donnelly likes to move, likes to box, and she's flummoxing Emma a little by doing that right now. Meisel can't get anything going, as Meg is dictating with that left jab. She's popping it in her rival's face again and again..."

Cassie: "This is what a good, accurate jab can do."

O'Dell: "Sure can, and I watched YOU use it like this many times. Donnelly moving the feet, well, moving the hands, she's where she needs to be all the time, and Emma's just taking fire and doing very little more than that. Good strategy for Meg to come out quickly against a newbie..."

Tess: "Good point, Jenny. Meisel would certainly have liked to do some feeling out here..."

O'Dell: "But, no dice. Instead, Donnelly dictating right from the opening seconds of the stanza. We're down to ten seconds to go in the first, and Meg's been having her way the entire time. Good combination there for Donnelly and there's the bell. Meg and wide in the opener."

McCarthy: "And the Dancing Hooker leads 10-9."

ROUND TWO:

O'Dell: "Meisel upping the aggression as we start the second. Emma coming forward behind the jab, surprising Meg a little bit here. Emma letting her hands go some, backing up Meg, who's all of a sudden on the defensive. This is good stuff from the older blonde, Mac..."

McCarthy: "Meisel finally figuring out she has a little reach here, and she's using it."

O'Dell: "Is, indeed, and very well, too, for a girl in her first FCBA fight. Emma stepping to Meg behind that jab, lining her up very well at the moment. Donnelly not hurt, but, in a complete 180 here, it's Meisel who's getting the work done and Meg who's getting worked ON..."

Cassie: "Meg moving, too. Emma just doing a good job of getting her lined up."

O'Dell: "Down under 20 seconds in what's been a very good second round for Emma Meisel. Good combination there and Donnelly fires back with one of her own. That was Meg's best flurry of the round, but it's going to be too little, too late. There's the bell and it's Emma. Wide."

Tess: "And, we're even at 19."

ROUND THREE:

O'Dell: "Third begins with Emma looking to press and Meg responding with some solid counters and HERE WE GO! Ladies letting the hands go in the middle of the ring. GOOD right hand, Donnelly and there's a good one from Meisel! Both blondes landing some SOLID leather here..."

Tess: "And, neither getting sloppy, either."

O'Dell: "Absolutely not. This is good, sound stuff from both of these younger fighters. Donnelly a nice combination there, but Meisel fires right back with one of her own. Meg circles away behind the jab, but Emma stepping to and here's another sharp exchange between the two."

McCarthy: "Gotta give this kid credit. She's far from intimidated in her first fight."

O'Dell: "We're down to fifteen seconds in a fast-paced third round. Another sharp exchange between the blondes. Meisel landed a solid right hand in there. Meg jabbing. Five seconds remaining. And, there's the bell. Close this time, but Emma takes her second in a row."

Cassie: "And pulls into a 29-28 lead."

ROUND FOUR:

O'Dell: "Meg working the jab as we start the fourth. Emma pressing forward behind her own left hand. Donnelly not willing to give ground. She's hanging in there, banging back, creating sharp exchanges as both blondes once again get off in combination with some hard shot..."

Cassie: "When you're the favorite like Meg is, you don't necessarily want to do this, but, sometimes you have to..."

O'Dell: "And, this is one of those times, because Meisel is DETERMINED to press the action, and she's got the skills to do it. GOOD exchange there with both fighters landing a hard right hand and DONNELLY STAGGERS EMMA! A right hook and DOWN GOES MEISEL after a three-punch combination!"

Tess: "She may not be getting up from that..."

O'Dell: "Emma flat on her back as Meg heads to a neutral corner. Count at three. Four. Five. Meisel rolling to her belly. Six. Seven. She's to hands and knees at eight. Nine. TEN! It's over! Emma can't get off all fours and it's OVER and your winner by KO4 is 'The Peapack Punisher', Meg Donnelly!"

McCarthy: "Lucky punch..."

AFTER:

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

Tess: "I have our winner, Meg Donnelly, AND her opponent, Emma Meisel. And, Meg, you called Emma over here..."

Meg: "I did, because I like her. She's a really great actress, a nice person, and a good fighter. All she needs is some work and she'll win fights around here."

Tess: "What do you think, Emma?"

Emma (smiling): "I AGREE with her! She got me tonight, but she's a good fighter. I can beat girls. I'm GOING to beat girls. Let's get contracts signed!"

Tess: "As for you Meg, good start to the year..."

Meg (smiling): "This is a big year. Time for a step forward. That started tonight. But, there's a lot more where this came from!"