Posted by Simguy on 10/26/2001, 6:43 am.

Before: Danes enters a solid favourite, but Hannigan easy to underestimate. Good fitness, excellent sparring throughout her career has made Allison a dependable journeywoman - you have to like Claire's boxing ability against an opponent who needs it close, but this is a fight on paper. Claire in clingy white cami-strap tankini, Alyson in navy wonderbra and panties, coming to ring instructions in a black silk dress shirt open down the front, and wearing an unacceptably brazen expression.

R1: Claire wants this fight in the middle of the ring, wants her opponent on the end of her punches - legs and jab making it happen. Danes extending her left to stiff arm Alyson whenever the blonde want to circle - Hannigan just can't find her range. Down the stretch, Claire with that left hand extended against Hannigan's face, holding the red head off, distracting her - Alyson never sees the sweeping overhand right that claps eye hard, sends Hannigan stumbling sideways in shock. Nice shutout first, Danes.

R2: Hannigan shows those competent gym skills. She doubles up on her own stubby jab to take the punch away from Danes, moves the fight from mid ring to the ropes, and sets up brawny on the slender blonde. Hannigan fighting off Claire's chest, keeping her face on Danes, twisting side to side to pull short, slugging punches into Claire's waist, always pinning Danes against the strands. Claire composed, concentrating in there - keeping Alyson's head positioned where it can't rub her face, using her hands up around Hannigan's ears to push and pull, but the blonde can't get her back off the ropes - Nice shutout second Hannigan. Alyson gets up off her girl with a steamy look of satisfaction - tempers flare as the ref jumps in.

R3: Hannigan continues the solid work ethic, hounding Danes to the ropes and once there, smearing and grinding the blonde from corner to corner. Danes clinching for breaks, but continually getting walked to the perimeter, looks uncomfortable much of the round. All changes late - Danes off the break skips away to reset, luring Alyson forward, flicking out the jab from her hip then slinging a sweet right uppercut to the chin as Hannigan barges in - red head comes up wonky as Danes takes over. Claire leaning in, slinging lefts and rights as she strides forward - big clapping connects upside the head drive Alyson to the ropes in stupor. Danes steals a Hannigan round and sends little red hurting to her corner.

R4: Claire comes out strong to finish, misses over the top with a telegraphed right hand, eats a strong counter left on the chin and TAKES A SEAT! Danes blinking like a 3 year old on her backside as she waits for her legs to come back, then stiffly rises, shaking her head. Hannigan following up tough, reaching her left hand in under Dane's right and swabbing body with hurtful rights in tight - Claire jammed into the ropes again starts to swoon as Alyson adds to the knockdown. More clinching for breaks - Danes doing anything she can to bog Hannigan down and break her rhythm. Down the stretch, Claire stepping to her left, breezy with her jab, Hannigan comes in with teeth clenched and the girls suddenly stand toe to toe to let it go! Punching simultaneous rights and lefts, the girls tune up on one another and HANNIGAN GETS HURT! Aly rocked onto her heels with eyelids fluttering at the bell as she gets beaten to 3 slicing punches in a row.

R5: Fight's too exciting for Danes - she restores order with the long jab, getting leggy midring, forcing Alyson to turn, keeping the redhead outside. Not a lot of contact - Claire winning the round with her feet, controlling distance, dictating what happens, where.

R6: More Claire ring-generalship as Hannigan can't get past the stick, reduced to bobbing at the end of Danes' jab and waiting for an opening instead of paying the price to create one. This is Claire's fight - she circles midring, poking and drilling the left, stiff arming it when she steps to her right, just laying down what Alyson can and can't do in this fight. Hannigan scoring late, but doing it by reaching in to that ribcage - dangerous way to make a living.

R7: Claire owns the ring now - easily keeping off the ropes, gliding around her girl, shining Alyson up nice with the stick while avoiding anything in return. Hannigan reduced to desperation, trying to get back to the comfy confines of Claire's chest, but midway through, Danes steps back and rings an overanxious redhead up with the right uppercut, putting Alyson wobbly butt as the crowd roars. Big slinging follow up from Claire - whip action lefts and rights lathering up against Hannigan, beating her steadily back to the ropes as Alyson's face goes pale and blank. Final minute an atrocity - ref staring as opposed to acting as Claire Danes helps herself to Alyson Hannigan. Ruinous beating reminiscent of Dushku at her cruelest - Danes just palming Hannigan at the collar bone, keeping her upright, then pounding her face into hamburger as dreadful seconds tick past. Finally, Alyson allowed to pool on her haunches, tilted helplessly against the ropes as her head lolls forward - Claire stomping away with fists held high - brutal KO7 Claire Danes.

After: Danes definitely leaving her mark on a badly punished Alyson Hannigan - blonde's class took over the fight in the middle rounds, ferocity finished it as Alison is beaten beyond recognition. One of Danes' better efforts - she solved a problem in the ring, showed vicious killer instinct, and took down prey when it was there to be taken.