Posted by Simguy on 3/20.2008, 6:38 pm.

Before; “Yvonne’s talk about being a major contender irritated me,” Navi admits with a shrug. “I’m sorry--but she’s not even a prospect at this point. She’s an eye-candy blonde--the sort of girl who looks best stretched flat on her back, I don’t see any fight bin her whatsoever.”

Yvonne not shying away from preflight jousting--taking the podium with attitude. “I didn’t see much fight in Navi when Hathaway got to her chin: all I see is another big puncher who can’t take what she dishes out. Navi hits harder than me--I’ll give her that. But I’m tougher, smarter and better: you’ll see.”

Yvonne in white bikini top, baby blue cashmere crochet bottoms; white gloves; messy ponytail with bangs framing face. Navi in black bikini top, leopard print bikini bottoms; black gloves.

R1: Big dose of Navi early. Girls falling in together--Rawat catching Yvonne a right hand to temple (plenty of elbow behind it) as Yvonne’s getting close--blonde legs spasm--Strahovski’s  shocked. Yvonne wide-eyed, stumbling--but showing tremendous composure. She lures Navi to ropes, clinches her up tight for a break, She boxes midring, changing directions to shake pursuit---even jogging away from Rawat, Navi hitting thunder, but unable to clean up what she started: Strahovski exit’s a shaky first on her feet.

R2: Navi weaving side to side with mitts collected at her mouth: she slips Yvonne’s jab. Hooks blonde mouth with shocking force, once again setting Strahovski on her heels. Yvonne hits ropes--hurt and wobbly butt, bit once again collected. She cover sup, absorbs thudding blows to her lats and ribs before tying up and cuddling Navi for a break. Navi pushed back by ref--she issues stubby jabs as she’s hustling forward, chasing Yvonne across the ring. Strahovski still rubbery-legged, but combative: she’s picking spots to stop and drop right hands on Navi--even daring to trade hooks as Rawat erupts from her crouch, Navi moving Yvonne ff her stance, walking her down--but blonde stabilizes her front--punching and clinching to good effect--getting her legs back in the second.

R3: Yvonne showing impressive ring-savvy for a newbie: she’s engaging with a jab, then taking a half-step back, walking Navi in and making Rawat come up short on her shots. Yvonne then counters with the right uppercut, busting Navi in her chops--one such sharp counter ROCKS Navi at the minute mark and RAWAT TAKES A KNEE! Navi startled--dark eyes pooling with knockdown-tears: she’s up before 8, rubbing her gloves on ref’s shirt, looking anxious to continue. Yvonne closes behind a pulsing jab--tracking Navi’s face a brunette’s rotating her torso and BACKING RAWAT UP! Strahovski able to pound away pokes, step Rawat back, then body her into ropes preparatory to muscular tummy punching from close in. Rawat no good backing up--awkward with back to ropes--she’s reaching around Yvonne’s back, looking for ref to issue breaks rather than forcing blonde to back off.

R4: Furious two-way punching--both girls taking turns cracking the other hard. Strahovski doing well when she establishes the jab, eases back to lure Rawat in, then picks her up in the counter. Navi doing well when she jabs her way in, weaves Yvonne’s shots and answers back with thudding combinations, head and body. Both girls rocks: Yvonne picking Rawat up onto her toes with a crushing right uppercut; Rawat nearly sitting Yvonne down with a crunching right/left to chin in close, following through with elbows and spilling Yvonne to topes. Every time Navi’s power gives her the initiative--Strahovski clinches, walks Navi in a circle, jabs, counters and steals the initiative back.

R5: Yvonne exchanging her right uppercut for Navi’s clubbing right to the temple: Strahovski once again sent staggering back on rubbery legs. Navi surging forward, but blonde ducking Rawat’s pursuit right hand, grabbing Navi around the waist and dancing with her for the break. Again--Rawat tries to press for the knockout, only to be denied by Yvonne’s legs, jab, clinches and ripping counters. Yvonne’s hurt and she can’t win the round--but she fights hard enough to deny Rawat satisfaction, chipping away at Navi’s bully’s confidence in the process.

R6: Yvonne catches a second wind, takes it to Navi! Strahovski jabbing to get off first, then pushing Rawat in her shoulders, getting her moving backwards. Navi wading back in, throwing hard, but getting faded as Yvonne takes that little half step back, then answers with the harsh right uppercut/left hook counter. Navi rung up time and again--by the midway point she’s looking a little ragged--easily being pushed back when Yvonne leans in with both hands. Yvonne’s eyes bright, posture aggressively forward, hands at her chest delivering snappy, peppy punches in bunches: she’s really outhustling a discouraged Rawat here.

R7: Yvonne fades, makes Rawat reach: blonde able to dart back in with a chopping right to chin; clipping right uppercut; slapping left hook--sending Rawat ragged to ropes! Navi open-mouthed in wonder, eyes glassy--Yvonne stalks in, ranges-up with her jab, then punches a cruel, overhand right down into Navi’s body. Rawat grunting, pitching forward; Yvonne’s actually getting all big-girl here, reaching in and bodying Navi up against the ropes for more punishment. Rawat crossing her arms--right hand at left cheek, left across her gut--she’s moping, dipping side to side as Yvonne squares away and lets hands go. Harsh shelling--Yvonne’s punching crisp, constant, battling Navi into sullen, grumpy stupor by the bell. A number of fine, strapping body shots throughout the round have Navi scowling in discomfort en route to her corner.

R8: Midway through, girls entangled--Yvonne trying to disengage when she eats a sudden Rawat right uppercut. Blonde legs bend, then straighten--she pitches and yaws, then stumbles into ropes: once again, the clobbering-time power of Rawat’s mitts in evidence. Hurt--Yvonne shows tremendous composure--clinching Rawat--then walking away after ref’s break--making Navi win position again. Rawat the aggressor, but unable to cut off the ring--and by the final minute--Navi’s aggression has her blundering into Yvonne’s crisp counterpunching all over again.

R9: Yvonne playing it just right: slugging with Navi in spots, winning respect--then stepping back o box and counterpunch. Rawat frustrated--face puffy, eyes swollen: she’s getting hit a TON tonight by a girl who does appear to carry some pop. Rawat blundering into Yvonne’s right uppercut as Strahovski fades back like a 10-year vet: blonde just lighting her brunette up with that shot, reducing Navi a bit more with each score. Down the stretch, Navi has Yvonne up against the ropes, struggling to pull free of blonde clinch: Rawat yanks her left arm out, hooks Yvonne’s belly, then doubles the left into an uppercut to chin. YVONNE’S HURT! Strahovski limp against cable, eyes suddenly moist--she barely covers up earmuff in time to help defray the frightful cost of a clubbing Rawat right hand upside the head at the bell.

R10: Navi gassed--mouth breathing, really hurting--she’s just walking in now, taking punches, Strahovski tracking Navi jabs as Rawat wanders forward; nails Rawat the pre-emptive right hand; shifts weight to back (right) foot while hooking Navi’s mouth; taking the little fade stepback while knocking the jab at Rawat’s brows. Navi sullen, puffy--when she DOES get inside, she’s reaching around Yvonne’s back, waiting for ref’s break. Strahovski able to box sharp, fight her plan and win the 10th round. Comes back one point win--UD10 Strahovski!

After: She does it! Yvonne Strahovski comes out of nowhere to survive Rawat’s early thunder, then systematically wears down the hard-hitting brunette to dismantle Navi over the long haul. Big upset leaves Rawat destitute: never in her wildest dreams did she envision Yvonne’s hand being raised in this fight. “She looks like a Durance-class lightweight to us,” bleats a BLONDE! Magazine pundit. “Athletic, enough size and strength to compete, sharp blonde skills that can outperform just about nay young brunette out there! That’s tasty , and the brown can’t be happy to see it.”


Reposted by Archer 1/25/11