Before: Alba in desperate need of credibility boost: devastated by fellow Latina Eva Mendes - Jessica's still arguably the most desirable ingenue in all the world, but needs to shore up a badly battered rep with a solid win. "Everyone knows how tough Evangeline is," Alba acknowledges in prefight. "I'm going to destroy her. That's my mission: total annihilation of Evangeline Lilly. I choked against Eva, but I'm still the best fighter in this division and I'm going to remind everyone of that fact in spectacular fashion." Lilly a serious-minded fighter - not given to a lot of guff: she doesn't join in the trash talking Jessica's inviting. "Alba's a dangerous offensive fighter," Lilly allows, "I know and respect that going in, but I also know she isn't all that rugged. That's nothing against Jessica - I'm not hating on her here, I'm just saying that in tough fights where Alba's absorbing punishment, she hasn't been able to take it. So I'm going to get after her - I'm going to put the pressure on. She either makes me back off, or I'm going to take her out - I don't see this fight going the distance." Lilly in lime fighting bikini with very dark green splatter print - yellow gloves - long slick battle braid. Alba in yellow bikini, long low blonde ponytail, white gloves. Jessica tense during stare-down, refusing to touch gloves as Lilly extends her mitts.

During R1: Lilly out aggressively - right hand up at left cheek, left in tight across her tummy - she's bobbing, weaving her way in close, spritzing stubby jabs en route. Alba shying away - snarling as she unleashes slick lead rights with elastic delivery, punching into Lilly's guard. Jessica's wide stance features fluid, gliding footwork as she wheels around, lopes in and out. Bandy armed hooks from Alba as she walks Lilly in: Evangeline ducking under the slicing blows, moving her feet into position before getting off with compact, rapid combinations in close. Brisk cat and mouse - Lilly steadily attacking Jess all around the ring finally gets to Alba with a ringing right to chin/left to mouth, sprawling Jessica wide-eyed against ropes. Quick-pouncing Lilly scoots-to, thumps away a series of chugging rights and lefts to sleek Latina torso: Jessica groaning, bending forward behind her mitts, butt in ropes. All Lilly to the bell - stocky, strong body tense as she slugs hard from either foot, whaling on Alba's glossy flanks to bell. Jessica blinking back tears, trembling and shaken - but still standing despite Lilly's best efforts.

R2: Lilly encroaching again - Alba springy legged, looking to create distance and charge Evangeline for real estate. Jess getting the jab up off her hip, touching Lilly's brow; Alba also dropping a hard, slinging lead right hand through the middle, punching Lilly's face with authority. Evangeline committed to coming forward, bobs and weaves her way past Alba's rangy limbs: Lilly's receipts to her foe's proud ribcage are thudding, and vigorous. Jessica baring her teeth, standing her ground in spots: she'll dip a shoulder and rip an uppercut with either hand, lick-snapping mitts off Lilly's sturdy torso underneath. Down the stretch, Alba dominating until she's chin-checked another tight right hand in close - Lilly putting the hook on top as Alba's toppling backward, hands low. Jessica hurt at the ropes, once again forced to dig in and hunker down: Evangeline salting away the round with another thumping beatdown, reefing at Jessi's flanks with either mitt. 'Vangie's hooks so hard during the sequence, her right foot's sliding up off the canvas.

R3: Alba mounting slashing attacks, showing good resiliency and answering critics here with bravery in the face of Lilly's thudding attack. Jessica's lead right hand an elastic, cobra-tongue blast - punching in swift between Lilly's mitts, catching her before she can bob. Sliding back from Lilly - dragging the lead left foot - Jessica's seeking clouting left hooks off the right foot, always inviting Evangeline forward. Lilly bobbing and weaving, trying to hurt Jessica with every punch - Evangeline coming up a little short this round as Alba judges her distance better. Midway through, Alba fading back, walks Lilly into a gorgeous check right uppercut off the right foot: EVANGELINE'S SHOOK! Lilly stamping hurt on the spot - hands up at her temples: Alba flows over to offense, blonde ponytail a-tossing. Limber lead right pounds in between Lilly's mitts, punching her head back; wider, looping right takes Lilly on her jaw, sending her stumbling to her right; curling right uppercut takes Lilly bingo on the chin, loosening her knees. Alba snarling, feeling the moment - she switches hips-right and slashes a vicious, whip-limbed hook across Evangeline's tummy, gouging at her vitals. Lilly crying out, stiffening up, cringing forward...directly into the path of Alba's sinuous, sweeping right uppercut. Oh, the cracking impact of that shot - Lilly's head giving a sickening little jolt as she stoops forward - then crumples FACE FIRST AT JESSICA'S FEET! Alba hot-cheeked - screaming down as ref's bodying her back - SOMEHOW - Evangeline Lilly fights off the KO.

R4: Alba stalking hurt prey - Jess scowling prettily, looking to step-in and lash Lilly out of there. 'Vange dukes up - face puffy and busting up, legs still shaky - she's shying away, just trying to get her bearings. Jess supple-slugging: left hand at her thigh as she leans in sloshing wide rights, or lifts gaudy right uppercuts; right hand dangling at the side as Jess hops with her jab - touching Lilly in her forehead from off 'Vangie's right shoulder. Jessica all sinewy goodness here - licking and strapping her punches - but she's getting careless and sloppy. Late the round - Lilly still hunched in behind her mitts, waits on Jessica's loose right uppercut from too far out and times a SHATTERING right hand to chin. Alba's head tossing back as right hand sails upward - SHE CORKSCREWS INTO THE DECK! Jessica spreads out on her back - eyelashes fluttering: Lilly bats mitts together, stomping to neutral corner. ALBA BEATS THE COUNT! Rare display of heart from Ms. Alba - she's badly shaken, eyes shiny as she sways knock-kneed at the ropes - but she'll make it out of the round.

R5: Jessica a little more responsible with her right hand - keeping it at her cheek as she lifts up-jabs off her hip, spitting poke to keep Lilly back. Evangeline repulsed on a couple of early forays: Alba's jab still plenty spicy, buying her time. Evangeline backs off, walks to her right while scowling thoughtfully over right shoulder: when she gets back to business, she's doing it behind the jab. Wonderful boxing from two young fighters here: Jess using her height, her punches limber and slinging; Lilly keeping dukes up, moving her head, doubling up a stiff, stubby jab to try to get to taller gal's chest. Even round until Jessica steals it late with a slinging right to Lilly's chin as Evangeline's trying to back out of range: splashy head snap catches the judges' eyes - Alba nabs close points.

So, the result was UD10 Lilly - but the subtext is it was VERY hard fought, and Alba redeemed herself in the wake of those Mendes setback

s.