Posted by Simguy on 10/19/2001, 6:38 am.

Before: Eliza continuing her baby-steps comeback, selects in Suvari a woman many feel is almost a proxy for Claire Danes. "Mena hasn't had the kind of experience under fire that a Danes has had, but it's a similar look in the ring, maybe some of the same physical tools - it'll be interesting to see how Eliza handles this." Eliza in red leather bikini, Mena in teal floral print athletic bikini.

During R1: Dushku very circumspect, keeping her distance, probing at the defence with her jab downstairs and into the guard. Suvari actually doing the stalking, landing a zesty right hand at the midway point that holds up as the hardest punch of the round. Eliza controls the ring, dictates the pace in a surprisingly tactical first.

R2: Eliza inching closer off her jab, dipping in to hook that belly, but she's still taking no chances, circling to her right, poised to counter as Mena walks her down, dukes up at her eyebrows, just trying to draw a bead. Another Dushku round via ring generalship, but her corner wants her to heat things up and 'get this kid in trouble'.

R3: Mena out the aggressor, laying down a hard straight jab and backing Dushku up early. Suvari conventional, but competent - the jab's an effective point scorer and it's setting up a firm right cross that Dushku's only partially rolling with. Midway through, things get serious: Dushku slips a Suvari right, but stands up pretty for a whippy left on the chin and ELIZA IS HURT! Mena lathering away with both arms churning, beats a damaged Dushku to the ropes as the crowd goes wild. Eliza busted up in the mouth, bobbing and weaving madly, makes Suvari miss half a dozen lefts and rights as she rolls her shoulders rapidly side to side, then mounts a counter. Dushku all recovered, ducks under Suvari swings and comes up with biting digs to the rib cage, backing Mena up with short lefts and rights. Midring, Eliza comes off the body, popping up out of a crouch with a scorching hook to unhinge Suvari's legs and MENA starts to reel! Dushku hops to her right, sinks in a double-pump hook on the belly, then bends into a curling overhand right that snaps Suvari's head around. Mena out on her feet, falls into Eliza as Dushku sidesteps, allowing the blonde to sprawl insensate on the canvas. KO3 Eliza Dushku.

After: Suvari wakes up the sleeping dog, tags Eliza hard enough to get her mad, and the rest is short, violent history. Precursor to an eventual Danes showdown? Hard to say - Claire probably gets up from an early flooring like this.

Thanks to Apollo for this repost.

Archer 10/21/09.