Posted by simguy on 11/14/2008

Before: "I wasn't ripping Summer," an exasperated Seyfriend says in prefight, once again defending her oft-quoted BLONDE! magazine interview. "I just think that when you get a chance to go with Eliza Dushku, you need to be ready and give it your best - and I think Summer quit a little bit. I still think Summer's a good fighter, but I also think Eliza brought out Glau's true colours, and let's be honest - it was kind of a pale shade of yellow. I'm sorry, that's just what it looked like." Glau calm, but smoldering in rebuttal. "I wanted to challenge myself with Eliza, and I found out she was every bit as good as I thought she'd be. So what? I'll work on my game, try her again next year, and the year after that - and I promise you: I'll reel her in eventually. And if Amanda thinks I 'quit' when I got caught in the body by Eliza's right - I'd like to see HER take that punch and get up. I just think Seyfried needs to tune Lindsay out and focus on her own game - and hold the comments on other people's fights until she knows what she's talking about." Amanda in white bandeau with asymmetrical top sporting silver dots and white trunks tied on the right hip; white gloves. Summer in midnight blue bikini with sport-cut top, thin bra-straps and satin finish; white gloves.

During R1: Patient start - girls at midring, dukes up, ranging-in. Amanda punching freely - good thumping jab, followed by strong right crosses. Glau blocking on her mitts, rotating torso to move her head - she gauges Amanda's power throughout first minute, gently stepping left to turn Seyfried. Second minute, Glau's made her reads: she slips a Seyfried one-two with a cute shoulder-roll, then comes back a short, stamping straight right to Amanda's mouth - PUNCHING SEYFRIED TO HER GLUTES! Amanda scooting to a stop, eyes wide in astonishment: Glau glaring down as she strides past, face impassive. Final minute clean-up-by-the-numbers for Glau: she works Amanda's flanks and midsection over at the ropes as Seyfried covers up to take.

R2: Amanda aggressive early - initiating action midring, punching freely with both hands. Seyfried relatively compact, punching from her shoulders, turning her hips/shoulders into her shots: pretty good form. Glau calm - blocking and rolling, sidestepping left to make Amanda move her feet. Summer a little too patient - she's unharmed here, but outworked as Amanda keeps up a steady output while Sum looks for the perfect right hand counter. Result: shutout Amanda.

R3: Summer unpacks the jab: life gets harder for Amanda. Seyfried under pressure for the first time - covering up at her temples, bending at the waist, trying to evade Glau's stiff poke. Summer scowling as she works, pumping the left hand at Amanda, then turning on thick right crosses - keeping Seyfried at bay. Money punch for Glau is a hardhearted left hook slung wide in behind Amanda's right elbow: good thumping wallops shake Seyfried's legs, wobbling her repeatedly. Amanda grimacing, stiffening under Glau's patient assault: blonde output plummets as brunette assumes command midring.

R4: Summer brings Amanda to her knees with left hooks to the liver: cringing, slow descent for Seyfried. Glau maybe a little too patient on follow up: she's got Amanda crippled, really pain-wracked - Sum keeps up steady pursuit, but never shifts into overdrive. Result is a thumping beatdown for Amanda, driving her all around the ring and punishing her torso and arms - but leaving her upright and with wheels still serviceable. Glau strutting somewhat - chin up: she's beating Amanda up at this point.

R5: Amanda shies away from Glau's thumping left jab: Summer walks her down. Second minute - left hooks smashing off liver have Amanda wilting, cringing forward: Summer triggers that nasty, short right hand to chin, neatly dropping Seyfried to all fours. Crisp, clinical punching from Glau - almost freakishly accurate, and very heavy handed: Summer pretty devastating when her feet are set and she's getting off first. Seyfried struggles up, beats the counter weepy-eyed: Summer closes, administers another systematic drubbing at the ropes that piles on punishment, but never threatens to end Amanda's night. Glau impassive back to her corner: she's a very focused young fighter, despite the big lead and a sagging opponent.

R6: Summer continues to stalk her foe, touch her up, hook her body, and dominate Amanda all around the ring. Seyfried always cringing, grimacing in pain: Summer's thump to the liver has blonde paralyzed, backing up. Summer's jab in complete control of the situation: Seyfried usually huddled forward, backing away rather than trying to break Glau's jab down. Final minute sees textbook Summer: softening barrage of crisp, clouting lefts and rights shakes Amanda's torso, brings her hands down. Summer twitches in a single straight, jolting right, checking Amanda to chin, turning her to her right and dropping her to her knees at the bell.

R7: THIS is why you need to close out hurt prey: Amanda firms, starts stroking back in anger. Glau catching a right on her chin; a pair of hooks in her ribs: she backs up, lifting a right uppercut against left side of Amanda's head, then trades hooks to jug. Seyfried sniveling - she's badly banged up, but combative here - pressing her way forward and punching-with. Midway through, Amanda swipes a big right/left roundhouse combo against Summer's middle: Glau stops punching, has to catch her breath in behind her mitts. Down the stretch, Amanda stepping forward, punching hard on Summer - just bashing away on head/shoulders/torso. Glau grimacing - grimly aware that Amanda's deliberately testing midsection as per Eliza. Bell: girls trade stubby right hands on weary mouths; Amanda doubles up, gets an insurance right hand home to emphatically make the point: this is my round.

R8: Amanda continues to punch strongly - stepping in with her jab, dropping the right hand straight off her shoulder. Glau facing into blows - blinking when smote: Summer's output dropping as Amanda beats Glau to punches. Seyfried cautiously coming forward as Summer loses exchanges: blonde looking more hopeful, peppier, but staying compact and on form. Midway through, girls trade right hands - Amanda's lands cleaner to mouth; clean up hook from Seyfried swivels Summer's head; extra right hand punches Summer's head straight back and PUTS HER ON HER KEISTER! Summer bedraggled, suddenly shopworn: Amanda jogs past all excited, buoyed by Glau's collapse. Sum beats the count, sags into ropes, covers up at her temples: Amanda's turn to square away and clean up on hurting opposition. Bell: Seyfried leaps away smiling huge, almost giddy: Glau grimacing, but expression not altogether different than when she was winning.

R9: Summer punches Amanda into compliance via the jab: brunette scoring to blonde face, retaking initiative. Seyfried brave - standing in front of Sum, trying to punch-with: pretty to see girls in conventional stances, getting off with straight rights and lefts, scoring heavily upon each other in very orderly trading. Glau's jab the big difference - she's able to get the extra touch with it, or step around when she wants to move Seyfried's feet, dictating terms to blonde.

R10: More of that straight punching, flat-footed, earnest trading: girls eyes-wide, concentrating on maintaining form, getting off on-tempo. AMANDA HURTS SUMMER! Orderly punching - Seyfried pounding a strong right hand through to Summer's chin, buckling Glau's knees. Summer's eyes suddenly dewy: she's rocked, stepping away wobbly-butt as Amanda gives frisky chase. Glau hounded to ropes: she covers up earmuff, suffering as Amanda digs into ribs with both hands swinging, then mops up hooks-on-jug. Glau bending forward at the waist, then easing back into ropes - slow torso movement keeping her head safe, but Amanda's cleaning up every square inch of ribcage she can find. All Seyfried to the bell - she stays on Summer, beating her with muscular, short, clubbing lefts and rights until ref pulls her off. Comes back one point duke - Summer Glau!

AFTER: Glau impassive - badly hurt; not wanting to show Amanda any weakness. Seyfried stunned at the announcement: plucky blonde makes her move just a little too late to overcome Summer's big lead. Pundits giving Amanda credit here: she was outclassed, but found a way to be competitive, and may well have been the stronger lass late. Nice fight - both girls able to fight at a comfortable tempo, arrange their feet under them and get off with firm - if a little robotic - punching. Lots of positive take-aways for both girls.