It was 2009, May. Courtney Patterson climbed into the ring to make history. The Rivalry between State and Tech ran deep, and in every sport. Women's boxing was relatively new, but it had been going for slightly over a decade. State had won the "Platinum Bra" 7 of eleven years, but the last three had been dominated by one woman, Courtney Patterson. Patterson was undefeated going into her senior year at Tech and proven to be unbeatable. She was climbing into the ring for her final bout ever, as a senior. After she won this fight, she would graduate the only undefeated woman in female state history and the great savior of Tech, winning the platinum bra for the fourth year in a row, bringing the record between the two schools to a more balanced 7 to 5 as opposed to the 8 to 4 it would be if state had a chance.
For state, they were resigned to losing this year's championship--Courtney had knocked out in the third round their best fighter in years as a junior last year and her current opponent was a young freshman who was undefeated this year, but was not really dominant in any of her fights. Her name was Michelle Orozco
And so the two women climbed into the ring, very scantily clad, but well made-up, as was the usually for the 6 round fight.
They came to the center as the referee gave instructions and they touched gloves. The bell rang and the two women came out fast and hard. Courtney wasted no time driving forward and hitting Michelle with several punches. The brunette looked outclassed. The blonde pounded her. The crowd present knew they were watching history. Courtney cornered Michelle, but the brunette survived the first round. Unfortunately, the second round wasn't much better for her. She developed a cut under her left eye and for one moment during the second round, she was knocked down to the canvas for a brief second but got up and finished the second round. In the third, something seemed to change and Michelle steadied herself and found a rhythm in which she began tagging Courtney. Onlookers began to realize that this fight might go the distance rather than Courtney knocking out Michelle.
In the fourth round, Michelle caught Courtney with a brutal right hook. It dazed the blonde and Michelle took advantage. She drove Courtney into the corner and punished her with lefts and rights to the body. After a minute of unfettered punishment, Courtney's arms dropped and Michelle tagged her with a punch that would have knocked most fighters' head off. Courtney crumpled to the canvas for the first time since her freshman year. She got up with a standing 8 count as she had her freshman year. The crowd talked it off. Those that remembered reminded everyone that Courtney's only knockdown had ended in a KO in her favor.
Round 5 started with both women feeling each other out. But after a few seconds, Michelle exploded again. Her punches punished Courtney and the blonde went down. She got up again, tough woman that she was, but Michelle tasted her opportunity and came back at Courtney with everything she had. At 1:48 into the 5th round, Courtney Patterson was knocked out. The reign of Tech over State was ended and history was not made. Courtney Patterson was knocked out by a freshman. Four years later, Michelle Orozco would make history and graduate as the only woman ever to go four years undefeated knocking out Tech's best fighter since Courtney Patterson in the second round of their championship match.
And so it was that 15 years later, at the age of 37, Courtney Patterson was approached by the alumni organization to fight in a rematch against Michelle Orozco. Patteson had kept herself in shape and could not pass up the opportunity.
to be continued...
