Posted by Simguy on 5/2/2008, 7:09 am.

Before; “There’s not enough of Jennifer left to give me any real competition,” Lilly says philosophically in preflight. “I understand why she wants to keep trying--she’s a great fighter, a proud fighter, and it’s got to be hard for he to watch me eclipsing her--but I’m not just a better fighter than Jen Connelly: I’m a better fighter than Jennifer’s EVER been. I know she thinks she can pull even with me the way she did with Eliza, but that’s never going to happen. If she keeps challenging my fists--she’s going to retire sooner than she thinks.” Connelly stung: relations between the two brunette powerhouses have always been cordial, but Lilly wants more respect now that Jen can give. “Eliza proved that Lilly’s human,” Jennifer answers in measured tones. “Lilly’s beatable, and the truth is, I don’t think she’s necessarily in the historic company she seems to think she is. I’m headed for the Hall of Fame: Evangeline’s got a whole lot of fighting to do before she seriously consider saying that.” Evangeline in green bikini top/pink bottoms; small black workout gloves; hair in messy beach bun. Jennifer in black bikini’; small black workout gloves; slick black battle braid.

R1: Jen upright, pumping out the left jab, stepping let around it. Connelly doing a good job staying tall, keeping her distance--basic boxing mid ring keeping Lilly outsider. Evangeline upright--right hand at right cheek, left across her gut as she dips and bobs and weaves, looking to negotiate her way inside.

R2: Jen steppin’ right, walks E into a short, crunching right on the chin--Connelly leaning in close and detonating if clean: Lilly’s rocked. Strapping follow up as Jen follows Evangeline’s retreat--licking hooks to those sturdy ribs. Middle minute sees Evangeline stabilize--jabbing and hooking out of a sturdy crouch at the apron, steadily denying Jennifer’s closing runs. Final minute, crisp exchange of short rights inside puts Connelly on her heels: Lilly hops forward, hooking Jen to jaw and it’s Connelly’s turn to backpedal. Lilly forward in a sluggers crouch--walking barrage of lefts and rights chasing Jen to far ropes: Connelly covers up earmuff, stopping forward behind her mitts. Lilly goes to work: vicious rising right taking Jen in her stomach; gouging hook digging in behind Jen’s right elbow; crisp left uppercut skidding off the top of Jen’s head as she’s bending forward.

R3: Hard-punching exchanges early: Jennifer determined to get respect Eliza-style. Even trade--Connelly gradually turns boxer, featuring her left jab while turning Lilly clockwise midring. Evangeline goes back to bob and weave--negotiating Connelly’s educated poke: Jennifer able to control distance, dictate terms, pockets at a tactical third.

R4: Steady pressure from Evangeline--she hounds Jennifer around the ring bell to bell, Connelly leggy, never letting Lilly set up on her : Jen piecing out the jab, feinting and changing directions to shake the pursuit. Lilly showing respect--not rushing in reckless: dukes generally up around the temples as she’s encroaching--going to right hand up/left across the gut whenever Lilly switches weight to the back (right) leg. No sustained punishment, but Lilly scoring some lovely spanking right/lefts loud off Jennifer’s waist or ribcage at times--just before Jen can lope away from trouble.

R5: Lilly constantly working her way in closer, closer--jabbing out of her earmuff, weaving her head stepping in on Jen and cutting off the ring. Takes a minute, but Evangeline finally lands a clanging right upside Jen’s head, shaking Connelly’s legs, knocking her into the ropes, Jen shook--goes earmuff/butt in ropes: Evangeline plants on left (front) foot to RIP hooks up underneath, Horrid punches--ringsiders shouting out on reflex: poor Connelly baring clenched teeth as she chokes back on screams. Lilly hops to her right, belting Jen right hands up underneath--then it’s back to the left--digging it in under Jen’s right elbow. Final minute--Connelly numbed, tilting forward behind her mitts: Evangeline just going at her foe with humming vigor, Rights and lefts curl up into ribcage and breasts--pump-pump-pumping the breath out Jennifer, leaving her destitute. Connelly’s legs give way--she spills to all fours tremble-bodied with hurt: Lilly steps back, blows a damp curl off her eyes, surveying the damage at the bell.

R6:  Wow--Jennifer comes out and wins the 6th! Throughout the break--Connellyt is lectured about her history with Lilly--how Evangeline always piles on after rounds like the 5th to overwhelm Jen: Connelly simply denying her foe in stubborn fashion, Classy jab--sharp-pivoting footwork the platform, but Jen doing some hard right hand punching in spots as well, Connelly pounding rights over Lilly’s left shoulder, then quick-pivoting to the right to get round-behind Evangeline: Lilly unable to issue receipt--actually gets lumped up a little as she comes forward without profit ads Jen proves a warrior.

R7: HARD punching from Jen. Connelly dominating midring--weight on front (left) leg--pounding out her jab, then committing on hard right crosses drilling away up the middle. Lilly frowning--she can’t penetrate and when she DOES come forward--Jen’s sidestepping her way Eliza had. Connelly working to her left around her jab, but changing distance once in awhile to get an angle for right hands: she’s scoring crosses a shimmy at the midway point--she’s soaking up right crosses at an alarming rate, giving away ring position as Jen romps to the bell.

R8: Lilly slowing--she’s putting right hand either side of her head to block, keeping the left across her gut--but she’s not doing any punching. Jennifer VERY comfortable in there--rotating clockwise around a merciless jab, pounding away at Lilly’s left eye. Lancing right hands pour in over Lilly’s left shoulder, crashing into her jaw, moving her head. Hooks? Jen’s got ‘em--featuring the punch to Lilly’s fabled midsection while pivoting left, turning Evangeline’s right flank. Jen extending on her punches, getting her back and legs into them--she’s releasing at will, battering Lilly midring. Evangeline SO sturdy, but this is without question one of the worst three minutes if her life. Jennifer Connelly empties both barrels, reloads, and empties ‘em again in applying coats of shellack to a dazed, busted up and stupefied champion. Bell: Jennifer’s nostrils flaring, colour high--she’s just pounded out a 10-8 round without a knockdown, sending Lilly wobbly-butt and sullen to her corner.
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R9: Jennifer a little gassed; Lilly rallying shaking off punishment and proving super-durable, Lilly walking Jen down, ducking the jab, hopping in close with jabs and short hooks iof her own: she’s able to fight off Jen’s chest, engaging taller girl inside,. Connelly keeping mitts at temples, leaning in head-on-head with Evangeline--Jen just trying to crowd, deny Lilly any home runs. Lilly happy to hit singles--digging into Jennifer’s tummy and torso, rubbing and bumping her head and shoulders in syncopation with her punching. Connelly nibbling little left or right uppercuts out of her earmuff as she’s leaning forward--just tapping at Lilly, keeping her honest. Evangeline pounding her points out of Jen’s midsection with a coal-miner’s determination.

R10: Jennifer plants on the left (lead) leg--pivots left, dragging that front foot in a bucket and boxes Evangeline Lilly senseless in the tenth, it’s all Jen00measured Jen--precise Jen: a Jen for the ages. She completes her work on Lilly’s left eye--closing it with heartless, pounding jabs, She leans into clean-up right hand--pouring them fearless in over Lilly’s brawny left shoulder, slamming Evangeline’s head hard to starboard. She hooks Lilly in the belly--digging at that firm flesh while executing elegant pivot-lefts, turning Lilly on the spot, Jen keeping her distance, dictating all terms--it’s masterful boxing,  keeping the champ on the defensive. Bell: Jennifer lifts both hands and starts to well up with emotion.  Comes back UD10 by a single point…Jennifer Connelly.

After: Lilly hands on hips, head bowed--she stares at canvas as decision is announced.
Once again, a member of the Old Guard summons greatness to turn back the threat if Evangeline: Jennifer breaks down into rare tears with the enormity of it. “I knew I could do this,: Jennifer says of the upset. “I never lost faith in myself--even when Evangeline was sort of running up the score on me. it’s easy to dominate when you’re fresh, but the question is: can you dominate when you’re dinged up and dealing with a heavy fight schedule and nagging injuries? Lilly’s starting to find out what its like in the bantamweight division--she’s coming back to the pack a bit as the punches add up. She’s a solid talent--one of the best young fighters out there--but now we’ll see of she can truly great. Right now, I’d have to say, I just don’t know, She hasn’t proven anything to me yet.”

Reposted by Archer 5/15/11.