Candice Accola (Mirage Boxing) vs. Elizabeth Olsen (Ginny's Academy)

(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

Pair of tall, rangy young bantams with plenty of potential. Lizzie, whose hair changes from light to dark, comes in brunette, perhaps to differentiate from CandyCola. "I'll beat her," says Olsen with a confident nod. "Not because of any special strategy or game plan. Just because I'm better."

"This girl isn't in my league," says Candice with a smirk. "You're talking to a girl who whipped Jaime Pressly's butt TWICE. Olsen's nothing more than a stay-busy for me."

ROUND ONE:

Two girls with similar styles, so it's no surprise that things quickly settle down into a ranged boxing match. Both fighters like nice, wide stances. Both like to set up their right hands with long left jabs. Both move well and both are solid defensively, so, while the first round doesn't contain a lot of big, crowd-pleasing flurries and huge bombs, it does contain a lot of solid, purist-pleasing boxing. Both fighters have their moments, and both adjust well to dealing with not having an edge in reach, something bantams of their height are used to. There's not much in it when the bell rings, but it's Candice who's done a bit more and gets the nod and the early 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

Second verse, same as the first. Both fighters like the terms and both believe they can succeed under them, so neither is looking to switch anything up. Instead, they get back to what they like to do, and both do it effectively. It's all about hand an foot movement. Both women look to angle, get to spots, work the left jab, and create openings for the right, and both do it well. Neither is landing with much power, but both are doing plenty of landing, especially left hands. The jabs are piling up points for both blonde and brunette as well as setting up the rights. Again, there's not much in it at the bell, but, this time it's Elizabeth who's gotten a few more points and evened things up at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Subtle adjustments. That's what it can be all about in fights like this, fights between women with similar styles and experience levels, and so it is in round three, as Olsen begins doubling up her jab. It's simple, but effective. It slows CandyCola, helps suppress her offense, and creates bigger openings for Lizzie's right hand. Candice is thrown onto the defensive from bell to bell, unable to get much done. Olsen slowly ups the work rate as the round goes on, feeling herself taking control and going with it. By the bell, Candice is backed into the ropes taking heavy leather and Olsen has secured a wide victory and a 29-28 lead.

ROUND FOUR:

Adjustments. And now it's Candice who makes one. Accola begins circling left, away from Lizzie's jab. Again, the adjustment is small, and again it's effective. By forcing the brunette to turn and work to get the angles she needs, the blonde creates time and space for her own offense, and she takes full advantage of it. Accola's off first the entire round, forcing Olsen to cover up again and again. Candy lands some hard rights, and hooks body with the left. Olsen can't seem to get underway despite her best efforts, and, when the bell rings, it's a wide victory for CandyCola and the fight is all even at 38.

ROUND FIVE:

Lizzie adjusts again. If Candice is going to circle toward her right hand, she's going to use it. So, Lizzie begins using her feet to set up the right hand. She pops the left out there, mostly as a decoy, and begins dropping bombs on the blonde, who's stepping right into them. Candice quickly adjusts herself, realizing she can't be walking into Olsen's power, but that puts her right where Lizzie wants her, where she can get back to double-tapping the jab and throwing Accola onto the defensive. A minute in and the momentum has changed completely. Lizzie's back in command, as she spends the next two minutes touching the blonde up with the left hand and dropping in the odd solid right to keep her honest. When the bell rings, Olsen has another wide victory and the lead, 48-47.

ROUND SIX:

Olsen presses her advantage. She has Accola on her heels and she's determined to keep her there. Olsen taking some chances now, working forward for the first time behind that effective left jab, closing distance and banging home big right hands. Candice responds in kind and some of the heaviest leather of the fight is exchanged. Accola snaps Olsen's head back with a right hand and Lizzie responds with a left hook that sends sweat flying. Candice is determined to hold ground and Olsen determined to back her up. Something's got to give and it does. And "it" is Accola's knees. A blistering right hand from Olsen crashes into her chin late in the round and CandyCola's blown to her back. She's down for half the ten count, then makes an effort to sit up and crashes right back to her back, unable to rise before the count passes her by. Accola is out and the winner by KO6 is Elizabeth Olsen!

AFTER:

Elizabeth all beautiful smiles in the post-fight. "I knew she couldn't stand up to me. She can box, sure, but I knew if I we started trading, she'd fold up. I'm just too strong and too tuff for her. And she's not the only one. All the young bantams, you're all on notice. Holt. Cyrus. Bennet. None of you can handle THIS. NONE of you!"