Posted by Simguy on 5/16/2008, 12:08 pm.

Before: “To be honest,” Cobie shrugs in preflight, “I’m not that impressed by Yvonne. I had just as good a rookie year with the Mountees, and who knows? If they’d kept it together, I would probably be ranked and challenging for belts now: I don’t think Yvonne has shown that kind of potential. That’s what makes this such a good opportunity: I’m gonna pop blondie’s bubble and get back on track--all at once!”

Yvonne non-plussed-combative on the platform, “I love it when girls talk about how things could have been, or IF only--yadda yadda yadda. The truth is--and this is going to hard to hear Cobie--you’re a bikini and gloves--that’s it. Girl like me use girls like you every day to get what we want. It’s just in this case, everyone’s going to see it.”

Black bikini with pink-orchid print; black gloves for Cobie, Yvonne in white athletic bikini with belted bottoms; white gloves.

During R1: Hard right catching Cobie staring: Smulders on her heels, hands outstretched, sputtering as Yvonne cleans up, Strahovski pasting the Smulders ribcage--carving in under the breast-line with palms-up chops that turn over palm-down on follow through, Cobie beaten to far ropes, covering up earmuff: Yvonne jabbing her with lefts, then skidding the right uppercut off Cobie’s hairline as she’s stooping forward. Smulders firming late, engaging Yvonne in torrid hook-trade: Strahovski forced to back off. Blistering stuff--heaving chests and seething expressions all around at the bell.

R2: Cobie gets her jab going--always her strong suit: she touches Yvonne firmly  about her cheeks, knocking back blonde head. Strahovski stalking patiently: by the minute mark she’s edged her way in close enough to back on Cobie’s ribcage with chopping rips. Smulders grimacing, covering up, backing away: Yvonne forward strong to take the round away late, punishing Smulders along the ropes.

R3: Better round for Cobie. She works behind the left jab, keeping right hand at her cheek, pushing off that back (right) big toe, Yvonne frowning at tuff face-spank: she’s trying to weave her way in close, but Cobie’s footwork has the answers. Good boxing fundamentals from Smulders, sticking and shifting left to keep blonde at range.

R4: First minute, Cobie elects to punch-with: tall girls shafting out straight rights and lefts, scoring against determined faces. Smulders gives ground, Yvonne walking her down, continuing to put straight lefts and rights together. Second minute--Yvonne landing hard right hands clean on chin--now moving Cobie’s head violently, buckling her knees. Smulders forlorn, backpedaling, but Yvonne cutting off the ring, hammering her torso with relish, then clubbing away with swatting blows as distance decreases. Down the stretch, Yvonne bouncing Cobie off ropes, walking her down, beating her up. Vicious left hook takes Cobie n under her right breast: she shouts in pain, sits into ropes, arms immediately crossing against her midsection. Yvonne leans in sleek right cross, cleanly chin-checking Cobie, turning her parallel to rope and dropping her to all fours at the bell.

R5: Cobie routed: Yvonne surging forward, ears pinned back, teeth bared--blonde just wailing away now, Cobie stumbling backwards, hitting ropes in disarray, sliding along ropes under thrashing lefts and rights. Yvonne humming along--striding in with her shits pitching wise from the hips, leaning in on right hands,. Give Cobie credit--she keeps her feet despite murderous punishment to her ribs, flanks and clean connects on her chin. Brunette blocking just enough, reeling away just enough to keep herself upright. Huge 10-8 Yvonne without the knockdown: she turns away at the bell, pumping her fist in hard-won satisfaction.

R6: Another two minutes of steady blonde pursuit: Yvonne just walking a shabby Cobie Smulders down, working her over with hard-working lefts and rights whenever Smulders stops moving. Down the stretch, Cobie halts the free-fall with a hook out of nowhere: catching Yvonne a clean clout to chin as blonde’s wading in. STRAHOVSKI’S STUNNED! Yvonne on her heels, eyes wide with astonishment: Cobie coaxing herself over to offense, backs Strahovski up with pumping lefts and rights amidships. Round finishes up with Yvonne’s back to the topes for the first time--blonde absorbing pay-back punishment at the bell.

R7: Cobie knocking savagely at Yvonne’s face that crisp, stiff jab: blonde backpedaling, clearly disrupted by classy poke. Smulders wading forward, sweeping right hands wide to the ribcage just below jig: Yvonne barking in pain, backing away with hands low. Final minute a bitter slugfest as Cobie jabs Yvonne to the ropes then goes at her with the intention of polishing up a shutout: Strahovski digs down, out hustles Cobie underneath as the girls swap hup-hup body blows to the bell. AND BEYOND! Ref has to intercede as slugging doesn’t stop.

R8: Yvonne can box; she finally works the jab, punching Cobie’s face back for a change. Both girls poised to jab, swiveling to the left after throwing--spotting poke to belly and face while parrying incoming stick with the right hand. Slower pace, methodical work: both girls are banged up and tired, just trying to impose will here. Eyes glaring, lips curled back from teeth: vixens intense, competitive through 8.

R9: Slowly but surely, Yvonne outboxes Cobie all around the ring. Girls exchanging jabs at range--then Smulders will step away to regroup, having got the worst of it. Strahovski eyes narrowed, taking canvas away, being the aggressor: she’s hooking off the jab, dropping right hands, starting to throw with authority again. YVONNE GETS HURT! Late the round, Strahovski clipped a clean hook coming in--then another as Cobie doubles up sweet: Smulders over to offense, teeth bared. Tomahawking right caroms off Yvonne’s left temple, nearly sending her down--she clatters into ropes, hands low, face destitute. Cobie pouring in, pounding Yvonne a right cross--tossing blonde head hard to starboard--Yvonne’s elbows out to either side as she eats. Strahovski proves sturdy, she takes a terrific beating to the bell--Cobie unleashing both barrels, but unable to get Yvonne off her feet. Bell: Yvonne swaying on the spot, busted up: Cobie exhausted, bellowing into blonde’s face until ref takes a hand.

R10: Yvonne doubles a jab between Cobie’s raised mitts, punching puffy face back: Strahovski steps left, scowling. Cobie inches forward, dukes cheek-high: again Yvonne doubles up on poke--pounding away up the middle; again Yvonne steps away. Hook from Yvonne--partially blocked--but she escapes the receipt with a swinging pivot left. Hard right hand up top, Yvonne: Cobie blocks it but takes a merciless hook in her tummy that immediately bunches her up. Yvonne quickly forward: swinging sidearm right hand takes Cobie’s face as she’s leaning forward. Cobie groggy, turning to font-up: Yvonne leans in, kisses her a gorgeous right cross to chin and COBIE THUNDERS TO HER BACK! Sickening whack--punch pounding Cobie’s head aside, immediately closing her eyes and relaxing her body--feet stay rooted to one spot as her torso topples sideways, hitting shoulder first, then rolling to back in repose. Ref immediately waving this thing off: KO10 Yvonne Strahovski.

After: Yvonne glaring down, staggering slightly: she’s pushed to the brink tonight once Cobie shook the rust off. Great back-and-forth scrap--Smulders denying Yvonne a knockout in the fifth, only to grant her satisfaction in the 20th. “Ask her if she’s impressed now,” a disheveled Yvonne tells reporters post fight.

Reposted by Archer 1/25/11.