"GREEN LANTERN" FILM PREMIERE EVENT

Posted by Jeri's Knockouts on 6/17/2011, 1:53 am

“This is my summer to shine, and I intend to own every moment of it,” Blake Lively proudly proclaims with great bravado on the eve of her blockbuster movie premiere, “What better way than to kick it off with a fight against the woman I admire most in the FCBA? Oh, don't worry... It’ll be a nice, clean, friendly match, but it’ll still be my showcase – Ali’s going to see, and feel, firsthand just what I’m capable of.” Clear objective of Lively's to take up the mantle as Jeri Ryan’s successor, both in form and as the standard-bearer in the stable hierarchy – and how does Ali respond to being used as a stepping stone? Cattily, but with more magnanimity than one might expect from someone who’s the target of such obvious ambitions – “Blake’s come a long way in the last eight months under our management. She’s still got quite a ways to go, but I’m happy for her, especially now that she’s effectively been pressed into service as Kelly Brook’s replacement. If nothing else, this will be a good test of where her skills stand… But that doesn’t mean I’m just going to lay down for her. Believe me… if Jeri’s who she’s molding herself after, she’s in for a rough time. Count on it.” Bout is fought catchweight at 130 – Black bikini and gloves for Blake, hair tangly and loose. Ali in gold bikini, black gloves, curls loose.

During R1: Smart, tactical stuff in the opening stanza as the ladies circling each other in midring – punch count’s not overly high, nothing too wild, but Landry and Lively both connect accurately when they choose to engage. Ali trying to establish herself behind a jab, but she’s getting beaten as Blake comes over it and kisses her mouth and chin each time with stiff right cross. Every now and then Lively will follow the cross up with a rangy left hook to Ali’s belly or ribs, and Landry will trade with her own palm-down hook to Blake’s flank or the side of her head… Brunette’s getting good torque behind her punch, really hammering the blonde when it lands, but Blake’s not fazed, either countering immediately or stepping back to regroup before pressing at Ali again. Lively narrowly takes the round from Landry with slightly more work and good ring control.

R2: Ali’s trying to negotiate her way inside, but she’s running into Blake’s jab at every turn. Lively’s poke is stiff and accurate, repeatedly catching Landry good to her cheek or mouth, snapping the brunette’s head back with its force. One minute in, Blake punches Ali out of her stance with two more left jabs, then leans into a sliding right, turning her shoulder with it, finding all of Ali’s chin and LANDRY GOES DOWN! Ali’s dropped onto her back in a heartbeat by a solid right cross, hands at her chest as she tries to shake it off – blonde saunters past her fallen opponent, gloves raised in victory as the brunette shakes her head, trying to figure out what just hit her! Ali recovers well, rolling over and pushing herself up at 8, steels herself as Blake comes at her, hungry for a knockout. Landry’s on her bicycle, using the ring legging away from Lively as the blonde tries to land another cross – every time Blake manages to cut her off and trap her against the ropes, Ali’s able to cover up and tie her opponent up, clinching to force a break. On and on like this as Landry runs down the clock – Ali uses all of her savvy and experience to deny a frustrated Blake her finishing run and escape from a scary situation.

R3: Blake’s jab continues to cause Ali problems – Lively’s really banging away with it now, pounding Landry’s face with it every chance she gets, crisp connects genuinely harming the brunette. Ali’s disrupted by the constant fire, unable to execute as she’d like to – she’s trying to set up her own jab but frequently getting preempted by Blake, and when she does land it’s usually with less effect. Blake’s moving her feet well, working angles to try and exploit openings in Ali’s defense whenever she can find them – she’s often doubling up her left or following up with a right to the stomach or flank, drawing winces or soft whines of pain from Landry. Steady stream of little bites adds up as the round draws on – fight slowly migrates from midring to the ropes as Blake takes more and more canvas from Ali. Closing moments – Blake’s backed Ali up to the ropes, punches open her guard and UNLEASHES, pounding brunette jugs with furious crisscross mugging. Landry’s openmouthed in shock, cringing and helpless as her rack is ransacked. Ali’s blinking back tears, scowling as the bell rings – she clearly wasn’t expecting this kind of fight from her younger protégé through 3.

R4: Ali’s making adjustments – she’s protecting herself better against Blake’s jab, bending and blocking to escape harm’s way. Lively’s cross is becoming more predictable as she goes for that knockout right, but without the left to set it up, it’s not there; Landry’s parrying the straight punch, batting it away as she repeatedly exploits the opening the blonde’s defenses… Ali’s able to get in close and apply hard leather to Blake’s midsection. Blonde grimaces as she tries to tie her opponent up, tries to punch Ali back into the outside, but can’t – fourth round sees Blake retreating for the first time as Landry gets her foothold in Lively’s trunks.

R5: More relentless work from Ali. Landry’s reading Lively well, slipping the blonde’s jab or preempting it with her own, taking it away from her younger foe as she once again takes the fight to the inside. Furious punching from Ali as she leans into fight mouth on shoulder, swiping at Blake’s torso with both fists, occasionally getting in an odd uppercut to snap at her tits, and overall making the younger woman feel her weight. Lively’s clinching when she can, punching back at Landry when she can’t, but the pattern’s the same as the scene repeats itself across all minutes – Blake’s forced to trade on Ali’s terms, and under those conditions, comes in a decisive second behind the experienced veteran.

R6: Ali continues to come straight in, looking to maraud at Blake’s midsection, while Blake doubles down on the jabs and straight right that won her the opening rounds, and lands with effect. The cost is high for Ali – her face is getting busted up by Blake’s stick, but she’s willing to gamble as she falls in against her younger foe, clawing at her tits and tummy while making Lively feel her weight. Hard slog across these minutes – Ali accepts the punishment, while Blake can’t stop her from paying it back in full. Slow dance in the center of the ring as Lively’s able to tie Landry up in a clinch, forcing a ref’s break before the action repeats itself. Ali narrowly edges out Blake with more work and slightly better connects, but judging by the look of her face at the bell, the brunette should seriously question whether or not the price is worth it.

R7: It’s Blake’s turn to make improvements – tighter form and significantly improved footwork have ruinous effects on Ali’s appearance. Lively’s backpedaling, walking Landry into punches… Ali’s unable to close like she did before, and her visage is badly savaged by the blonde – crisp jabs and stinging right crosses leave both of Landry’s eyes puffy, swollen, and half-closed as the brunette stumbles in pursuit of her quarry. It takes Ali until the final minute before she’s able to cut off the ring – she lunges in and strokes the side of Blake’s head with an overhand right, sending Lively reeling into a corner. Blake is forced to cover up as the fight suddenly becomes Ali’s fight – Lively’s grimacing as Landry piles in, forced to ride it out as her flanks and stomach are tanned by constant punching, along with the occasional swat to her breasts. Decisive showing is enough to steal the round for Ali, but only at the slimmest of margins.

R8: Both ladies mouthbreathing, looking shopworn as they trudge out slowly to meet each other in midring – the brutal attrition and nonstop pace of the previous three rounds are taking their toll. Blake makes first contact, shrugging a left-right combination to Ali’s rack, goading the brunette to retaliate in kind. Mindless two-way punching as the two trade punches to jug, squeals and cries of pain growing louder as they look to humble each other… Lively gives ground, letting Landry come in, walks her into a right uppercut to the chin and ALI’S ROCKED! Brunette’s eyes go glassy as she stumble-steps, trying to recover… gorgeous head-swivel as the blonde hammers her with a slow left hook to her temple… Blake nails her with that right cross, finding all of her chin and ALI GOES DOWN! Landry’s stretched out on her back, gloves above her head and all but out for a moment – Lively roaring down at her fallen opponent as the ref has to body her back to a neutral corner. Ali calling on all her champion’s pride as she pushes herself up at 9, and ON COMES BLAKE! Lively’s giving it everything she’s got to end it, hammering Landry’s ribs with straight lefts and rights, or snapping the brunette’s head back with one murderous blow after another… Either way, Ali’s in full retreat as Blake hounds her across the ring. Final minute sees Landry with her butt in the ropes almost the entire time, tears staining her cheeks as Lively has free reign on her jugs, greedily taking what she wants with crisscrossed muggage to finish what she started this round.

R9: Oh. They. Slam. Away! Both ladies punching-with, Blake committing her reserves to close the deal while Ali desperately tries to turn back the tide: either way, both know someone’s going down this round. Mindless slugging in midring sees both staggered in turn, shaken by clubbing wide punches to the head or bunched up by gouging blows to the tummy. Blake gets stroked by a furious combination to both sides of her jaw, then takes a left-right hook to the flanks before she can retaliate… BLAKE’S WOBBLY BUTT! Ali’s puffy eyes light up with recognition at the sight of her stricken opponent as she pours it on, driving Lively back to the ropes. Blake’s tired, unraveling as Ali’s once again works her way inside – blonde keeps her elbows in, trying to protect herself, but her midsection’s still an inviting target for the brunette, who keeps fitting in hooks to Lively’s ribs and sides… AND LIVELY GOES DOWN! It’s all too much… Blake slides past Ali to sink to all fours, gasping for breath. Lively bravely pushing herself to her feet, clearly out of it but determined to go on… Ali’s on her grimly, pounding her mitts on the Blake’s head and shoulders. Steady beatdown, brunette to blonde – Lively’s wilting under the sustained pressure, but Landry’s constantly shoving her upright, helping herself to more chin and jug to the bell.

R10: Ali’s jab finds its mark, landing unopposed to Blake’s face and breasts – all Lively can do is give ground. Blonde’s back hits the strands and she tries to fight her way out of trouble, but her movements are tired – she’s getting beaten to punches and losing exchanges with the brunette. A left below her elbows bunches Blake up – a right hook finds all of her jaw and LIVELY GOES DOWN! Blake slides off the ropes to her right and collapses face down on the canvas parallel to the ropes, WRECKED by the punch. Ali wearily makes her way to the neutral corner, visibly mouthing for Blake to stay down both for the blonde’s sake and for her own, but LIVELY BEATS THE COUNT! Blake gives it her all, pulling herself to her feet with the ropes at 9, bravely determined to fight on, but she’s got nothing left.

And on comes Ali.

A right uppercut splits Blake’s gloves, takes all of her chin and snaps her head back as her mouthpiece shoots out; she covers up just in time to block a left hook to the side of her head that would’ve otherwise ended her night. Ali salts away hardheartedly, but she’s just as tired as Blake – her punches are heavy, but slow single shots. Lively protects her head well, but Landry repeatedly connects to her midriff and behind her elbows – each time she tries to clinch she’s rudely rejected by Ali, who shoulders her back upright against the strands for more punishment. Blake sobbing openly as Landry wrestles apart her guard and pillages her rack in the final minute – Lively’s long legs tremble, but are able to hold her up as she makes it to the bell. Close UD10 Ali Landry.

After: Tough battle sees both ladies battered and pushed to the brink of ruin, only to come back for more – it’s a shame that there had to be a winner and a loser. Gracious hug from a weary but triumphant Ali to a tearful and equally weary Blake in the latter’s corner – despite the outcome, it’s clear to the teacher that the student has come into her own. “Sure, she lost, but so what?” Ali muses in postfight, “She took the best I had to offer and paid me back in spades – it’s not every day you run into a girl who can claim to have done that. There’s one thing I’m sure of though – she’s tougher than Jeri ever was, or could ever hope to be. She should take pride in that fact.”