Midway through Emily Klinefelter’s ninth professional fight, her opponent’s nose burst and streamed rose-red blood.

Rounds of unblocked jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts from the fists of the Iowa City native took their toll on Lakeysha Williams.

It didn’t matter that Williams had more professional fight experience than Klinefelter. It didn’t matter that Williams had once been a world title contender.

Not even Williams’ weight and reach advantage were sufficient in keeping the fight close.

Six three-minute rounds of one-sided action left Williams with a blood-stained shirt and swollen face.

Although Klinefelter didn’t escape without her share of bruises, she did win every round of the fight.

Her performance achieved a victory by unanimous decision Nov. 13 at the Fall Brawl at the Johnson County Fairgrounds.

"I like to really get on top of someone and just put pressure on," said Klinefelter, a UI alumna.

"[Williams] didn’t hold at all. A lot of girls will hold when you put them on the ropes like that. We just went at it, and she seemed content to fight on the inside."

Characteristic of Klinefelter and every other fight she’s dominated, her smothering, frenetic style of boxing was too much for Williams to handle. Klinefelter spent the majority of her time in the ring stabbing at Williams — trying to break through the defensive shell.

"Even halfway through the first round, Emily [Klinefelter] just had her in a corner and was dominating, and [Williams] did not know what to do fighting off her heels," sister Katy Klinefelter said. "After the first half of the first round I knew she was going to win. I knew it might take a while, but I knew she was going to win."

Emily Klinefelter attacked relentlessly. And with few counterpunches from her opponent and little body or feet movement, she was able to unload power shots without much of a chase.

"I expected [Williams] to bring a lot more to the table," Katy Klinefelter, 23, said. "I was really surprised that she didn’t know what to do when she was going backwards. In all of her previous fights, she’s the one going forward and backing the other person up. But when you switched it around on her, she didn’t know what to do."

Going into the Fall Brawl, Emily Klinefelter, 26, said this fight would play a significant role in determining the future of her boxing career. A loss resulting in a possible career re-examination. A win possibly resulting in a leap to prominence on the main stage of women’s boxing.

"Emily [Klinefelter] proved that she’s a world-class athlete," said Adam Pollack, Emily Klinefelter’s trainer. "[Williams] has been competing on a world-class level for a decade."

Although Emily Klinefelter has yet to book her next match, her future seems bright.

"Next show we do, we’ll try to get someone more of a up-and-comer girl," Emily Klinefelter said. "Hopefully, a girl with a winning record."

Katy Klinefelter remains undefeated

Katy Klinefelter also won in the Fall Brawl.

The UI senior’s experience proved to be a devastating advantage over Jessica Wilson, who competed in her pro début.

Two minutes and two knockdowns into the fight, referee Gilbert Richardson was forced to step into the ring and pull Katy Klinefelter off Wilson.

"[Wilson] looked way more athletic than I did," Katy Klinefelter said. "She came in five pounds heavy, but it was mostly muscle. There were a couple [punches] that whiffed by my nose and I was like, ‘Better keep my hands up a little bit better.’ But once I started connecting and finding openings, I felt pretty comfortable."