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30 November 2015 Taylor Cole vs Yvonne Strahovski

Page history last edited by Archer844 8 years, 4 months ago

Taylor Cole 07.jpg Yvonne Strahovski 20.jpg

Posted by Lookout! Boxing on November 30, 2015, 8:09 pm,\

Taylor Cole vs. Yvonne Strahovski
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

So, Strahovski plays a little bit of a schedule, doesn't she? Forget about already having fought Winstead, Krupa, and Theron this year. How about the last couple of months? Yustman, the reigning lightweight champion and Lancaster, the reigning welterweight champion. And, now, for the second time this year, Cole, a four-time champion in two weights, who's every bit as physical as Lancaster and far more so than Yustman. There's a reason that Vonnie, while she hasn't been able to wrest the pound-for-pound title from around Righetti's waist, has, at least, made it a two-girl race, and it's having won 13 of her last 15 against competition like this, competition that also included Cuoco, Torv, Kelly, Palicki, Durance, Lawrence, and Perry.

But, you wouldn't know any of this from Straho's pre-fight interview. "I've fought her twice before," she says in that lovely Aussie accent. "And, while I came out on top both times, both times, it was a war. She's very physical. Very athletic. Hard to deal with. I've got to be on top of my game to have a chance tonight."

"She's gotten me not once, but twice," says a hard-eyed Taylor. "And, everybody's crowning her. Well, I know who she is. And I know I'm better. And, tonight, I'm going to prove it to everyone else.

ROUND ONE:

Cole plans to prove it. She's out and after Vonnie immediately, getting, well, physical with a girl who's on her fifth fight in the last four months, testing that body for signs of wear and fatigue, and, just maybe, finding some. Vonnie's not able to get her jab working, that brutal, effective jab that fighters just can't get past. Taylor gets past. She bobs and weaves forward and goes to work, WHACKING the blonde to the body, backing her up with hard combinations to the head. Straho's on the defensive from the opening seconds, unable to hold canvas or get anything going. Against a lesser fighter, this might be a romp, but Yvonne's too good for that. She moves effectively, counters in spots. She's able to avoid getting run over, but that's about all she can do. Concern on the faces in the Aussie corner as this one comes down the stretch. Cole having her way with the blonde, and that's not good. Not good at all. End of one. Taylor 10-9. But. Psychologically, the lead may be a lot bigger.

ROUND TWO:

Vonnie gets the jab going. And that long left is a weapon. It's a different one than the heavy "Front Street Jab", but, it's a weapon nonetheless. It's not heavy, but sharp, and it does more than score. It preempts. It stops. And it opens defenses. And Vonnie has it doing all of that from the opening seconds of this one. Now, Cole CAN'T get past. She's hung out on the end. And, while she has the reach to fight out there, it doesn't matter. Remember. It preempts. And that's exactly what Straho does with it. She gets it on again and again, setting up right hands, creating combinations, throwing Taylor to the defensive and leaving her there. Cole, who was having it all her way in round one, now can't get off and can't get any offense going. And, it just gets worse as the round goes on. It's Vonnie in rhythm, Vonnie on a roll, Vonnie having it all her way right to the bell. It's Straho wide, and we're all even at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Cole flummoxed. Can't get out of the blocks now. Vonnie's got her covering up, taking heavy fire. Straho not sitting down on anything. She's boxing, and doing it so effectively that the brunette just can't get off. "A" leads to "B" which leads to "C" and then, sometimes "D" and "E". The term is "clinical", and the blonde is clinically picking apart an excellent, athletic brunette champion and making her look very, very ordinary. Cole getting more and more frustrated as the round goes on. And, with frustration sometimes comes trying to do too much, forcing things. And, that's never good. But, that's what Cole does in the final minute, tries to force some offense, and Straho makes her pay. A sharp right hand lands flush and Cole's legs do a shimmy. Then, Vonnie steps into a combination that sends TAYLOR CRUMPLING TO THE MAT! Cole falls in at Strahovski's feet and stays there, puddled on the canvas as the count passes her by! It's OVER! And your winner by KO3 in dominant fashion is Yvonne Strahovski!

AFTER:

Vonnie matter-of-fact in the post-fight. "She gave me some trouble early," the blonde says with a nod. "I couldn't find the range. But, I was able to get the jab working as we went along, keep her off with it, and, once I did that, I was able to take control." "Three times in a row against a girl that good," she continues, shaking her head. "I've just got her number, I guess."