Posted by Simguy, 7:20 am.

Before: Danes coming ff the most humiliating loss of her career to unheralded Mila Kunis--is Rachel Bilson a good idea for the comeback? “It could be a case of ‘out of frying pan into the fire’ for Claire,” says on Celebrity Ring fight scribe. “Bilson’s a very busy little worker--always putting her mitts on something--that can be awkward style for Claire, especially when her confidence is shaken.”

Danes putting to rest any whisper-campaign of a slump--Claire determined to get back in the winning track at all costs. “I’m a totally different Claire Danes for this fight,” D-Train assures collected pundits I preflight. “Last time out I had so many out-of-the ring distractions--too many to go into--but I’ve been my old fearsome self I camp for this one and Rachel’s gong to benefit from all my hard work. Is her style pesky? Yes, she’s pesky. Doesn’t mean a thing: next question.”

Claire in two-toned black/white bikini, bra-style top, low-riding hipster-fit bottoms; two-toned black/white boxing boots, tassels. Rachel in tan western motif with fringes; knee-high boxing moccasins with tassels. Claire wearing small workout mitts: right one’s black, left one’s white. Rachel wearing small black work out mitts.

During R1: As promised, Bilson’s pesky: pinwheeling after Claire, charging forward, often wild or reaching with her punches. Danes much choosier--landing the higher percentage, but throwing less. Claire swivel-pivoting to her right with an irritated scowl--Rachel not making a lot of flush contact, but lusty swinging has Claire stepping out on the defensive, not punching back much herself. Claire just managing the ring, playing matadora to Rachel’s raging bull: call it a draw as bith girls bounce back to corners, rosy-cheeked breaking a sweat,

R2: Claire trying to stand her ground, peering in at Rachel: straight right pokes at too-cute brunette face; chippy left jab chisels chin and cheeks, Bilson getting pre-empted and prodded, left swinging at air as Claire sidesteps--but feisty brunette keeps coming and coming. Danes occasionally swatted upside the head as she’s turning--Rachel stepping with and slugging best she can on a moving target. Down the stretch: pay dirt! Claire steps back--Rache steps-with and pastes haughty blonde a fat right/left on either jaw line. Claire’s knees buckle--she stoops forward earmuff: Bilson on like  a box full of puppies, batting and flapping her arms at Danes’ tasty flanks. Bell: Claire visibly flustered, scuffed  up as Bilson finds the mark.

R3: Claire frowning, executing crisp pivots; lancing lead right hands to Bilson’s forehead; come-back licking hooks as Danes eases weight onto right foot, just caressing Rachel’s jaw, Supple, pretty stuff from Claire, but Rachel’s not backing off one bit--brunette spitting stubby punches as she rumbles forward, tassels tossing. Danes ring management keeps her out of harm’s way but again: Claire won’t take the risk of punch0with and maybe take advantage of Rachel’s gaping openings.

R4: More forceful stuff from Claire--still wheeling around in pivots, crouching and slipping shots--but she’s widening the stance, looking to set down and walk Rachel into harm. Claire getting bite on her left uppercut, really picking Bilson’s chin up hard. Danes putting spice on the hesitation right hand, leading with it off her shoulder, spanking Rache tart between the eyes, Bilson wading through it, still cuffing and batting Claire as Danes backs up: Danes takes the round, but she’s visibly consternated. Bilson upbeat, plucky, tells her corner that she’s “getting closer”.

R5: Bilson with wild, winging power--she’ll miss lefts and rights coming forward, but the third and fourth looping blows paste Claire’s face side to side, sending her reeling. Danes pressed against the ropes for the first time--she bends low, elbows in, dukes at her cheeks, sliding under Bilson’s rushed haymakers. Claire working the pocket like a pro--easing in with her left shoulder to spread Rache out a bit, easing back onto the right foot to create distance. Danes coming off Rachel’s shiny face a bit: blonde lick-snatching hooks across perky Bilson ribs; fitting evil right hands sticky to sternum, Claire punching her way out of trouble, has Rachel swinging, missing, breathing hard by the bell.

R6: Claire back in open space--polishing Bilson’s face with that chip-chiseling jab; parceling in the hesitation right hands straight to cheek, Claire stepping to spots, walking Rachel in and rolling combinations to squirming brunette gut: good, good body work getting done as Danes chews it up downstairs, midway through, Claire steps right, leans out to slip wild Bilson punching: Danes leaning back in with a DRIFTING right on the chops, tossing Rachel’s head hard to starboard. As Bilson; soaking it up dreamy--Claire reloads, pastes her righty again, shooting the mouthpiece off those pearly whites, clearly hurting Rachel for the first time tonight. No finishing run however: Bilson ragged, but furious, slugs so viciously Danes decides to bop it back outside, skirt the perimeter to the bell.

R7: Claire too defensive--cute and unbelievably slick--but too defensive as awkward brawling Bilson steals the round. Claire so nifty off the ropes ior out of the corners, spinning around Rachel, frequently making the feisty brunette look like a rank amateur with wild misses. Bilson coming forward however, constantly moving her hands and clouting Claire often enough upside the head to eke out the points.

R8: Claire looks to cash in, standing her ground more, trying to time Rachel: Bilson  soaks some gorgeous hesitation right hands and jerking left uppercuts, but Rachel’s still pitchin’. Claire buffeted and clouted after she scores--Bilson just SO active, Danes can’t get away clean. Claire going back to the body with snick-snack right/lefts--but Rachel walks through it, pastes away left/right on the face to send Claire sputtering backward. Round finishes up with Claire stooping forward behind her mitts, taking it in the hips, across the back from a bewildering array of punches, Rachel slugging so effervescently-- she’s hopping from one foot to the other as she sweeps mitts across Claire’s pale back.

R9: Shutout Claire Danes--finally making Rachel miss AND making her pay. Danes setting the tone in Rachel’s midsection--licking the hook in there, or thrusting home the right--then pivoting ‘round either flank: little Bilson grimacing, slowing as she struggles to close and scrounge. By the midway point, Danes is turning her foe elegantly, reversing field on Rachel midring, stabbing at her from well outside with straight rights and lefts. Small gloves bouncing, skidding off shiny pate: Rachel drowsy, lips parted as she faces into punches, no longer answering back as Claire taps away for late points.

R10: Took a while, but Claire’s finally broken Rachel down: crowd groaning as Bilson eats some picturesque rips this round. Left uppercuts of the left foot from Claire nearly puts Rachel on her knees--brave brunette staggers around, refusing to go down as blonde stalks her for mop up. Rip-snatch right/left licks on the waist cripple Rachel, stooping her forward in shock--Claire showing that HISC penchant for body, buckling her foe’s knees, then deftly stepping around her. Lead right hands--especially off the step-right or feints: Bilson getting caught staring into the punches, drawing excited yelps from ringsiders as she soaks up hellish clean blows. Still--Bilson trudges through it and down the stretch she’s moving her hands. Claire takes to her toes, scoots around the perimeter, often taunting her foe from well outside as poor Rachel tries to cut off the ring without success. Comes back UD10 Claire Danes.

After: Bilson all puffy and sore, coming apart just a smidge down the stretch, but she gave Claire all she could handle in the early part of the fight. Danes scuffed and worn beneath her eyes--busy, frenetic style gives her some problems tonight, but she manages the danger, rights the ship as expected. “Rachel was the right girl at the right time for me,” breezes Claire in post fight. “I needed good rounds, I needed to feel pressure, and I got that from Bilson, I got the work in, did some tinkering and I’m right back where I want to be, She’s a better fighter than Kunis: the difference was, she got a better Claire tonight.”

Reposted by Archer 1/17/11.