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28 November 2014 Natalie Portman vs Rachel Bilson

Page history last edited by Archer844 9 years, 3 months ago

Natalie Portman 13.jpg Rachel Bilson 07.jpg

Posted by Lookout! Boxing on November 28, 2014, 11:07 am

Natalie Portman (Hawkeye International) vs. Rachel Bilson (Rampant Fighting)
Flyweight Tournament Round 1
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

"I know what they're all saying," says Bilson, eyes flashing. "They're all saying I don't belong here, that I'm only here because of the 'one girl per stable' rule, that Carter or Williams or Scerbo belongs here instead of me. Well, they're all WRONG. I'm better than any of those girls. This is the Rachel Revolution. And it WILL be televised!"

"Funny thing about revolutions," says Natalie, with just the hint of a gorgeous smile. "Sometimes they get put down. Brutally. And that's exactly what's going to happen to Rachel's. Because, tonight, the Pax Portmanica is going to be reinstated."

ROUND ONE:

Bilson very aggressive early, no surprise from an underdog who has a size advantage. Rachel likes to work off the jab, to box, and she does some of that, but there's a lot more forward movement as she looks to close and get physical with the smaller Natalie. Problem is, Portman's seen this show before. Many, many times. And, the slick former champion knows just how to deal with it. She repeatedly touches Bilson up, forcing her to cover up and allowing Natalie to use footwork for space. When Rachel does get in close and begin to bang, Portman creates space and angles with drop steps. Instead of stalking, Rachel finds herself CHASING, and that's not a good thing to be doing against a fighter as good and accurate as Portman. The result is a lot of leather clanging off Bilson's face and body as Natalie controls the first from bell to bell to take the early 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

Bilson more retrospect this time. Not going all "frontal assault" on Portman's well prepared defenses. Now it's jab and box, landing some sharp rights off her left jab. All in all a better idea. But, again, the former champion can play this game, too, because there aren't many she can't play. And, if geometry were an Olympic sport, Portman would be a gold medalist. It's all about the angles, the spacing, the levels, and Natalie's constantly changing all of them. There's no dancing, of course. Portman doesn't dance. She moves. Tactically. Head. Hands. Feet. Shoulders. Everything. And she's always in the right place. And most often, that leaves you in the wrong one. So, yes, Bilson's sounder second round strategy works better. It just doesn't work well enough. Because, while she's scoring more and getting touched up less, she's not doing enough of the former or little enough of the latter, and, that means that, when the Bell sounds, it's Portman on top again, extending her lead to 20-18 after two.

ROUND THREE:

Even less aggression from Bilson, and the more she dials it down, the better she does. Rachel is as quick as Portman, if not quicker. She moves every bit as well, if not better. Hey, she can do this without trying to do to much. And, so, she does. Bilson eases the foot off the pedal even more and the jab and box begins to work for her as it has in so many previous fights. She's finding the range better, not getting caught as much with counters. She's holding her own pretty well now. Portman unflustered, keeps doing what she always does, fighting her fight. She's not about to do anything save small adjustments, because she knows how to play her hand. And so it goes, a more relaxed Bilson, and the always relaxed Portman, boxing well from bell to bell. But, it's Bilson who's done more and better this time around, and that makes it 29-28 after three.

ROUND FOUR:

Bilson's confidence growing. What? A girl with 30-plus fights needs to find some success against an opponent to build confidence? Yes. Because this is Portman, a girl who's beaten Rachel three times. And, for all of Bilson's recent success, one thing she's never done before decisioning Kreuk and Tisdale earlier this year is beat elite fighters. She's had her wins. And she's fought girls like Williams, Bell, Scerbo, Panettiere, and Danes. But what she hasn't done, or hadn't until this past spring, is beat girls like those. And, Portman? A bête noire. UD10. UD10. TKO6. Three tries. Three losses. Fourth time's a charm? The Revolution is being televised? Perhaps it is. Because Bilson's confidence is growing, and, as it does so, she solves more and more of the Portman puzzle. It's not like Natalie's getting blown away, mind. It's good, two-way boxing, just like in round three. But Bilson's fighting more lead. She's getting off first and avoiding more of Portman's precise, accurate counters. Natalie's still getting her points. But, she's always going to do that. She's too good and too slick not to. Rachel, though, is scoring more. And, so it is when the bell rings that Bilson's overcome Portman's early lead and evened the fight at 38.

ROUND FIVE:

Bilson back to work with that jab and the whippy hooks she likes to throw off of it. Portman spending more time on the defensive as Bilson gets the range and timing down. Natalie not at all nonplussed. Keeps working. Keeps moving. Keeps countering. But Bilson continues to slowly take control, ranging in with that left had, pre-empting Portman with it, building to good flurries that pile up points. The flurries begin to get longer as the round goes on. And then one becomes a lot shorter than Rachel envisioned. It's that right hand counter of Portman's that does the trick. Again, the words are precise and accurate. There isn't much of a hole to put the punch in, but Natalie threads the needle and drops Bilson to her back. Natalie calmly walks to a neutral corner and waits. Bilson struggles to her feet, beating the count. The referee waives the former champion forward and Portman immediately goes to work. NOW all that skill and precision are put to use. To say Natalie's like a surgeon is cliché. It's also correct. Every punch is placed perfectly and every punch leads to the next. Leather is coming from everywhere and all Bilson can do is cover up along the ropes and try to ride out the storm. But the wind howls and the leather flies and Bilson's knees are unhinged several times, though she manages to stay on her feet. Finally, however, it's all too much. The referee leaps in and bundles a bereft Bilson to safety. And there are tears and protestations. Both of same the result of frustration. Again. Natalie's done it to her AGAIN. And, that, she has. Your winner by TKO5, Natalie Portman!

AFTER:

"Revolutions get put down," says Natalie with a smile. "Brutally. Don't get me wrong, though. This IS a different Rachel. She's better than the girl I beat up a few years ago. She probably belongs in this tournament. But, she's not at my level. Never has been and never will be. There's no shame in it, though, because no one else is, either."