BEFORE: "It's a ruff, tuff, buff new Duff," Hillary proclaims with a confident grin, showing brawny in a black tank top. "No offense to Jess, but I'm stronger than Simpson; I'm stronger than Panettiere. I'll pump at Claire like she's never been pumped at before. Check out the big screen guys (lights darken, footage of Duff bench pressing impressive pounds appears on screen behind podium). That's Claire-busting weight I'm pushing out there. She's not going to know what hit her!" Danes non-plussed: plenty of second-guessing all around Claire these days, on the heels of close-call against Simpson. Duff looks like a bigger, brawnier dose of the same stuff. "Note to self: avoid weight-lifting competition with Hillary,"

Claire smirks in rebuttal. "I think everyone's forgetting one thing: (gesturing towards herself with thumbs) Best. Fighter. In boxing. I didn't select Jess and Hills because they were easy: I wanted to do them because they are hard. Because some of you still think I can be muscled off my game. Well get ready boys, because sometimes...Duff ain't enough."

Claire in crimson bandeau bikini; small black gloves; scrappy blonde ponytail with swept bangs. Duff in black bikini; small black gloves; messy blonde ponytail with bangs framing face.

During R1: Claire leans forward, baits with her head; as Duff tries for it, Claire leans well back onto right foot, catching Hills the licking hook. Duff clipped, stumble-steps to her left: bait-and-switch wallop has her attention. Pivot-left Claire...she pokes in the lead right to right side of Hillary's face; ducks down low under angry Duff right; bobs up into sticky left uppercut to Hillary's body. Pivot-left Claire, cuffing hooks behind Hillary's right elbow: Duff turning, frowning, getting nibbled. HARD right hand Claire - jammed to right side of Duff's face as she's turning: Claire following up with rangy left hook and an extra right hand and DUFF GOES DOWN! Hillary scrubbed to her glutes - she bounces right back up, surging against ref all hot-cheeked, but it's an 8 count regardless. Resume: CLAIRE BOUNCES HILLARY! Danes gambling, bending herself into the overhand right to Hillary's left eye, followed by ripping left uppercuts 1,2,3 to gut. Hillary stunned against ropes, hands up, but widely spaced: Claire's pinpoint accuracy finding the holes. Scrubbing burst of straight left/rights scuffs Duff's face, then Claire's getting into Hillary's rack, PASTING! Duff grimacing, crossing arms against jugs: Claire dips weight onto left (front) leg to RIP that rangy left uppercut to body. Swift one-two punches into Duff's face as Claire bends in and down: Hillary slumping in ropes, left hand extended to push Danes off; Duff eats a lashing left uppercut to chin as Claire eases weight to back (right) leg. Claire flowing forward with the chip-chop one-two, bending in and down again: Duff's head bangs back, eyes blinking from small-mitt impact and THE REF STEPS IN! What? Hillary stamping her foot, jugs a-jumpin' in outrage as the man's waving this thing off. Stunning TKO1 Claire Danes!

After: Huge upset in a sense as the over/under was 8 rounds: nobody thought Claire could chip out a victory before then. "They had to stop it," Claire breezes as enraged Duff's launching into a rematch-tirade off camera. "She was helpless, just hanging there out at the ropes. I punched for respect and got it: I didn't do that against Jess and it cost me. Once I'd proven I could get to Hillary, the fight was mine anyway - the ref was just saving her from a round by round thrashing."