Posted by Simguy on  7/26/2003, 6:02 am.

Before: Krushers called it a character builder, a challenge to their plucky young bantam and Elisha’s playing it cocky with the press--pundits cringing at the coming train wreck, over-under just 3 rounds--both sides can’t be right. Pratt one of the most assiduously avoided fighters on the FCBA circuit, still gets most of her work on ESPN fitness fights and private West Coast tilts--she’s the classic take-a-beating-for-short-money proposition. Cuthbert playful in preflight, jumping up, grinning and throwing air-combos at Pratt, displaying crisp form: Vicki all a-smirk. Pratt in pink bikini top, pink boy cut trunks, Elisha in black FHM bikini.

During R1: Cuthbert spunky, shoulder driving into pratt midring and electing to swap body shots--bruising, bumping give and go at a steady pace. Fight wanders around the ring, girls ringing each other up in the ribcages and jugs, snuggling in tight swiping shots across chins, plenty of forearm and shoulder follow through in close. Final minute, Vicki’s starting to shut Elisha down, punishing Cuthbert, ‘Lishy backing up to the ropes, not answering back. Pratt getting big late, pushing her right hand into Lisha’s bent left shoulder, propping her for withering hooks to the liver and CUTHBERT WILTS TO ONE KNEE! Elisha ashen-faced, blowing out through pursed lips as Pratt steps workmanlike at the bell.

R2: Pratt grinning, marching on Elisha, thudding jabs to chest and backing Cuthbert to ropes. Vicki smearing up on Elisha, grinding her head into the girl, using her shoulders and elbows to nudge and push, legs driving in and pinning down, Constantly thumping abuse about the hips and midsection--Pratt driving up the middle for the most part, breaking the monotony with chopping clouts out wide to the flanks, keeping one shoulder or the other under Cuthbert’s chin for range. Bell to bell beating--’Lishy can’t get off her butt off the ropes, cant get her weight forward--she’s shopworn, frazzled through 2.

R3: Pratt wading in again, crouching forward, right hand at her stomach--she’s looking to bury that mitt in Elisha’s midriff, hook at her flank , turn the left uppercut on the inside, all while constantly bumping and rubbing forward. Elisha pushed and bullied at the ropes, arms crossed, teeth gritted--she’s fighting stubbornly, turning left and right to catch Pratt on her cheeks without noticeable effect.

R4: Cuthbert getting the jab out--Pratt bogging down at arm’s length, swatting at the stick--it’s just disruptive enough to buy Elisha some room. Cuthbert stepping left, shooting straight lefts and rights, unashamed to step out and walk around--she’s giving Pratt angles, making her mover her feet and think. Vicki a little casual on cutting off the ring--coming forward, but not getting much done--there goes the 10-0 rout opportunity as Cuthbert manufactures a round. Elisha past 3, winning some minutes--she’s upbeart in her corner after a rocky start.

R5: Cuthbert’s legs freshening up--she’s bouncing to spots, planting, dropping a cheeky straight right, jabbing as she steps away--rhythm obviously a little confusing to Pratt who wants it shoulder to shoulder. Elisha showing versatility, circling, getting off first with jabs or lead rights, even gambling a bit by hanging around on the front foot and cuffing Pratt insolent hesitation hooks. Vicki loading up and getting pre-empted: she drops her second consecutive round.

R6: Cuthbert getting it done! Elisha jabbing chest and head, scooting to the right, stepping to the left, feinting and dropping the lead right hands then getting out of Dodge. Pratt on the march, snorting, stomping forward, chin tucked, dukes up, but Cuthbert beating her to punches, and even if not hurting Vicki, preventing the brawny blonde from getting off. Elisha out pitching Pratt in little spats all around the ring, avoiding major trauma and ‘Lishy wins her third straight on all cards.

R7: Pratt’s constant pressure starts to re-assert--Cuthbert running out of ring on occasion, forced to hunker down and swap on the inside more often--it’s wearing. Vicki able tot shoulder Elisha off into the ropes woman against girl--Cuthbert just can’t stand her ground when Pratt’s in position. Nothing fancy from Vicki, she’s just sustaining tempo, putting leather on meat, beating her girl’s arms, shoulders, torso, tummy and flanks, patiently roasting Cuthbert on the apron.

R8: Pratt finally breaking Cuthbert down in the body, crippling ‘Lishy with a gut-shocking straight right under the heart, hook-hook-hooking her right side ribs--Cuthbert sagging stunned into the topes all forlorn, paralyzed through the leg. Pratt unhurried, easing into the crumpled girl, palming back her shoulders, then carrying the hook flat to body, packing it in tight, letting ‘Lishy fold forward then stacking her up again. Right hands much the same--thick, rich to the body, Pratt accepting Elisha onto her body and easing her back, pouring it on, End of the second minute, broken Cuthbert’s legs give way--she Gumby’s to all fours, wretching from punishment--Pratt all heavy, stepping back, hands at her sides, looking down as the ref moves in. Elisha battered, beats the count, gloves stupid at her mouth, eyes vacant, she shakes off the ref’s offer to stop the massacre and Pratt gets another minute. Hard smile Vicki, sopping up what’s left--staying on the body with crunching lefts and rights, bodying Cuthbert into the ropes to reset. Elisha C makes it to the bell--Pratt in frank awe at the kid’s resolve.

R9: Elisha Cuthbert comes out punching! Not a lot on these things--Pratt taken by surprise, backing up--she blocks the right, but catches the hook on the chops--Cuthbert determined to go out on her shield drives Vicki the length of the ring. Pratt taking body punches, then reaching under Cuthbert’s arms to press her into the ropes for a break--Vicki taking the round off to a certain extent, but Cuthbert not cooperating. Elisha keeps coming back, pushing and  flailing for the most part, but the odd hook lands loud to the waist and pushing right hands are finding Pratt’s mouth, backing her up. Vicki muscles up late to beat Cuthbert ragged with pumping left/rights on the stomach, but the girls finish up clinching--Elisha actually wins the 9th and makes it to the 10th!

R10: Pratt chagrined at Elisha’s defiant stand, storms into the Krusher corner, rudely pancaking Elisha into the turnbuckles and heaps another senseless beating to the doomed ingénue. Vicki separating her hips, extending her palms to shove Lishy back, then driving in with straight rights to the heart, or twisting her hips into sumptuous hooks, drawing shrieks of pain as Cuthbert bunches up on impact, Pratt hammering away with flat knuckle contact to the biceps, rocking Cuthbert sideways into the ropes, paralyzing her arms, leaving her defenseless. Elisha just windblown, Janet stone-faced on the steps, refusing to make a move--comatose ref mesmerized hy the assault--crowd screaming for a stoppage. Final minute, Pratt finally migrates to the chin, tapping a measuring right to set up tightly turned hooks across Elisha’s face and it’s too much. Sickening head loll, limp body as Lisha sits out on her feet in the ropes finally prompts the ref to step in. Pratt lifting her mitts, standing there like a bully, accepts a heinous TKJO10.

After: Cuthbert taken directly to the hospital--Krusher spokespeople don’t take long to call it a victory of sorts. Cuthbert defying the odds, going tough round, actually competing effectively early on--she showed all the heart and spunk of a typical TE fighter against a bigger, stronger, harder woman. Pundits split--tough love might make Cuthbert a better fighter, some wonder what a night like this might mean for Elisha’s future.  “I’m disappointed in Janet Jones,” says a parental Sharon Stone in BLONDE! “Elisha Cuthbert’s one of our most promising young talents and she was sacrificed on the altar of Jones’ ego like so many girls before. The fact that Elisha showed the heart of a hero does not make up for Jones’ criminal mismanagement and we can only pray Cuthbert hasn’t been permanently ruined by Vicki Pratt.”

Reposted by Archer 6/8/11.