Alicia Vikander vs. Clare Bowen
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

Blonde/brunette tilt offers plenty of other contrasts. Vikander now where Bowen once was, early in her management, looking to impress and solidify her position. And, she's more that willing to run over the cute blonde to get that done. "I said last month that Scabbia would try to stand in front of me and it would be a mistake. This girl will try to swarm me. And, that will also be a mistake."

Claire wants nothing more than to prove something. She had her moments at Foxfire, but ended up a 30 percent fighter and an indie again. Vikander's the new flavor, and Claire wants a taste. "She's a flash in the pan," Bowen says with fire in the eyes. "And, I'm going to prove it."

ROUND ONE:
Despite the talk and the styles, which would appear to lead to tons of action, the first round is a tactical one. Alicia likes to use the jab, of course. likes to use it to dictate, to either create space or open space for an advance. And, she uses it well early, picking off the blonde as she tries to slip forward and engage. Bowen adjusts. She moves well and she's able to slip the jab, step in for quick exchanges. But, they are quick. Short. She's skirmishing, testing defenses, not willing to get full-scale engagements going. Vikander OK with that. She wants to feel out, get the lay of the land. She's accurate with the left, showing good head and foot movement, mostly keeping the right in reserve. She drops it only occasionally and, even then, doesn't commit on it. Late in the round, there's one vicious exchange that sees both fighters take a hard shot to the head, but, those are the only big punches of the round. At the bell, Vikander's claimed it close and leads 10-9.

ROUND TWO:
Aaaaannnddd the tactical portion of our program is at a close. Bowen's after Vikander immediately in this one. She's found the weaknesses in the European's defenses and she exploits them. In a big way, she's bouncing forward, swarming the brunette, backing her up, making her cover. Vikander off kilter out of trim and out of sorts. She tries briefly to trade with Claire, but comes out second best and decides to try to manage things with the jab. No go. Bowen's getting past it repeatedly and forcing retreat after retreat with heavy, sustained aggression. This is really good stuff from the blonde, stuff we've seen in spurts before. She's able to take control of the round with sheer effective aggression, sending fire in with both hands from all angles. And, she's willing to take the odd hard shot to do so. It all works from Claire from the first second to the last. She's got Alicia scuffed and spooked at the bell. And, she's taken the second wide to even things at 19.

ROUND THREE:
Vikander makes with the jab early and begin double and triple tapping it. She's determined to create range with the left, determined not to allow Bowen to swarm her into retreat. And, while she's not able to completely prevent the blonde from doing so, she's definitely able to limit the damage. She slows Claire down, picking her off on the way in, making her cover, stop, reset. And, all the while, Alicia scores points. She's not hurting Claire, but she IS disrupting her, and that's the plan. Break the rhythm. Get some breathing room. MANAGE this aggression. Bowen not frustrated. She keeps coming. Has her moments. Gets a couple of great combinations on. Forces a couple of retreats. But, this is a far cry from the second. Claire not in conrol now. Alicia holding her own and more. She's doing enough while the blonde tries to get to her spots to offset what Claire does when she gets there. The result is, albeit a close one, another round to Vikander, who now leads 29-28.       

ROUND FOUR:
Bowen adjusts again. She finds ways through the steadier fire from the brunette, and, again, she gets the offense going. She's backing Alicia up again, swarming all over her, putting together punches, getting the European on the defensive and keeping her there. Alicia has the guard up, fighting off the back foot, trying to find space to counter, but mostly unable to do it. Bowen rolling, and then Bowen's ROCKING. Rocking Alicia with a right hook! Vikander staggered, sent reeling into the ropes, and Claire sets the aggression to eleven. She's going all in now, looking to end this thing. Vikander in serious trouble, trapped against the cables in a high guard, taking and taking. Bowen a little too aggressive for her own good, getting a little sloppy in spots, doing too much missing. But, she's landing plenty, keeping the referee looking in closely as time runs down. Alicia survives, however. At the bell, she's shabby, but still standing. Claire, however, has it wide and has evened it again at 38.

ROUND FIVE:
Bowen wants to do more that consolidate. She wants to finish. The blonde believes the brunette is ready to go, and she's all about making that happen. It's a snarling Claire who's wading forward, winging away at Vikander, again forcing the European to retreat. Until. Alicia lands a right hand counter that changes the equation more than removing parenthesis ever could. Bowen is frozen and Vikander follows with a sharp flurry that sends her staggering backward. How Claire remain on her feet is a mystery, but she does so. That, however, only allows Vikander to step in and follow up, battering the stunned blonde back into the ropes and working her over with both hands. Bowen hanging on, both literally and figuratively, clinching desperately, trying to slow the European's roll. Vikander, though, keeps right on rolling, shaking Claire several more times, but, as the final seconds tick away, it becomes clear she won't finish her. The blonde makes it to the bell, but is more than a little wobbly on the way back to the corner. It's Alicia's round wide, and Vikander's back on top 48-47.

ROUND SIX:
Complete 180 from the last round. Now it's the brunette who wants to finish and the blonde who's being forced to give ground in front of her. Claire in a fighting retreat as Alicia comes forward behind the jab. It's the second half of the fight and the first time we've seen Vikander able to do what she likes to do best, advance behind the left jab. Bowen doesn't have the legs to hold her or, more importantly, stay off square. Alicia's lining her up with the left and stinging her with the right hand. Claire taking a licking, but gamely hanging on and trying to fire back in counter. Then, Vikander drops an absolute BOMB of a right hand. Bowen stumbles, begins to pitch forward, and Alicia sends her CRASHING to her right side with a vicious left hook to the chin! Blonde girl down! Vikander raises her hands above her head as she walks back to the corner. She knows it's over. And, she's right. Claire can only roll to her back an drape an arm across her eyes as the count passes her by. It's over. And your winner by KO6 is Alicia Vikander!

AFTER:
Vikander smiling broadly. It's her second win in as many months, and she could get used to this. "This is a big win for me," the brunette says. "She's a girl with more experience than I have. She's had management and a lot of training. But, I knew I could beat her, and that's exactly what I did. I still have a lot to learn, it's true. But, I'm learning quickly, and it won't be long until I'm climbing the flyweight ranks."