Yvonne Strahovski vs. Iggy Azalea
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

Australian Pride on the line again for Yvonne Strahovski, this time against welterweight Iggy Azalea. And, while Vonnie's a former lightweight champion and still right in the middle of the pound-for-pound discussion, Iggy is not exactly lacking confidence. "Yvonne might just be the best lightweight in the world. But. That's not going to matter tonight. Because, she's getting in with a full welter. And, I'm too big and too strong for her to handle."

"It's true that Iggy is bigger than I am," says Yvonne with a nod. "But. I've dealt with bigger girls before. And, I'll deal with Iggy tonight."

ROUND ONE:

Vonnie wants to set up at range early, but Iggy not having any. Bigger blonde immediately forward behind her heavy left jab, backing Yvonne up, getting physical immediately. Despite Straho's best efforts, she's being walked down very efficiently by the younger woman. Vonnie's gritty, trying to hold canvas, but, it's not going to happen. Iggy just too strong and too heavy. She's loading up on her punches, banging away. As the round goes on, Yvonne's almost completely defensive, keeping the gloves high, trying to counter in spots, but more concerned with parrying all the thumping leather Azalea's tossing her way. By the final 30 seconds, Vonnie's backed to the ropes and taking an absolute SHELLING. She's not hurt, but she's getting touched up in a big way to the bell. When it rings, it's Iggy wide and Azalea with the 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

Straho changing tactics now. She's got to get off center, and that's exactly what she does. She's angling now, moving the feet, not trying to stand in front of Azalea's offensives. For her part, Iggy keeps coming, but, now she's not able to square Vonnie up as much, and that makes all the difference. Now, Yvonne can get her own offense going, as she's no longer being suppressed by all the heavy, accurate shot. And, we go from a one-way fight to a good, two-way round, with both fighters able to get leather on target. Vonnie, slicker and a bit quicker, is landing more. Iggy's landing with greater weight. For two and a half minutes, it goes like that. Back and forth. Nothing in it. And, in the final 30 seconds, Yvonne lets the hands go for a series of hard, accurate flurries that put Azalea on the defensive and enable the older woman to grab the round late and even things at 19.

ROUND THREE:

More two-way stuff. Iggy sounder now, though. She's moving the feet more, using the left more, all in the service of squaring Yvonne. Straho still slick and slippery, but Azalea determined to keep working until she lines her up for the heavy leather. Iggy able to do more of that this round, but not nearly as much as she did in the first. For her part, Straho still landing some nice combinations, still touching the bigger woman a bit more than Iggy is touching her. But, again, Azalea winning when it comes to weight of shot. There's not much in it for the first two minutes, but, in the final third, Iggy begins to find the range in a big way. She's backing up Straho again, snapping the head back with a couple of hard rights that force Vonnie to cover up. And, Iggy is immediately all in, firing away with both hands, driving Yvonne to the ropes and letting her have it again to the bell. It's Iggy again, and Azalea now leads 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Iggy right after Vonnie, eats a hard right hand and then STAGGERS YVONNE WITH A BOOMING RIGHT OF HER OWN! Yvonne steppin' in fence post holes and Iggy begins firing the big guns. Yvonne backing and covering, in deep trouble with almost an entire round to go! Azalea hammering the lighter woman back into the ropes and then absolutely THUMPING her with both hands. Straho in desperate trouble, leaning back in the ropes in a high guard, rolling with the punches, as Iggy buffets her from side to side. Referee looking closely, but Yvonne jabbing in spots, doing enough to keep him at bay. Final minute sees Iggy redouble the efforts, emptying the magazines in an effort to get the smaller woman out of there, but Yvonne using all her veteran wiles to frustrate the effort, run clock, and make it to the bell. When it rings, Iggy's won her third round and taken a 39-37 lead. But. Vonnie's still on her feet.

ROUND FIVE:

In the opening seconds it becomes clear Iggy's made a mistake. Big blonde is gassed after spending the last four minutes winging away at Vonnie. And, it doesn't take the former champ long to figure that out. Straho still buzzed, but she immediately gets to work with the left hand, picking Azalea off with it, holding her at range, and then beginning to put punches together. Soon, Straho appears to have shake off most of the damage from the fourth, and she's rolling, working Iggy over with combination after combination as the welter covers up and gives ground. Azalea doing almost nothing offensively, throwing the odd right hand here and there, but rarely landing anything. By the final minute, Vonnie's romping, landing almost at will. Azalea managing to stay off the ropes, but she can do little more than that. BIG flurry at the bell snaps back the bigger woman's head and punctuates a dominating, shutout round for Yvonne, who's cut the lead to 48-47 at the half.

ROUND SIX:

Vonnie right to the offensive. She's got Iggy on the back foot, and she's determined to keep her there. Azalea somewhat recovered now, though, and she's banging back with authority and we've got a FIREFIGHT in the middle of the ring! Both Aussie blondes sitting down on their punches, determined to grab control of the fight, and, while Iggy has the weight of shot, it's Vonnie's skills and wiles that carry the day. Straho slipping and dipping Iggy's heavy shell while keyholing hard right hands of her own. Until. Just after the two minute mark,. Yvonne lands a vicious straight right and Azalea's HURT! Iggy wobbles and Yvonne responds with a blizzard of leather and DOWN. GOES. AZALEA! Iggy crumples to her back, arms over her head as Straho throws her own arms up in victory. Vonnie quickly to a neutral corner as the referee begins to count. Iggy manages only to drape an arm across her eyes as the count passes her by. It's OVER! And your winner by KO6 is Yvonne Strahovski!

AFTER:

Vonnie showing plenty of the marks of battle in the post fight, but the Aussie Queen remains on her throne after taking out a much heavier rival. "She can really hit," admits Yvonne with a shake of the head. "But. Like I said, I've been in with big hitters before. I know how to handle her kind of power. And how to shut it off. As you just saw."