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26 June 2015 Blake Lively vs Ivana Milicevic

Page history last edited by Archer844 8 years, 8 months ago

Blake Lively 08.jpg Ivana Milicevic 01.jpg

Posted by Lookout! Boxing on June 26, 2015, 4:37 pm,

Blake Lively (27 yo, 5'10”) vs Ivana Milicevic (31 yo, 5'9”)
by Lookout/simgrrl

Before: Ivana Milicevic a newcomer to the FCBA, but no stranger to fighting! Born in Sarajevo, to Croatian parents, she moved to Detroit, MI at five y/o and grew up there, modeling during high school. She graduated and moved to Los Angeles to get into acting and modeling and worked as a stand-up comedienne telling stories about models. Her first job was an uncredited appearance in “Children of the Corn, III” in 1995 paralleling her friend, Charlize Theron, whom she first met on the set of the film.

Ivana was in several big budget films, including as a 'Bond Girl' in “Casino Royale.” Her big break was as the female lead in the cable show “Banshee” where she plays a kick-ass woman who fights and shoots with equal deadliness.

'Banshee' features a cast of strong women like Triste Kelly Dunn, Lili Simmons as well as a rotating crew of professionals cast as strippers for night club or gratuitous nude scenes. Lately, FCBA veteran Odette Annable took her years of experience to the set, raising the bar for everyone! Ivana trains hard for her fight scenes but says, “I prefer the sex scenes to violence, but I don't have a problem with it on 'Banshee' because it's not real.”

Blake on something of a roll since she transferred with Jeri Ryan to the Academy in February; winning 3 of 4 with her only loss to Missy Peregrym, the current top lightweight. Lively looking for another win to move her even higher in the rankings. “There's a lot of talent at light,” she says. “I don't kid myself that I can just waltz in and grab the brass ring right off. As long as Jen Lawrence is fighting, I know I'll have to bide my time and be patient. Besides, sparring with her in the gym is teaching me a lot more than whipping some of the others,” she adds with a grin, carefully avoiding naming any names.

Milicevic, no stranger to nude scenes in film, not shy in the boxing ring either; appearing in a very minimal thong bikini with three tiny triangles; two up and one down below; all barely held together by a length of string that disappears between her gorgeously taut butt cheeks to reappear and continue its peripatetic journey up, down and around the firmly muscled body of the tall, lean, brunette.

Lively wisely choosing not to compete in 'skin display' instead choosing a modest, yet provocative, black two-piece providing full coverage front and back below - and just enough up top to draw the eye without undue concern for unintended exposure.

Seconds: Ivana-Lili Simmons/Odette Annable (Banshee cast); Blake-Ragozina/Ryan/McKay)
* * * *
During R1: Milicevic early showing the brawling-style favored on the set of 'Banshee'; charging Lively and unleashing both fists. Blake, shocked, backing away behind a hastily erected barricade of gloves, forearms, elbows, shoulders and upper arms. Ivana landing thumping shots to the wiry blondes body, shaking Blake as she gets her butt stuffed in the ropes where Ivana sets up shop to put some miles on those long, lean, Lively, legs! Blake firing back from a position of disadvantage, using her well-honed ring skills to battle her way off the ropes where she finally has room to maneuver. Blake circling behind her jab, right cocked at her chin ready to throw into any opening. Ivana's left hook showing how much she'd learned in three years of on-set sparring sessions with the 'Banshee' cast and tonight, Blake was paying the price for Ivana's education! Time and again, Blake would jab and follow with a right hand, but most of the time the right missed and she'd eat a left over the top or slicing up underneath. The throbbing in the right side of her face and the agony in her right boob was quickly teaching her respect for Milicevic's power! Blake doggedly kept to her game plan, circling left and trying to use combinations. Only late in the round did Lively change tactics and began to shuttle-step right, moving into Ivana's jab. Surprisingly, her subtle shift made a huge difference!. Ivana's jab no longer was a problem as Blake managed to smother it before Ivana could extend on it. And moving to her right, not only kept her moving away from Ivana's right, but put Milicevic's chin in range of Blake's right – a punch she landed twice in the final thirty seconds. At the bell, however, Blake's late adjustment came too late to keep Ivana from winning the round on points.

R2: Blake's spirits bolstered by Natalya Ragozina's 'spot-on, cogent' advice, and Sunny McKay's rubdown of her thighs, she comes out looking to build on her good work late in the first round. Ivana, depending on inexperienced 'brawlers' sticks to her prefight plan, continuing to “dance with who brung her.” It's a bad decision by Milicevic, as Lively continued to stifle her jab as she avoided her right hand. Blake working Ivana's body, pumping the right in underneath the jab; twisting her hips to pound left hooks into Ivana's tummy. Midway, Ivana huffing and puffing, force to clinch and desperate to change momentum. Milicevic stops circling and plants her feet, pivoting on her left foot, keeping her left jab aimed squarely at Blake's nose. Two or three jabs snapping her head back, and Blake gets the message – her new strategy isn't going to work much longer. She quickly adapts. Slide-stepping left, counter-stepping right, then ringing up Ivana with that short, crisp, inside right hand. She does it twice in succession, forcing Milicevic to, once again, change tactics. Cat and mouse the final minute, first one, then the other trying something new. Each scores points before the other adjusts. Back and forth. Round ends with Lively coming out on top, pocketing the points in another frenetic, back-and-forth round with several changes of advantage.

R3: Same as above, only better! First Ivana, then Blake, then Ivana, then Blake again. Momentum changing the way some actresses change boyfriends! Blake has the early advantage, but Ivana makes a subtle shift and lands several hard body shots. Blake, not liking it one bit, does her thing and now she has the edge, snapping Milicevic's head back with a left-right combo that has the crowd on their feet. After a tactical clinch, Ivana again grabs the initiative, hammering Lively's belly as she drives her back across the ring. But with her back on the ropes, Lively channels her inner tiger and comes brawling back, body-bashing Ivana back to mid-ring. There, they trade at close range with neither getting a significant advantage. At the bell, the crowd gives both a standing ovation. Judges, however, see it as a slight advantage for Blake and give her a 1-point edge by a 2:1 vote.

R4: Blake bustin' her buttons as she comes out after her second straight round win. Ivana quickly puts the younger blond in her place, pancaking both of her perky puppies with the old “one-two.” Lively recoiling jugg shook, circles to Milicevic's left, into her jab. This time Ivana ignores Blake's head and focuses on her “jubblies” snapping a straight jab down into her right cup time and again. Eyes tearing, Blake backs off, discretion (and saving jugg pain) the better part of (foolish) valor. Ivana grabbing the initiative, pursues Lively around the ring; but Blake fighting backing up showing her leggy skills; stuffing her left in Ivana's face whenever she sets to throw. Neither having a prolonged advantage, but Ivana's aggressive, attacking style win the fan's appreciation and at the bell, they are on their feet chanting, “EVAN-UH! EVAN-UH!” Two of the three judges agree with the crowd, giving Ivana a slim, but important, 1-point advantage that leaves the fight square after four rounds!

R5: Ragozina huddling with Lively between rounds; animated discussion with plenty of “here's how you do it” gestures from the former world champion Lively nodding, even mirroring her at one point. Ivana's corner paying Lively no heed, busy plotting their own strategy! Ivana out spryly, bouncing to center ring and WHOA! MILI TURNS LEFTY! Ivana Milicevic suddenly switching to left-handed, flummoxing Lively momentarily - long enough for Ivana to give Blake two quick right hand jabs to the mouth, then a roundhouse left that sends the blond recoiling back to the ropes in the first thirty seconds of the round! Ivana back righty, sends two more jabs into Blake's face. Lively confused, hurt, closes to clinch; riding out the storm by cuddling with Milicevic. Ivana taking advantage to ravage Lively's ribs; Blake replying in kind to Ivana's body. Lively pushing off, dancing lithely away behind a defensive jab, then turning Ivana's left flank to drop a big right hand over her shoulder, putting a shimmy in the lanky brunette's thighs. Blake jumping in behind a right hand lead; left-right-left hook. MILICEVIC'S HURT! Ivana gutted by the left hook, hands pawing at Blake's shoulders, forcing a clinch! Blake bludgeoning brunette body with both fists as Ivana's bear-hugging Blake. Lively lighting up Ivana with both hands. It's like a heavy bag workout for the wiry blond; left-right-left-right. Ivana hanging on for dear life as Lively going all in! Down the stretch it's all Blake Lively, tearing up Ivana's body with both hands. Crowd screaming Blake's name as the seconds tick down. Lively uses her left to push Ivana back, teeing off with the right.....just misses as Milicevic leans back at the last second and Lively's follow thru carries her into Ivana. Chest-on-chest they grapple along the ropes as...there's the bell. Ivana survives, barely, but Blake has garnered a pot full of points (wide) in this round.

R6: Ivana Milicevic a shell of her former self as she pulls herself off her stool with an assist from the ropes. Lively on her feet waiting before the bell, slapping her gloves together. Blake bounds across the space separating them and throws a wild right hand at Ivana's head...that misses as Ivana goes low to Blake's body! Lively catches Milicevic by the shoulders and pulls her past her hip - like a matador letting the bull attack the cape and having it sweep along her hip. As Ivana careens forward off balance, Blake pirouette's gracefully, following her out-of-control opponent. Ivana pulls up short of the ropes, turns, only to be met by Lively's own charge. Blake's right hand swivels Ivana's head on her shoulders and buckles her knees. Collapsing back against the ropes, Ivana gets her gloves up just in time to block Blake's left hook to the face. Lively rat-a-tat-tats Ivana's middle, buckling the brunette forward, then the big uppercut drops Milicevic on her butt at the strands. Ivana struggles to her knees, tilting forward onto one fisted glove, the other grabbing the middle rope as she tries in vain to rise. Across the ring, Blake Lively watches intently, her face a blank mask, revealing no emotion at the distress of her rival as the referee slowly counts. IT'S OVER! IVANA MILICEVIC CAN'T BEAT THE COUNT!
Blake Lively the winner by KO at 2:03 of the 6th round!
* * * *
After: Lively continues to rest against the ropes as Ivana Milicevic's handlers come out to pick up the pieces of her shattered dream. They lift Ivana between them and, with her limp arms draped over their shoulders, drag her back to her stool and set her down, fumbling in their kit for smelling salts and other nostrums sold with the promise of “rapid post-KO relief.” Blake doesn't leave the corner where she watched Ivana being counted out until Milicevic is safely on her stool. Then she returns to her own corner and stands as her gloves are cut off. Then she turns and quickly walks to check on Milicevic's condition, kneeling in front of her opponent and holding the back of Ivana's head as they talk quietly to one another with their heads pressed together in order to be heard over the roar of the crowd.

Only when Milicevic is ready does Blake stand and walk beside her defeated opponent to the center of the ring to have her hand raised, then she hugs Ivana and gives her an encouraging pat on the butt.

Later: “She gave me a good fight, for a first-timer,” Lively says in praise of Ivana. “For someone who hadn't fought in a sanctioned bout until tonight, she was more than just respectable. She gave me trouble a couple of times – especially when she went lefty. She shows promise, and I hope she'll continue to compete in the FCBA.

“No,” she said, in response to a shouted question from a scribe, “I've got no plans for my next fight, yet. What? Who?” she cups her ear as someone else shouts a name. “Nope, no plans for Strahovski yet. I think I'd better take my time with her. But Swift is one possibility. Swanpoel's another. I also read some good things about this girl....what's her name....” “Melanie Iglesais, right, from Mirage. All of them are on my radar, but Ginny will make the call, not me.”
* *
Ivana Milicevic appeared calm and reserved, although a bit more upbeat than expected after being knocked out. “She's good, that Lively girl,” Milicevic said. “I didn't expect to step right in and start winning fights. There's a big difference between sparring on a movie set and fighting for real in an arena in front of twenty or more thousand fans.”

“Of course I'm 'disappointed', I didn't come here for the 'experience', I came here to win. But I'm realistic enough to know the odds were against me as a first-timer, so it's not a terrible blow to my ego. Like I said, Lively is good, I'm not surprised she's ranked twelfth or so. I'd really like to see her and Odette Yustman (Annable) go at each other. I've sparred with Odette and I know how tough she is. Her and Lively would be a barn-burner, in my opinion. Besides, who doesn't like blonde vs brunette fights?”

“My next fight? No idea. That's the problem with being an independent; there's nobody but me planning my future and I still have a job on 'Banshee' so my availability is somewhat limited. That said, I told Lili Simmons that anytime she wants to fight, I'll gladly work in her corner....you know, return the favor she did me tonight!”
END