Anna Silk versus Olivia Munn

(I.F.F.I. vs Sceej Boxing)
(Bantamweight Championship)
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout)

BEFORE:

Munn brimming with confidence, as usual, in the run up. "I have to admit," she says, with a lovely smile, "I'm a little disappointed that Holt lost to Silk. I mean, I'm happy for Anna like we all are, but I was looking forward to beating Claire up again and being the one to take her title and end her run. But, I guess I'll just be the girl who beat the girl."

Silk has clearly begun taking offense to being considered "The Accidental Champion" in certain circles. "You know, I'm getting a little tired of hearing people talking about Holt. Holt isn't the champion. I'm the champion...not just the girl who knocked Holt out. But, apparently, I still have some respect to earn around here. Maybe starching Munn will turn the trick."

ROUND ONE:

Any question about the kind of fight in store for us (and, really, should there have been any questions?) are answered off the opening bell as the two brunettes simply meet at mid-ring and begin exchanging heavy leather. There's nothing sloppy about it, mind, but there's not a lot of art or finesse on display either. This is simple trading of good, solid power shots, with both women wanting to establish their ground early and neither willing to give an inch to the other. Slowly, it's Olivia who begins to get the better of things, putting punches together a bit better, throwing the champion onto the defensive, and backing her up a step here and there. Silk fires back with gusto and definitely holds her own, but it's Munn who claims the first and the 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

Munn right back to work, banging away at the champion, and Silk firing right back. Both brunettes stepping into their punches, both landing hard shot to the head and body, and, again, neither willing to give an inch. Then, about half way through, Munn doubles the champion up with a good hook to the belly and then straightens her with a pretty uppercut to the chin. Silk's legs wobble and the champion is clearly in deep trouble, trouble that's even deeper considering her opponent is one of the hardest-hitting and most aggressive bantams in the FCBA. Munn, as she's wont to do, goes nearly wild, winging away with everything she's got, driving Silk to the ropes and battering the champion to both head and body. Anna's legs hold her up, but she's scuffed and wobbly as the bell rings and Munn's lead expands to 20-18.

ROUND THREE:

Munn looking to finish, takes after a still-buzzed Anna right off the bell. Silk gives ground, ends up back on the ropes, and begins taking heavy fire again, until she's able to land a perfectly-placed right hand counter that sends Olivia stumbling backward. And, that quickly, the fortunes of the two fighters are reversed. Now, it's the challenger in full retreat and the champion on the offensive. Silk batters Munn back into the ropes and repays her with interest for all the punishment Livvy dealt out last round. Anna digs body, works upstairs, then back down. She's looking for the 'off' switch in a big way, and, while she doesn't find it, she piles on the hurt and piles up the points, getting on the board and cutting the challenger's lead to 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Silk right back after Munn, but Olivia's got the legs back and demonstrates by actually using them. Munn's very athletic and she can move very well in the ring if she chooses to do so. She just doesn't often choose to do so. Now, however, she changes tactics a bit, using the jab and her feet to score points and force Anna to work forward. It slows Silk's roll and allows Munn to score effectively, landing solid shot on the champion as she bobs and weaves her way in close. Anna solves the geometry fairly quickly,  however, and, by the final minute of the round, the pair are back toe-to-toe exchanging leather on an even basis. The first two minutes, however, are the key for Munn, who's scored enough to claim the round and extend her lead to 39-37.

ROUND FIVE:

No more legging for Munn, who's right back at Silk off the bell. Anna stands her ground and we see more nasty inside banging. The bodies are the targets this time, with both girls having failed to finish things with a quick strike and now settling down to a long war of attrition. And a long war it will be with sturdy bodies like these. Doing enough damage downstairs to affect the legs and then make the head an easy target is going to take both time and effort. But, neither fighter is unwilling to invest same, and both demonstrate great enthusiasm in doing so, tenderizing meat slowly with both hands, hooking flanks, belly, and ribs, the "thwack" of leather meeting flesh audible several rows back despite the ambient noise of the arena. When the bell rings, it's close, but Anna's claimed the round and cut Munn's lead to 48-47.

ROUND SIX:

Fighters back to work on the inside and again it's the lovely bodies that take the brunt of the abuse, with both fighters confident they can use up the other's solid frame. Munn, of course, is seven years younger than the champion and believes the Canadian will wear down first. Silk is, shall we say, of a different opinion. And neither woman is shy about trying to prove her hypothesis. By pounding her gloves into about every inch of her rival's body above the waist and below the bust line. Yes, it's clean. No rack. No low blows. Just pounding, vicious punishment for three solid minutes. Head on shoulder stuff. Yes, "bring the pain" stuff. And the pain is brought, with both champion and challenger wincing with every blow by the end of the round. Again, it's close. But, again, it's Silk, who's now evened the fight at 57.

ROUND SEVEN:

The terms are set and neither fighter seems interested in making a change. Once again, the two beautiful brunettes simply close and get to work. But, early on, it becomes obvious that Munn's hypothesis is being proven right. Silk is beginning to slow down, and Olivia immediately notices and turns up the heat. What had been very even stuff on the inside quickly turns in the challenger's favor. She's getting more work done, forcing Anna back with both punches and shoulder work. The champion is game, firing back hard and making Livvy pay for every inch of canvas. But. Munn IS taking canvas. Until she takes a lot more of it than she'd like. It's a short hook from the Canadian that wobbles Olivia's legs and a quick right hand follow that sends her sprawling to the mat! Munn is able to beat the count. She's up on shaky legs at eight, and, after the mandatory, the referee allows the round to continue. And, in the remaining 40 seconds, things are very bleak for Livvy indeed. Anna's all in, battering Munn around the ring and into the ropes. Abusing her. Cleaning up. Olivia survives, but the champion is now in front 67-65.

ROUND EIGHT:

Again, Munn recovers quickly. Anna tries to consolidate early, tries to back Livvy up, but Munn holds her ground and fires back on even terms. And, that quickly, we're right back in the trenches, with both fighters again working body, grinding away downstairs with both hands. Munn again the more effective of the two, again managing to back Silk up a bit with punches and shoulder work, simply able to get more done than Anna at this point in the fight. The champion again conducts a fighting retreat, unwilling to give up anything without exacting a price. But, give up ground she does as an aggressive Livvy slowly begins to take control. Before Silk catches her AGAIN. Again it's a short hook, this time a right. Munn stumbles and Silk rocks her with a three-punch flurry that sends her staggering backward. Olivia's REELING and, again, Silk is ALL IN. The champ throws in all the reserves, fires her ammo dumps flat, throws everything at Munn but the kitchen sink. Olivia backed to the ropes, taking. Shaken by punch after punch, but, somehow still on her feet. Until she isn't. It's a straight right hand that does the damage, splitting Munn's gloves and sending her crumpling, face first, to the canvas. Silk throws her hands up in victory. She knows what she's done, and she isn't wrong. Munn tries. She rolls to her back. But, that's all she can do. She's still there, staring up at the referee when the count reaches ten. It's OVER!  And your winner by KO8 and STILL Unified Bantamweight Champion is Anna Silk!

AFTER:

Silk all "told you so" in the aftermath. "I'm not some girl who got lucky one night and won the bantamweight titles. I wasn't picked to be an opponent. In other words, I'm not Hilary Duff. What I am is the best bantam in the world, and I've proved it by knocking off Holt and Munn, who were right at the top of the last rankings. Knocking them off, and knocking them OUT. Because that's what I do. And that's who I am, the strongest, toughest, best bantam in the FCBA."