Posted by simguy on 8/8/2008, 6:11 pm

(Thanks to FightFan for this repost)

(editor's note: There's very good ref of Prepon as a blonde recently - so however you picture her, just pencil that in. I'm colour blind after all. Once you hit 70, you know...)

Before: Henstridge everything you could want in a legit big woman: size, strength, good looks, good marketability - her legacy of missed opportunities and shattering disappointments the stuff of FCBA legend at this point. "I feel like I'm running out of chances," big Nat admits in prefight. "I'm not done or shot by any stretch, but I've made some huge mistakes in my career and promoters are starting to overlook me. I know I can batter Laura Prepon, but I've just got to actually deliver the trouncing, you know? I'm drawing a line in the ring for this fight: Laura gets beat, right here, right now, no excuses." Prepon enjoying a revitalization under the steady hand of the Krushers: Laura knows what it's like to be in Henny's shoes. "I've been at the point where I was semi-retired and thinking of just going the apartment route. But then, you know, the Loken deal came along, and I was with a big concern again, and now things are looking up again. I believe Natasha can still fight; the big question is - with all that's happened to her - does NATASHA still believe? It's all up to her: we're giving her a pretty big chance here, but if she's already given up on herself, I am going to beat that ass ragged come the night." Laura with wiry copper curls long down her back; green crochet bikini; small black work out gloves. Nat in black lace push up and panties, small black workout gloves; hair in slick low ponytail.

During R1: Similar approaches: neither girl fleet of foot or particularly deceptive; they step into position, right hands near cheeks, left hands pumping poke. Nasty stuff - girls this rangy and strong, setting themselves to jab, can do a lot of damage with just the stick. Laura in particular scoring to Henny's brows with authority - knocking away at her blonde, twisting the stitching of those small gloves into the tender skin. Nat visibly disappointed to be getting outjabbed: not much head movement - she basically takes poke flush, routinely beaten to the punch by Laura. Preps looser, slow-rotating herself clockwise around her blonde, just patiently breaking the big Nat down. Henny lands some stiff poke of her own - but far fewer scoring connects than Preps.

R2: Similar sturdy gun-platform stuff: girls in wide, flat footed stances, dukes up, shelling each other with rigid left jabs. Natasha starting to relax, flowing better: she's spotting the jab to Prepon's chest as well as face - sometimes even stooping to stamp away on breadbasket. Natasha turning over the fight's first right hands: good strong blasts - partially blocked by vigilant Laura - but Nat's coming forward now, imposing her will. Henstridge not shy about tying up after she leans into the booming rights - denying Laura any chance to counter in a stop-and-go second.

R3: Rangier, more free-swinging opening minute - girls taking chances with sweeping rights, then leaning back to avoid the muscular receipts. Laura more supple than her foe, more agile, better able to recover her stance after such improvisations. Midway through, with Henny missing an overhand right - Prepon eases onto back (right) foot, swiping a short, exploratory hook palm-down across Nat's mouth, then driving into a fierce right hand to really toggle Henny's chin. Big Nat stamping back on her heels, eyelashes batting, jugs a-jumping: she hits ropes in a fog, barely covering up earmuff in time to receive Laura's charge. Prepon squaring away, chipping a pair of range-finding jabs across Nat's scalp, then LAVISHING blonde waist the thickest of sweeping right hands. Preps pops hips-right, slings her left into aching blonde gut - then back the other way with another shellacking right. Natasha crying out like a flyweight from the pain of it: Prepon proving she pound away with the best of the big in the third.

R4: Nat proves durable, restoring order with her educated jab. Very stiff poke, pounding at Laura's eyebrows: redhead covering up, circling her torso to move her head - she stops punching as a result. Natasha leaning into muscular right hands - generally missing, but carrying herself forward into Laura: blonde able to palm up, push off, and walk a spooked redhead down for points this round.

R5: Nat grabbier this round - moving in off one-twos to ride her left hand behind Laura's head, tugging it down and holding Prepon for cheap right uppercuts. Nat riding her forearm across Laura's upperback, employing classic big-girl weight-bearing tactics and earning warnings. Midway through, Nat with her left hand at her ear rides her left elbow/forearm up against the left side Laura's face as the girls lean in: Nat able to push-off from this posture; chop a short right hand to Laura's jaw and stun Prepon. Raking follow up pounds Laura to ropes: Prep covers up earmuff, back on cables as Natasha squares away. Big, banging blonde mop-up beatdown ensues - Nat salting away the round with a thudding assault against Prepon's ribcage to bell.

R6: Prepon rakes a left uppercut, turns on a muscular right cross: Natasha sent reeling early with a bad case of chin-shock. Ropes: Nat walks Laura in and ties up tight; ref pulling at Henny's brawny shoulders to get her to release. Laura set up strong - she's shelling the upperchest and defences of her girl with the howitzer jab, then driving in with demoralizing rights. Natasha grimacing, but defending well, and tying Laura up to deny redhead extended exchanges. Prepon frustrated with all the grabby-grabby: Natasha turning this thing into a big-woman swamp to get out of trouble.

R7: Midring, gunplatform jabs and crosses from strong puncher's stances: Henny's getting outhit. Natasha visibly frustrated - she's being outjabbed, then getting punched off her stance as Laura leans into concussive rights. Prepon able to walk Nat down as Henny retreats - redhead glowing with confidence when fight occurs on these rangy terms. Prepon's heavy jab opens a small cut over Henstridge's left brow: handled well during the break, but aging blonde is busting up.

R8: Natasha doubles up her jab, slides the left hand in behind Prepon's head, tugs her forward, spins her round, clouts her righty - ref moves in to break up the illegal clasping. Prepon gritting her teeth, looking to slug rangy, but Nat denying her: Henstridge doing a good job getting off, then getting her hands on Laura - either clasping her, or clinching her, or pushing her around. Tummy to tummy in mutual embraces - Natasha always with the extra little shoulder butt in the teeth, or cheap elbow: good veteran scraping tactics helping to scuff Laura up. Down the stretch, Laura being pushed and jostled - Nat takes advantage to cuff Prepon's healthy breasts some swatting left hands, adding to Laura's vexation.

R9: Natasha beginning to impose will - Laura constantly off balance as she's pushed, pulled, spun and clouted. Ref issuing a steady stream of warnings, pulling at Natasha's shoulders in the clinches, or slapping her hand away from behind Laura's neck. Henny grimly determined to close behind her punching and get hands on her girl: Prepon rarely able to set her feet as grabby blonde dominates. Henstridge with the forearm across Laura's upperback repeatedly pushes Prepon to her knees: Laura beginning to mouthbreath, looking heavy as she rises and bytches to the ref. Down the stretch, Nat tugs Laura's head down onto a right uppercut, straightening Preps up all startled. Wide, clapping hook/straight, pounding right cross drills Laura, sends her reeling to ropes. Muscular clean up as Nats able to square away, raking Laura with straight lefts and rights across the girl's front as Prepon wilts at bell. INSURANCE PUNCHES! Nat stays on target even after the break, bringing the ref in hot.

R10: Laura's all banged up, looking a little sleepy/disheveled: Natasha able to jab-in, cup the left hand behind Laura's head and pull her around. Nat holding and hitting - grinding her hairline into Laura's while controlling redhead with that left hand. Prepon pulled around, constantly forced to move her feet: meanwhile, Nat's placing tuff right hands to breadbasket, jug and chin, all while holding. Ref issuing breaks, but not enough: Laura really absorbing thump here, starting to break down shabby. Right hand down the stretch sends Prepon reeling wobbly butt to ropes: once again, Nat strides in, squares up, has her way. Big, strapping whacks applied to what's left of Laura: Prepon face-in-gloves, tilting side to side as punches crash against her. Nat rhythmic, stroking her way to victory in a punishing tenth. UD10 Natasha Henstridge.

After: Prepon all banged up, drowsy from punishment and dejected with the loss. Henny revitalized - dabbing at her face with a white towel around her neck: she pounds out a good veteran big-woman duke over a fearsome right hand power puncher. "We both had the same approach early, and I have to admit, Laura was tougher than I expected," Laura says in postfight. "I made some adjustments, got big with her, used my strength, and she started to break down. I tapped her some good right hands in the midsection - nothing too dramatic - but I know she was discouraged and wasn't breathing well over the last half of the fight. This is a big win for me - puts me right back in the hunt, and I know at welterweight that I can still capture a title if I get the fights."


simguy

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