Raquel’s final bout against the champion-killer, Rayne.
Will Raquel end her career as undefeated champion, or will she become just another one of Rayne’s conquests?
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- The crowd was wild with excitement! Tonight was the match they’d been waiting weeks for and now it was about to begin. The lights dimmed and the announcement was made: “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN… WELCOME TO TONIGHT’S MAIN EVENT! FIRST, FIGHTING OUT OF THE RED CORNER… THE CHALLENGER FOR THE FOXY BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP BELT… RAYNE!!” Rayne walked up to the arena, entered the ring, and strutted around as if she owned it. She shouted out, “Watch me beat your champion to a bloody pulp tonight!”
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- And then the lights dimmed again and the announcer took to the microphone. “AND FIGHTING OUT OF THE BLUE CORNER, IN HER FINAL BOUT, WIN OR LOSE… PLEASE WELCOME, THE UNDEFEATED AMERICAN FOXY BOXING CHAMPION… RAQUEL ‘ROCKY’ BALBO-O-A-A-A-A!!!” The crowd was on its feet cheering on the champ as she made her way into the ring. She stood in the center of the ring, fists held high, nervous but prepared for her last fight.
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- After months of Rayne’s rampage around the world, both fighters finally met in the center of the ring as instructions were read. Rocky and Rayne stood, nose to nose, never taking an eye off each other. The hatred between them burned intensely. And then… the fight was on!
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- DING! Round One began! Raquel started off aggressively, hurting Rayne with several punches to the midsection. She kept on her challenger with punches meant to break her down.
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- She moved in close for attacks to the head and powered into Rayne. The challenger absorbed the blows and let the champion do her damage. The crowd cheered on the champ who was in top form.
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- Raquel didn’t give Rayne a chance to fight back. She swooped in with lefts and rights, to the belly and to the head. And Rayne remained on the defensive. Raquel clearly dominated the first round up to the sound of the bell. The crowd was ecstatic! Their champion was showing her challenger that she was prepared for a solid fight.
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- Raquel sat back confidently in her corner. She felt in command of the match and was only just starting. The crowd chanted, “USA! USA! USA!” And Raquel smiled, ready for the next round.
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- Rayne, meanwhile, relaxed in her corner. Although she was on the receiving end of the battle, she was only just starting. She knew that Raquel’s confidence would be her downfall. And then the bell rang for the 2nd round. DING!
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- And Rayne went to work. Raquel bounced into Rayne, looking to hold on to her advantage, but Rayne was ready and met her with a devastating punch to the champ’s gut. Rayne then powered through with a rapid succession of intense belly blows that knocked the wind out of Raquel.
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- The challenger then slammed into the champ’s head with a fierce left. Raquel was knocked to the side and found herself victim of Rayne’s power.
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- The challenger maneuvered her prey into a corner and pounded into her with no mercy. She connected with blow after blow, as Raquel’s defense fell to shreds. The crowd gasped at seeing their heroine treated like a punching bag. And then, finally, they saw their champ fall.
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- Raquel lay there in the corner, confused and shocked. And then, the count began. “1… 2… “
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- Rayne looked down at the fallen champion. “Ha! You are no different than the others. You are nothing but hype. Nothing but talk.” And the count continued. “3… 4… “
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- Raquel remained on the ground, looking around at the crowd. She was hurt, dizzy… but she now understood what she was facing. She felt, for the first time in her career, that she might not be the last woman standing. “5… 6… DING!” And with that sound, Raquel knew she was saved by the bell.
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- Rayne laughed to herself as she sat in her corner. “THIS is the American champion? Ha! The Brazilian put up more of a fight,” she thought to herself.
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- Raquel, meanwhile, felt humbled in her corner. The crowds still cheered her on, but she didn’t know if she could beat her opponent. Rayne was living up to her reputation. And to Raquel’s dismay, the bell rang to begin the 3rd round. DING!
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- As soon as the bell rang for the 3rd round, Rayne jumped in to continue Raquel’s punishment. She pummeled the champ, treating her like an amateur.
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- Raquel was manhandled by the challenger. Rayne crumpled her with more body shots, draining her of power and energy.
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- Finally, Rayne got bored and decided to finish off the champion. She reached in and dropped her with a hard right fist. Raquel’s legs turned to jelly and collapsed beneath her. With a loud thud, the Foxy Boxing Champion hit the canvas in defeat.
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- Raquel Balboa gave in to Rayne’s power and rested on the mat. Rayne circled her, daring her to get back up. And the count began.
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- “1… 2…” Raquel lay twisted as she heard the count. Far off into the distance, she also heard a faint chant. “rocky… rocky… rocky…”
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- “3… 4… ” Slowly, the champion stirred. She rolled over and pushed herself up, slightly. And the chant sounded louder. “Rocky… Rocky… Rocky…”
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- “5… ” Rayne looked down at the beaten champion. Thus far, this fight had been a cakewalk. She laughed when she saw Raquel trying to rise. “Oh, Rocky… you’re too punch-drunk to know when to give up. Haha!”
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- “6… ” But Raquel didn’t hear her. All she heard was the rising sound of the crowd. She couldn’t believe it. After all this, the fans hadn’t given up on her. She looked out and heard them cry: “ROCKY! ROCKY! ROCKY!”
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- “7… ” Rayne lost interest in her opponent. She mocked the crowd and flexed her bicep for them to admire. “This is what strength and power looks like!”
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- “8… ” And behind her, Rocky rose to her feet. By the count of 9, she was standing. “9… DING!” And lucky for her, the round ended right at the 9-count. Rocky was saved by the bell once more.
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- Rayne stood confidently in her corner. She looked across the ring at her bleeding opponent and smirked. “I will end this now. I’ve grown tired of your champion.”
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- Raquel took advantage of the break and gathered her strength. All around her was the chant, “ROCKY! ROCKY! ROCKY!” And Raquel harnessed the crowd’s enthusiasm, faith, and support. Despite her beating, she felt a surge of adrenaline flow through her veins. And the 4th round began. DING!
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- Rayne swarmed in on Raquel, looking to put her down quickly. But this time, the champ was ready. She blocked the blows and stayed out of her challenger’s range.
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- And then, using her new-found adrenaline, Raquel caught her opponent square on the chin with a hard right hook. Rayne felt the blow knock her head back and she was stunned.
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- Raquel didn’t give her a chance to register the turn of events and slammed heavy fists into her unprotected belly. Rayne now felt herself short of breath as the champ continued to work her over. And the crowd’s chants grew even louder. “ROCKY! ROCKY! ROCKY!”
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- For the first time in her career, Rayne found herself on the receiving end of an epic beatdown. Raquel went to work, knocking the powerhouse senseless. Blow after blow came down on Rayne’s head.
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- And Raquel took no chance with giving Rayne a moment to recuperate. With the last ounce of her strength, Raquel Balboa lunged in with a cracking right fist that sent Rayne backwards, where she flopped over on the canvas.
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- Rayne rolled over to her side and then ceased to stir. Raquel, meanwhile, felt her legs go unsteady and she leaned back on the ropes for support. And the count began. “1… 2… 3… “
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- Rayne… the woman who had dominated champions around the world, now lay broken at the feet of Raquel Balboa. “4… 5… “
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- Raquel couldn’t believe it. Rayne wasn’t stirring. After the tremendous beating Rocky had endured, she was still standing. And the chants of “ROCKY!” kept her as steady as the ropes she leaned on. “6… 7… 8… “
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- Rayne did not stir. She remained crumpled and defeated on the canvas. “9… 10! DING! DING!” Finally… her reign had ended.
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- “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN… THE WINNER OF THE MATCH, BY KNOCKOUT IN THE FOURTH ROUND… AND STILL FOXY BOXING CHAMPION… RAQUEL ‘ROCKY’ BALBOA!” The crowd was wild on its feet. She had done it! Raquel Balboa had ended her career with her undefeated streak intact! Despite all odds against her, she stood victorious against the challenge of Rayne.
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- Raquel Balboa held her championship belt up high. Her career was over and had ended with the greatest victory of her career. Despite the pain she felt, Rocky was ecstatic. She had lived up to the title of ‘Legend’.
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- Finally, Raquel ‘Rocky’ Balboa left the ring, her belt tight around her waist. As she left the ring, the crowd continued cheering for her and stood up in her honor. Her story had come to an end.
B.A.B.E. 