Posted by Simguy on 12/22/2001, 3:14 pm.

Before; golden opportunity for both girls with Dushku coming up flat--winner can consider herself a front runner in Yasmine Bleeth/Alyssa Milano sweepstakes. Danes the boxer, bnut Williams really showing another side of herself in her last fight--will she be just the puncher tonight> Claire certainly classier than Holmes, but not as big a banger. Mish should be encouraged to go in strong. Claire in black sports bra, black boy cut trunks, Mish inelegant black bikini.

During R1: Mish rumbling forward, right hand under her chin, left across her belly, she’s bobbing, weaving, hooking to Claire’s tummy, making an investment there for later rounds. Danes flat footed, pivoting to her left and rolling with punches doesn’t do much until the second minute, but then a ripping left/right leaves Mish staring and a follow-up catspaw double-dab hook on the cheek drives Williams back. All Danes at the ropes, getting big on Williams, surprising the crowd, both corners, and even the fighters themselves with the hamfisted shove and slug.

R2: Mish answers, and answers with vigor. Back into the body of Danes, and Claire can’t punch back. Danes just stooping forward, covering up sullen, taking thick licks to her ribs and tummy. Williams not frenzied, just stepping to the side, placing her punches as carefully and as heavily as she can and DANES TAKES AKNEE! Minutes worth of methodical body beating puts Claire all a-quiver as she takes a breathless 8. Williams back on board and she’s systematically breaking Danes down at the ropes. Nothing back from Claire as she stoops forward, letting Williams’ mitts spank away to the waist and ribs. Mish getting beefy, around her girl’s shoulders, but always hunting the soft spots downstairs, sends Danes quaking back to her corner with a shutout 10-8.

R3: More of Mish. Fight meanders on a little patch of canvas close to Danes’ corner--Claire not moving much, sagging forward, letting Mish get off. Williams able to pace herself, sink her hooks and right hands into the waist, then shoulder up, walk around her girl to freshen the angle. After the midway point, Williams doubles off the body hook/uppercut or right hand/uppercut--Danes with the gloves at her temples, stoically stands in to soak up every punch. Claire all achy and grimacing on her stool at the break--Mish bright-eyed, eager to get back on.

R4: More Mish just working Claire Danes over in basically the same spot on the canvas. Danes coming out of her guard occasionally to lick a counter uppercut or hook off Mish’s face, but there’s nothing on these punches--Claire just standing there, letting Michelle punch her in the body Williams nice and steady, piling up the mileage, putting punches together and sending Danes back to her corner all a-throb. Mish in total control after 4, as Danes seems sluggish, broken down.

R5: Hello possum. Mish wades in to set up shop, and Danes suddenly comes to life in a spasm of slender-limbed whip-lashes. Williams sputtering backwards, punches cascading off her face and a juicy gash opens over the girl’s left eye, Mish beaten the length of the ring and it doesn’t stop--Claire on wide spread legs, giving everything she’s got to ruin Williams. Hammers away at the cut with sidearm right hands, coming back with a clapping left on the jaw. Mish stupefied, is beaten raw at the ropes, mouthpiece slapped off her teeth as Danes just wails away. Claire punching herself out in a sustained burst of shellacking violence, runs out the clock in the final minute as a leaking blonde stumbles after her in mindless pursuit. Scored 10-8 without a knockdown--Danes sends Michelle back to corner with a cheeky butt-slap.

R6: Mish busted up, comes out grim, slips Danes’ cocky left, rockets over the top with a big right hand and Claire is hurt! D-Train’s caboose shoots back as she is jerked around by the blow on her chin, Mish bulling forward, slips under a panicky Claire right hand, digs a withering left to the ribs and Danes crumbles to her haunches at the ropes with a wracking sob. Claire sucks it up to take 8, but her legs are shot--on comes Mish for a grinding shutout round. Williams mugging Danes at the ropes, shoulder-propping the girl up for multiple clubbing hooks to the belly, jamming short right hands between the mitts--Danes slow to react, takes an awful lot of punishment this round as SHE comes up cut at the hairline.

R7: Hammer and tongs! Danes indulging in ill-advised slugging, has her moments as she scrubs up Mish’s face with shoe-shining lefts and rights. Williams heavier handed, crunching into Danes’ body and using that great head movement to shoot low and to the side in order to deliver the body shots underneath. Claire really worn out by the bell--she’s missing a lot over the top as William shows some of those new “wrinkles”.

R8: Hammer and tongs! If Danes still has the legs to box, she’s not using them, choosing to cheek-up on Mish and lash away tit for tat. Not a winnable strategy for Danes, but the crowd is loving it as Mish forces her foe back, beating Claire so severely about the ribs and waist that Danes finally can’t offer back, and it’s all Mish Williams down the stretch. Very Patient Williams, digging a body shot, reloading with her head on Claire, then helping herself again downstairs--Claire soaking it all up with grunts and muffled groans inside.

R9: Oh Claire Danes! Claire giving ground to walk Mish into some cuffing, counter left hooks Williams swatted off stride and Danes jams a beautiful straight right hand into the right side of Mish’s face. Williams’ legs give at the knee, then lock--she’s hurt! Claire piling on, hammering open that cut, beating Mish back behind a flailing fusillade of lefts and rights. Williams’ back hit’s the ropes and she’s stunned. Mish with her arms crossed, bending at the waist, can’t get her face out of the way of Claire’s wailing fists. Danes beating Mish unrecognizable this round as Williams reels at the bell--some of the bets punches Claire’s every thrown in combat and Mish still standing. Sort of.

R10: Hammer and tongs! Claire wants to close the show, determined to harm Mish this round. Williams getting backed up, but moving her head, making Danes miss over the top and grittily getting back into Danes’ ribcage with vicious counters underneath. Claire runs out of gas after hard body touches sap her strength--by the second minute it’s Mish coming forward, ignoring Claire’s don’t-hurt-me jab. Williams hunting solar plexus with every punch, hammering Danes into that hurting, drooping posture--Claire just gritting her teeth and taking it as Mish pours it on! Danes starting to waver! Danes legs give as she topples into the ropes! Mish opening up wild , simply bludgeons her girls to the canvas with brutal lefts band rights and CLAIRE IS DONER! Danes trembling, sitting in a puddle at the ropes, eyes pleading, but body, nmot responding--it’s KO10 Mish Williams!

After: Unexpected Fight of the Year candidate breaks out, leaving both women badly battered, but only one standing. Claire punching hard enough to cut and dazzle her opponent., but the punching success eventually leads to Danes’ downfall. Mish selective with her shots, did sensational work to the body of Claire, rendering the classy blonde helpless for long stretches of this bout while Mish piled up the points. In the end, battle for field position rendered moot--drubbing bombardment leaves Claire destitute at the ropes, staring heartsick at her rival’s celebrations in the ring. Division lies wide open with Bleeth/Milano on the immediate horizon--Williams has to be considered for the winner. Disastrous PPV for HISC--all three properties (Eliza Dushku, Estella Warren and now Claire Danes) get torched, stopped in a series of entertaining slugfests.

Reposted by Archer 3/31/13.