BEFORE:



"I was wondering if I'd get a chance to come here to Philly for the year-end card," says Yvonne with a smile. "Missy and 'Nessa told me they had a lot of fun last year, and I'm pretty excited to get the opportunity this year. Of course, Missy had more fun than 'Nessa, because Missy WON. And, that exactly what I plan to do."



"Look," says Kesha with a nod, "If you want to test yourself against the best, 'Yvonne Strahovski' is one of the very few names you can have on the contract with you. I want to test myself against the best. And, I'm going to pass the test."



ROUND ONE:



O'Dell: "Back at ringside and that's 'Tik-Tok' you hear pounding through the arena, and it looks like Front Street is going to be giving the honors to its guests from Lookout! tonight, as 'Six Feet of Sexy', Kesha, makes her way to ringside..."



Cassie: "Yvonne is a former champion and one of the very few girls in the pound-for-pound discussion, so, Uncle Wiz thinks it's only right that she come out last..."



McCarthy: "Since when does WEIRDO care about what's RIGHT? If he cared about what was RIGHT, he wouldn't have ROBBED me twice in this very building! He wouldn't have STOLEN my song! He wouldn't have let Pink duck me for YEARS..."



Tess: "This could go on all night..."



McCarthy: "SHUT UP, WALMART!"



O'Dell: "Drink up, boys! All the way to the fifth fight! I was wondering if we were going to have our first sober card on, ironically, New Year's Eve. Kesha into the ring and helped off with the robe by Jewel and Neve. She's wearing that navy blue number she likes. And, that's 'Short Skirt/Long Jacket' by Cake you hear, and here comes the former lightweight champion Yvonne Strahovski of Lookout! Boxing!"



Tess: "And, lest we forget, Strahovski isn't just a former lightweight champion, she's a four-time champion and also has, to her credit, one of the greatest title reigns in FCBA history, holding the lightweight belts for an incredible 372 days from December 20, 2013 to December 26, 2014, while successfully defending them seven times."



Cassie: "Strahovski also has a Hall of Fame resume and winning percentage, and, the guess here is, if she makes it to 100 fights, she's going to be inducted."



O'Dell: "Vonnie into the ring and helped off with the robe by the Lookout! corner crew. She's wearing a black number that leaves little to the imagination, and clearly demonstrates she's in terrific shape for this one. Ladies about ready. Time for some picks. Tess favors Yvonne. Mac?"



McCarthy: "I think Strahovski's a little overrated. I mean, she couldn't even beat that FRAUD Theron. But, she's FAR better than Kesha, who's not just a Dancing Hooker, but a second-rate one at that!"



O'Dell: "Cassie?"



Cassie: "I agree with Tess!"



O'Dell: "First underway. And, the ladies set up at gunnery range and get to work. Vonnie with the head tucked a little, moving the feet, looking to get the left hand home and work from there. Kesha more straight up, in a southpaw stance banging out that heavy right jab. Strahovski bobbing the head, looking to avoid it..."



Cassie: "Straho a little off balance right now, dealing with Kesha's southpaw style. You can spar as long as you want against a lefty, but, it can still be difficult to adjust once you get in the ring."



O'Dell: "Kesha landing some of those rights, dropping in the odd hard left, but not finding space for many of those. Vonnie very slick with the defense right now. She's not getting a lot done offensively, though. Does seem a little out of sorts here in the first. Kesha moving the feet, Big K very athletic..."



McCarthy: "See, this is what I mean about Strahovski being overrated. A great fighter like Palicki would take this Dancing Hooker apart!"



O'Dell: "Thirty seconds to go in the first. Kesha seems to have settled in a little better than the former champ. Vonnie unable to get punches put together right now. Big K not exactly landing loads of combinations, either, but she's getting the right hand home and getting the odd left on. Five seconds left and there's the bell. Close one to Kesha."



Tess: "Good start for Big K, but Strahovski isn't going to be off balance for long."



ROUND TWO:



O'Dell: "Second begins with a SOLID combination from Yvonne. Her best punches of the fight, and there's another! Vonnie making Kesha cover up early. The former champ has the range now, getting the angles she wants, and she's getting rolling. And, that's a scary thing for the girl in the ring with Straho, no matter WHO the girl is."



Cassie: "No doubt about it. Yvonne can be absolutely dominating when she's got it going."



O'Dell: "And, she's got it going now. Strahovski sending flurry after flurry of leather at Kesha. Big K having to back up, cover up, not getting much offense going at all. She's been thrown completely to the defensive now, as Strahovski's putting on a clinic here. And, let's remember, this isn't the brawling Kesha of several years ago. She's a good boxer...but, she doesn't look like one at the moment."



Tess: "Yvonne can make just about anyone look bad, but that's cold comfort for Kesha at the moment."



O'Dell: "Coming down the stretch in the second. Strahovski landing a ridiculously high percentage right now. She's absolutely in the zone. She almost can't miss. Kesha just taking fire, keeping the guard high, trying to counter when she can, but there's almost no time or space to do that. ANOTHER good combination from Yvonne and there's the bell. Strahovski wide in the second."



McCarthy: "And, we're even at 19."



ROUND THREE:



O'Dell: "Third begins with Kesha working forward now. Big blonde wants to get physical with Vonnie, and, for the moment at least, it's working. She's banging out that big right hand jab, then following on with solid lefts, making Straho give some ground. Vonnie responds by turning, going to make it hard for Front Streeter to square her up..."



McCarthy: "Smart move here by Strahovski. No need to slug it out with a girl who can hit like Kesha. That's Kesha's game, and Yvonne doesn't have to play it."



O'Dell: "Straho with the slow turn, giving a little ground in spots. Kesha using that right jab to locate, wants to bring the left into play behind it. Vonnie keeping the right glove high. Knows all about the Hammer of Thor and not interested in feeling it. Yvonne a quick flurry. Kesha lands a good left hand. Vonnie circles away."



Cassie: "This is good, smart stuff from both fighters. Kesha staying very sound, working hard to get to spots and then get off. Yvonne showing great movement and boxing skills."



O'Dell: "Kesha range finding with the jab. Vonnie turning, giving a little ground when she has to. Big K not forcing the close. She likes to be at range when she can extend on her punches. But the forward motion and aggression have changed terms here. Vonnie rolled the last round, but this one's going to end close. There's the bell. Strahovski."



Tess: "29-28, Yvonne, but nice adjustment by Kesha."



ROUND FOUR:



O'Dell: "Fourth underway on the same terms as the third. Kesha more aggressive, stepping forward behind that big, heavy right jab. Straho looking to manage the physicality. She's turning, giving a little canvas in spots. No retreat, though. Yvonne's staying in and firing back, but, again, managing rather than banging with."



McCarthy: "Exactly. Big difference. She's not fighting off her back foot. She's giving as good as she gets here."



O'Dell: "Is, indeed. For the second consecutive round, we have good, two-way stuff. The former champion hard for Kesha to square up, but the Front Streeter keeps working hard to get that done, to get the right hand on, and, when she does, she's able to follow on with the left and she's landed a couple of clean ones..."



Tess: "And, the danger there with Kesha is that it only TAKES one. Not a lot of girls in the FCBA who have the one-punch power she has."



O'Dell: "Yvonne and her corner well aware of that, and, this, the managing of said power. Kesha a good combination there, her best one of the fight. Straho circles away. Sets up again. Kesha forward, banging out that big right hand. Yvonne a nice flurry and Kesha bangs back with a combination and there's the bell. Another close one. Big K."



Cassie: "38-38 after four. Good fight so far."



ROUND FIVE:



O'Dell: "Fifth underway. Kesha again applying the pressure and Yvonne managing. Both corners have to be happy with what we've seen so far. Kesha's stayed in this fight against one of the best boxers in the FCBA, and Yvonne's avoided that one-shot power that can change everything. Straho a solid combination there and Kesha fires back with one of her own."



Tess: "Both fighters getting into a rhythm now."



O'Dell: "No doubt about it. Kesha able to find Yvonne with the right and set up the left. Vonnie's got those quick, accurate hands going. Good flurry from Straho and there was a good right hand in there! Yvonne following up with another combination and DOWN SHE GOES! Strahovski DROPPED!"



Cassie: "Left hook. Kesha stepped in and landed a CRUNCHING left hook!"



O'Dell: "Yvonne dropped to her left side. Kesha to a neutral corner. Count at three. Four. Five. Strahovski pushes to her knees. Six. Seven. Eight. Yvonne to her feet and looking more than a little wobbly. Referee going to give her the mandatory and waive Kesha forward. Big blonde going all in now, winging away as Yvonne retreats to the ropes. Kesha landing heavy shot. Yvonne hanging on in a high guard. Referee not going to watch much more of this, but he won't have to. There's the bell and none too soon for Yvonne!"



McCarthy: "See? A little overrated. Palicki would NEVER have been down 48-46 to this Dancing Hooker!"



ROUND SIX:



O'Dell: "Kesha right to work in the sixth. She's backing up a still-buzzed Strahovski, banging away with both hands. Yvonne giving ground now, can't hold the canvas, keeping the gloves up, playing for time. Kesha not trying to give her any or any space for that matter. She's stepping into everything, really REEFING shots at the former champion..."



Cassie: "Yvonne again playing this smart. She knows she needs to get those legs back before she can try to do much offensively."



O'Dell: "Strahovski pinned to the ropes now, leaning back, head being buffeted side to side as Kesha gets off lusty here. She's banging heavy shell off her rival's gloves. Yvonne's got the body on sale, but Kesha's not buying. She wants to finish this thing now, before Strahovski can get back in it."



Tess: "Good idea, because Yvonne's good enough to make up just about any lead you can build."



O'Dell: "Kesha a SOLID left hand right there! That shook Yvonne! Kesha now going all in again! Vonnie taking some serious shell now with about 30 seconds left in the sixth. Strahovski again hanging on as Kesha thumps away. Fifteen seconds left. Kesha slams a nasty hook to the body, then comes back upstairs. Five seconds. Yvonne's going to make it to the bell, but, it's Kesha wide again."



McCarthy: "58-55. We're about to see if Walmart's right about Yvonne being able to come from behind."



ROUND SEVEN:



O'Dell: "Seventh begins with Kesha slowing the pace. Big blonde a little arm weary now, and no surprise after all the punches she threw in the last two rounds. Yvonne still a bit unsteady, but she's taking advantage, getting her hands going and forcing Kesha to the defensive. Big K getting PEPPERED with shot now..."



Tess: "This is what I'm talking about with Yvonne. She doesn't need much of an opening to take the fight to you."



O'Dell: "And, she's well aware that this is going to be a brief window. Kesha's not punched out. She just needs a break from the pace and Yvonne's not going to give her one. Strahovski turning it on and turning it up now, sending flurry after flurry at the younger woman. Kesha keeping the hands up, countering in spots..."



McCarthy: "Kid may not be Palicki, but this is good stuff. She got an opportunity, shook off a ton of hurt, and she's taking control of the fight back."



O'Dell: "That, she is. Yvonne in command down the stretch. Kesha not getting off much at all, and, when she does, it's one-punch stuff. Ten seconds to go in a seventh round that could not have gone much better for Yvonne Strahovski. Former champ lands one more solid flurry and there's the bell. Shutout, Vonnie."



Cassie: "And, it's 67-65 with three to go. No question, Strahovski's back in the fight."



ROUND EIGHT:



O'Dell: "Yvonne right after Kesha as we start the eighth, but, now the big blonde banging back. Kesha's booming out that hard right jab, slowing down any renewed Strahovski offensive. Vonnie back to a more measured form of boxing, again, wants to manage her opponent's power, not play to it."



Cassie: "Right back to where we were before the knockdown. Two-way boxing, and Kesha again holding her own with Yvonne."



O'Dell: "Which, again, isn't easy to do. Vonnie bobbing the head, slippin' and dippin' now. She's trying dodge that right hand, not let Kesha square up that left. Big K stepping forward. Yvonne a little circle, gives a little ground when she needs to and NAILS KESHA WITH A HARD RIGHT HAND! Yvonne's got her wobbled..."



Tess: "Told you, Mac!"



O'Dell: "Strahovski now calling in all the reserves, looking to pull this one out late. ANOTHER big flurry. Kesha covering up. Strahovski a hard right and KESHA TAKES A KNEE! Straho to a neutral corner. Count at three. Four. Five. Kesha to her feet at six. She takes the mandatory and ON COMES VONNIE! Strahovski just banging away. Kesha on the ropes figuratively and literally. Thirty seconds to go. Vonnie trying to find the 'off' switch. Kesha hanging on and IT'S OVER! Referee has seen enough and he's waiving it off! And, your winner by TKO8 is Yvonne Strahovski!"



McCarthy: "Again, not bad, but, still a little overrated."



AFTER:



O'Dell: "Let's go up to the ring and Tess Valmore!"



Tess: "I've got our winner, Yvonne Strahovski, and, Vonnie, that was some kind of fight..."



Yvonne (nodding): "Well, everything you've heard about her power, it's all true. Hits as hard as anybody I've been in the ring with. You just have to fight a girl like that differently. Go winging punches with her and it's going to be a short night for you."



Tess: "You got in a little hole there, but you climbed out of it."



Yvonne (nodding): "Yeah. I knew I was behind, but I knew I had time. I'm the best lightweight in the world. As long as there's still time in the fight, I can always find a way to win. And, I did that tonight."