So for a change of pace, and I don't want this to become a power levels argument, isn't there a worthwhile argument to be made for Rebecca not being as weak as most assume? I'm not good at predicting winners for things like this, though somehow I've managed so far, but while I initially assumed Cavendish would win his first round and lose his second, this chapter is making me think twice. I feel she should win to piss the crowd off more; that losing already would please and appease the crowd's hate before it has a chance to soak in. Or another way of asking the initial question, isn't it possible we are overestimating Cabbage? I'll bullet list this out to get things started:
I initially wrote Cabbage off when he said he "made it this far without exerting effort" or whatever. I figured he'd win his first round only; he's just begging to be humiliated.
His clash with Forehead only shows us that his status isn't just for show, while making his eventual match more interesting / challenging.
Most importantly, in the same chapter that Luffy very easily takes down a conflicted* Rebecca, he very casually stops** Cabbage in his tracks.
Regarding the match commentaries, Cabbage knew who Lucy was, Rebecca did not. Her shock and Cabbage's lack thereof shouldn't be compared.
Dialog backs up that Rebecca wasn't attacking Luffy seriously.
** Cabbage appears to be very serious when attacking Luffy, yet Luffy stops his sword thrust with his bare hands.
For me it's basically Barto vs Bellamy all over again. One had beaten a VA when the other was a redeemed villain for most people. Skill-wise things seemed to be in favor of Barto when seeing Bellamy win was suppose to be him having evolve and having a chance to show it to the Doflamingo family. Bartolomeo was a nobody(new character) and had a lower bounty. But Barto still won in the end.
Cabbage was pretty much the same as Barto and Rebecca is basically a second Bellamy. The difference is Cavendish strength has been shown told and shown to us as much as his funny goal of killing all the supernova. He's is obsessed of killing the rookies from two years ago and that's make him funny but at the same time he is the fruitless swordsman wielding Durandal. Seeing such a man in the New World is nice view and having survive in the NW for 3 years should be proof enough of his strength and his a good measurement of those successful in the NW.
Rebecca by her wish of not being protected anymore also need to show the audience and the readers that she can do some stuff in her own. But it's important to not forget that her true goal isn't in the Coliseum. The coliseum is just suppose to give her a way to help the toy soldier. She can do just that later on in the factory which happen to be underneath her. Fighting one of Dofla minions down there will be more meaningful as she'll be able to show the toy soldier how much her strength and resolution have gone.
In the meantime she will either have win block D (without beating Caven) or will force Cavendish to recognize her strength on a one-on-one after they both had their share of great looking fodder. By that point she will have strengthen her will (she was crying at the start and will probably be hesitant at the start since she's not use to hurt people) and show us her strength(beating someone like Damask is enough for her to earn credit) especially by being one of the two last standing person.
So yeah I'm still saying that Rebecca will show her strength for sure but definitely not by beating Cavendish.
I hope I didn't make it a power level discussion.