Posted by Simguy on 11/10/2001, 2:44 pm.

Before: In a card full of mismatches and blowouts, Eliza Dushku/Claire Danes suddenly looks like a competitive fight. Ms. Dushku still a healthy favourite coming in, but the odds have shrunk ion the weeks leading up--Danes winning over some smart money with confident demeanour and competent performances in her last few outings. “Look, the kid outboxed Kelly Packard,” notes one aged handicapper, “and she showed killer instinct in her last fight--those are good credentials to have against Dushku. Claire’s probably got more insight into Eliza than any other celebrity out there--there’s no Dushku mystique in in that ring tonight--just two girls who don’t enjoy each other’s company much.” Dushku in red leather bra style bikini, Danes in black string bikini.

During R1: Crisp, competitive boxing--Danes with her elbows in, hands loose at her chest, stepping lively left, flicking the jab to set up the right cross. Eliza with the right at her cheek, left across her body a little more varied I her attack, countering as well as leading, hooking the body and head and shooting a straight right hand to the center of Danes’ chest. Eliza’s sharper punching in combination carries the points--Claire playing it safe with sturdy one-twos.

R2: Danes stepping in and outa little to change up distance, gets Eliza to reach with a jab and catches Dushku with a licking left across the face. Eliza funky-footing for a moment--Danes in perfect position drills the right cross, steps in as Eliza falters sideways and nails another big right hand upside the head to chase Dushku ropeside. Eliza shocked, legs not right beneath her, covers up as a snarling Claire Danes steps up to the plate Lashing strokes up and down both flanks have Dushku hugging herself in pain--limber blonde getting every ounce of juice she can into these licking blows. Eliza masterful at the ropes, bobs, weaves and blocks her way out of trouble and starts the final minute with a beautiful counter left hook in between Danes’ punching that sends the blonde stomping backwards on her heels. Claire’s hurt, Eliza’s hurt--the girls shoulder up and Dushku slowly beats Claire into grudging retreat with scooping lefts and right up underneath. Dushku punching after the bell as tempers flare--referee intercedes.

R3: Resilient Eliza shakes off the punishment and comes out grim-faced, touching danes with the “A” jab, pivoting left and looking to hook the lower right side as Claire turns. Claire getting picked apart this round, stubbornly chases her foe, but can; cut off the ring--Dushku biting off sharp pivots and opening up sudden angles, preys on the blonde’s poor positioning. Nasty hook on the temple puts Claire wobbly butt--she reaches in to clinch and Eliza FEASYS on the ribcage with pulverizing lefts and right, stepping back to walk Danes into damage. Shutout Eliza D, sends Claire home HURTING!

R4: Claire shows grit that some, Eliza included, had questioned--blonde circling, force-feeding Eliza jabs, changing distance with cute in and out footwork. Dushku losing the battle of jabs, can’t set the table and as a result can’t get Claire to walk into anything--blonde doing a nice job of dictating range and pace, paints her for points this round. All even through 4, both girls looking puffy and scuffed up--Danes showing no signs of intimidation as she’s given as good as she’s gotten thus far.

R5: Shutout Eliza Dushku. Eliza retakes jab superiority, taking the punch away from Claire, and the rest of the agenda falls into place. Dushku pivoting sharply to the left, routinely bangs away at Claire’s right eye with the hook. Straight right hand to the ribcage has Danes grimacing on occasion, and the blonde is having to run to keep her back off the ropes. Eliza nodding at the bell--she looks comfortable at last.

R6: Shutout Eliza Dushku. More of the same--she’s not steamrolling Claire, but she’s outclassing the blonde, beating on that eye, taking some of the steel out of those legs with stabbing right hands to the body. Claire out of position. Reaching with her punches and getting driolled underneath her outstretched arms as a result--Eliza’s feet are winning this bout.

R7: Dushku starts to taunt--telling Claire about it when a jab or hook bashes that eye--brunette’s having fun in there. Midway through, Eliza dips her shoulder, bats a loose right hand up into Claire’s tummy. Playfully leans back to make Danes miss and Claire gets all of a lunging right cross into Dushku’s chin. Eliza pin wheeling wildly as she topples out of control, finally hitting the ropes hard as Danes charges in, tackling her girl hard, then pulls out slugging! Wild brawling melee sees Eliza clouted severely back and forth across the face--brunette stopping forward in a cloud, taking flush punches as Danes wails away. Once again, Dushku survives a vicious Danes flurry and slowly gets her defense together--round ends with Danes clearly in control, but Eliza minimizing the carnage with brilliant upper body movement, rolling with incoming.

R8: Claire changes up to jab at Dushku’s belly, trades dangerous straight right hands, slide-steps back as Eliza comes in and NAILS the brunette with a gorgeous right to beat Dushku to the punch. Eliza’s eyelashes flutter as her knee nearly touches down, then she sucks it up midring as once again Claire helps herself, Danes lathering away--Dushku well covered, rolling with punches, blocking headshots, but Danes is mining gold along the waistline. Great Claire Danes moment late as she lays in, then steps out, allowing Eliza to fall forward--Claire just fitting the right uppercut in between the brunette’s mitts. Danes stays in close, jerking the right hand u into Dushku’s chin over and over again with little strokes, putting Dushku wobbly butt at the bell. Shutout Claire Danes and she chest up on Eliza to force eye contact--Dushku stripped of her cockiness for just a moment before pushing Danes angrily away.

R9: Eliza Dushku turns it up one more notch--HARMING Claire with spearing overhand rights to the solar plexus, then coming back out with lethal rising hooks to catch Danes leaning forward. Claire breaking down badly in this round--when Danes is hurt, Eliza is abler to pile on--when Dushku’s hurt, she’s better able to eefend herself while her head clars. Danes stumbling now, fielding merciless blows to her chin. Wanderring away and n ot offering back as Dushku gets off with tireless combinations. Fight reels back and forth across the ring--Dushku battering her prey into the ropes, beating the body and head--Danes reacting late and protecting what’s already ravaged as Eliza moves on. Final moments draw some squeals of discomfort from ringside as Dushku sets her body and starts cranking hooks upside Claire’s head,. Driving the blonde crazy-legged into the corner. Danes out on her feet, saved by the bell as Eliza glares, is forcibly restrained by the ref.

R10: Claire fades to the ropes, digging in with stubborn determination to go the distance--Dushku methodically going about the task of beating the pride out of Danes, Eliza heartless as she stands I head to head, doubling up on licking hooks downstairs, then clipping a left uppercut to Claire’s overhanging chin. Danes sliding to her left, Eliza steps with her and keeps the punishment flowing ina steady pounding beat. Right hands tap Claire’s ribs and kidneys, left hands bash against belly and chin--punches tight, compact, full of leg and leverage--Danes beaten into a stupor, seated on the ropes, takes and takes and takes. Finally, the bell--a ransacked Claire Danes sags into the ropes with glassy-eyed defiance on her face as Dushku buries a final, late right hand into the smooth midsection. UD10 Eliza Dushku--ref peeling the girls apart as entourages flood the ring.

After: Both girls beaten badly about the face, though Claire clearly hurt worse in the body--this was a punishing bout all the way through. Danes giving Dushku all she wanted in a war of wills. Dushku needing every skill in her repertoire to finally separate herself from the blonde. Eliza just a bit busier on the offense, sharp combinations often undoing Claire’s work with one-twos. Real difference was defense--both girls hurt repeatedly in the fight, but Eliza better able to control the jail breaks--Danes suffering more during her let downs as the brunette finally rolled to victory.

Reposted by Archer 3/30/31.