Posted by Simguy on 12/10/2001, 6:59 am.

Before: Kreuk needling and prodding Claire like an old pro in pre-fight, goading the blonde an every opportunity in hopes of getting Danes to fight angry. Last time out, Claire seriously underestimated the silky brunette, fought big the entire and got sliced up. The adjustments are clear—up to Danes to acknowledge the necessary and act accordingly. Claire in black bikini, gold strings, Kristin in pink string bikini.

During R1: Danes determined to take back the jab in this fight, own the distance between the two fighter—she comes out pumping stick, stepping left, not biting on Kreuk’s invitations to wade on in. Kris forced to make the fight a little bit as Danes hangs back—brunette face feels blonde wrath as Claire stamps away to good effect. Down the stretch, long armed Danes combinations swish over top the ducking Kreuk. But Claire stays on her comes back with a clanging left hook on the temple and KREUK GOES DOWN! Momentarily dazed, Kreuk staggers back and plops to a seat—she’s up and woozy, running Claire at the bell.

R2: Claire anxious to finish—but Kreuk gets her faculties together and victimizes blonde aggression. Danes head hunting with power shots—Kreuk making the read, slipping underneath, and dragging her counter punches into Danes’ lean torso with disdainful ease. Kreuk sidestepping, Claire overswinging, off balance—brunette jumps in to pump sack with several clubbing right hands—hoping to stoke blonde temper to “boil”.

R3: Claire controls her emotions, goes back to the jab, maintaining her distance—it’s working. Kreuk trying to slip her way inside, but getting intercepted by the stick and banged backwards by hard crosses or hooks from the limber-limbed blonde,. Kris put wobbly butt at the end of the first minute from a clean right across her mouth—she’s hurt, uncertain, and getting touched up as Danes keeps the jab on, Midway through, Kreuk’s face starts to lump as Claire’s heartless accuracy continues, and a smooth double-jab, right hand on the jaw has Kreuk goose-stepping. Claire stepping back as Kris stumbles forward to clinch and NAILING the brunette a spearing right on the mouth, ducking in and down on follow through, Kris corkscrewing into the mat, can’t get off her knees—KO3 Claire Danes.

After:  Danes lets all the pent up aggression flow in post fight, jumping around the ring, climbing the ropes—celebration bespeaks some of the hidden anxiety surrounding this fight. Kreuk woozy, face blank and puffy, sits on her stool to be examined—she got hit a lot, got hit hard from a very measured, professional Claire Danes tonight, “I don’t want to hear anything about a Kreuk/Danes rivalry,” warns Claire, “This girl is NOT in my league and I don’t want to see her name next to mine in any of your columns.”

Reposted by Archer 12/5/09.