With the league matches over it was now my turn to get into the ring and Nat’s turn to be my second. She seemed to be completely recovered from her defeat little more than an hour ago and was back to her usual bubbly self as she helped me into the ring. I slipped off my gown and stood in the corner dressed in black boots, black gloves and my favourite fighting knickers, black with big white polka dots and frills around the leg holes.
Blake and Peggy entered the ring in the red corner and Peggy helped Blake to shake her off satin gown. The American was wearing red boots and gloves and a cut down pair of satin blue boxer shorts, little more than a pair of mini briefs. It was an outfit I’d seen her wear in a number of her matches in the past. She looked confident and powerful despite her compact size.
Suzi announced: “Ladies and gentlemen, our final match of the evening is a challenge match between two senior boxers. Introducing, in the blue corner, former CLAWS senior boxing champion, Ellen Shaw! Ellen is 59 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighs 160lbs and measures 38D-30-42.”
She paused as the audience applauded and then said:
“And in the red corner, fighting for the first time at CLAWS. From Tampa, Florida. Former world topless boxing champion, Blake Mitchell. Blake is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 150lbs and measures 42E-28-40. She is also 59.”
Again, the audience applauded loudly.
So, I was both taller and heavier than Blake but I certainly couldn’t match her in the boob department. They may have been artificially enhanced but they were something to behold, firm and well rounded...and huge! Suzi called us to the centre of the ring and gave us a quick briefing, knowing full well that, as experienced boxers, we would know the rules.
Blake was new to CLAWS but Peggy had explained the scoring system and when questioned whether she understood the CLAWS rules she replied: “Yes.” With that we returned to our corners, the time keeper called seconds out and, a few seconds later, the bell rang for the start of the round one.
As so often in these encounters, the first round was spent feeling each other out. That said, for a pair of old ladies, we didn’t hold back. I found myself attacking and defending in equal measure and some solid blows were landed on both sides. By the end of the three minutes, I was in no doubt that I was in a fight against a serious opponent.
Round two followed the same pattern as round one but then, with about two minutes gone, I saw an opening. I pushed forward delivering a solid right into her left breast. She screamed in pain and her hands went instinctively to her tits, leaving an open target upstairs. I needed no second invitation and a left hook to the temple sent her to the canvas, face down.
Suzi steered me to a neutral corner and started counting over the fallen American. I could hear Peggy shouting at Blake to get up. For a moment I thought it might be all over but Blake doggedly pushed herself up at 9 and, despite my best efforts, held me off until the end of the round.
Back in my corner I felt confident. The round had been fairly even but I felt I’d had the edge, something that was confirmed when the judges’ scores came in. The knockdown had gained me a point from the judges as well so I went into round three leading by 9 points to Blake’s 5. Not a commanding lead but something to build on. If only…
Round three started well for me but then I pushed my luck a bit too far. With Blake still on the defensive I pushed forward and she retreated, my guard high, throwing out jabs. Suddenly she ducked under my right and planted her own right fist just below my left boob. I staggered, shocked, and brought my guard down. Then she was all over me. Just like in my dream I found myself being pummeled as she hit me with everything she had.
Moments later I was on the deck for the first time, flat on my back with my head spinning. I rolled over and came slowly to my feet as Suzi counted to 9. I tried to collect myself as Suzi checked me over and I assured her I was happy to continue but in reality, I was a mess.
Suzi waved Blake back in and now it was me retreating around the ring as she pressed home her attack. My reactions were slow and it wasn’t long before I went down for a second a second time. A minute later, exhausted by the pace, I forced Blake into a clinch and collected a standing count for my troubles. A second standing count followed shortly before the end of the round when a clubbing right to my temple spun me round and sent me staggering to the ropes. I simply didn’t see it coming.
I was glad to hear the bell for the end of the round and made my way wearily back to my corner where Nat did her best to lift my spirits, ease my pain and get me back into the zone.
Unsurprisingly Blake took all the judges’ points as well as the six she’d collected in the round and I found myself trailing by 17 points to 9. Half way through the fight and things were going pretty much the way they had in my dream. The problem for me was that Blake now had a substantial lead and, after the beating I’d just taken, I wasn’t sure I had the strength to turn it around. None the less I was determined to continue. I gave myself a good talking to and came out for the 4th round determined to take the fight to the American woman.
Say what you like about it but self-belief can work wonders, at least for a while. Early in the round my right hook caught her left temple and she staggered away. Suzi stepped in and Blake took a standing count of 8, taking my points tally into double figures.
Sadly, that was my only success of the round. After that Blake hunkered down and, as we started to tire, the pace dropped and things became a little more untidy on both sides. Neither of us made much progress and the round ended in a sort of stalemate.
When I returned to my corner I was running on empty, I wasn’t sure I had it in me to go another two rounds. Nat was fussing around my left eye:
“Ellen, you’ve got to protect yourself better, you’re getting quite swelling here.” She said as she mopped my brow. I winced as she ran a damp sponge over my left temple. I glanced at the scoreboard as the judges’ scores were added to the running total.
Blake may have taken a standing count but, other than that, we’d been evenly matched and the judges scored the 4th round at three points each. The scoreboard still told the story of a woman dominated. Blake 20, Ellen 13.
All too soon the break was over and we danced, or more correctly, shuffled out to face each other. We were both feeling our age but I sensed that Blake had more left in her tank than I did in mine. I did my best to keep her at bay but I was soon on the defensive again, backing away and dodging body blows.
Another right connected just above my left eyebrow. This time I felt the unmistakable trickle of liquid, she’d cut me. Suzi moved into separate us and examine the damage:
“Ellen, she’s cut you above the eye. It doesn’t look too serious. Are you happy to continue?”
“Yes,” I replied, with more bravado than I felt, “bring it on.”
Suzi stepped aside and waved Blake back in. I raised my left arms protect the left-hand side of my face. Inevitably, that left my left side exposed and a moment later Blake delivered a solid right which connected directly below my left breast, sending shockwaves through my heart again. Stunned by the blow I lowered my guard to protect my tits. The last thing I remember is my vision being filled with red leather and then finding myself staring at the canvas, face down on the mat.
Looking back at the video I see Blake deliver that hard right to my heart, follow it up with a straight left which hit me full in the face and then a right uppercut that connected with my jaw and almost lifted me off my feet. My knees buckled and I went face down on the mat.
I raised my head to find Suzi counting over me. She was already at six. My head was spinning and my body wasn’t responding to the instructions my brain was sending it to get up. In front of me Blake was leaning on the corner post in the neutral corner. She looked exhausted but she was still standing. I could hear the crowd screaming, Lynne and Nat shouting at me to get up. But I couldn’t. I’d had it. Suzi counted to 10 and the bell rang. Blake raised her hands in victory and I dropped my head back to the mat. It was all over and the better woman had won.
I think I passed out for a few seconds because the next thing I knew Nat and Cassy were by my side urging me to wake up. I groaned and began to push myself up. Slowly, with Nat’s help, I sat back on my knees a stared across at Blake in the red corner, celebrating with Peggy. Despite losing I felt strangely happy. The battle was over and I'd lost, but I couldn’t have lost to a better woman. Well done Blake, you earned that.
