Mila Kunis vs. Hayden Panettiere
(Words: FS / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

Kunis has done a lot in the FCBA since turning her career around in one day by shocking rival Krissy Bell on the beach in Hawaii. She's garnered, and managed to hold on to, a spot in an elite stable, HISC. She's beaten an all-star team of flyweights, girls like Johansson, Hudgens, Shahi, Lowndes, Kreuk, Williams, and Portman, and she's even managed a nice run with the flyweight gold. But, one of the things the brunette beauty has NOT done is beaten Hayden Panettiere. The pair have fought twice, with Hayden owning a TKO4 and a UD10. But, Mila's determined that the third time will be a charm. "Hayden's hit a bit of a rough patch," says the brunette with a barely suppressed smile. "Now, I'M not one of those girls who thinks that, after 90-plus fights she might be done, but I do think there are some holes in her game right now. And, well, let's just say I plan to use those to make the road even rougher."

"Oh, I've heard what they're saying," says Hayden, eyes flashing. "That I'm slipping, breaking down. And, they'd just LOVE for it to be true. Now, imagine how disappointed they'll all be tonight, when I prove that it's not."

ROUND ONE:

No surprise that we get tactical in the first. These are two smart, veteran fighters who've seen just about everything and know just about everything. And, both want to feel things out, see what the other might be planning. Lot of movement. Lot of recon. Lots of jabs being popped. But, not a lot of putting punches together or attempting to force long exchanges. Instead, blonde and brunette content to work the feet, send out skirmishers, probe the defenses, collect information. Information they no doubt plan to put to good use when the battle gets going in earnest. For now, though, it's about seeing what's there and what's not, what can be exploited and what can't be, and, what you might be able to get if you really need it. And, as you might imagine after a round like this between fighters like these, there's not much in it. But, the brunette HAS done a little more, and it's enough to earn her the points and the 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

A little more tactical stuff early, but we get off center when Hayden begins doubling up her left jab. Blonde's found a little something in all that probing, and it's that she can get a quick double-tap on Mila and follow with a solid right hand. Kunis taken out of her game a bit by this, and that allows Panettiere to get onto the offensive and thrown the brunette onto her back foot. Hayden's got Mila backing and covering for a minute or so before the brunette adjusts and gets back on even terms. And, that's where we stay for the rest of the round. It's good, two way boxing for the last minute and a half or so, with both fighters getting punches put together and some hard shot on target. Work rate ramps up in the last 30 seconds, and some absolutely scintillating exchanges result. It's Hayden's early work, though, that carries the day, as Panettiere wins it narrowly to even the cards at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Feel free to frame this one. This round is what top-level FCBA boxing is all about. It's great, back-and-forth stuff between two of the top boxers in the federation, two veterans, right in their respective primes, who've been there/done that and know exactly how to attack, defend, and counter. It's a wonder to behold as all the little things add up to big things. The footwork. The head and shoulder movement. The angles. The hand movement. The spacing, both between the fighters and between the punches. Just watching these two fighters set things up, using not just punches but feints, little movements of the shoulders, nothing more than twitches which cause a reaction and open juuuuusssssttttt enough space for some leather, is worth the price of admission. It's an absolutely brilliant three minutes, and, when the bell rings, it's as close as you'd expect, with Mila claiming it by the narrowest of margins and going back ahead 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

More of the same. Both fighters look to be enjoying themselves, because, frankly, it's not often girls of this caliber look across the ring at an opponent that can make them work this hard, dig this deep, use every single trick in the book and then make up a few more on the fly. It's back and forth and nip and tuck with both fighters scoring well and neither able to take any sort of control...until Mila does. It's one of those little spaces she fills with leather, and she times it absolutely perfectly. BOOM! A straight right hand and Hayden's legs do a shimmy! Panettiere is HURT an Kunis turns up the heat to eleven! Mila's all OVER the blonde, hammering away with both hands, driving her back into a corner and letting her have it with everything in the arsenal. Kunis landing some serious bombs, but Hayd rolling with, hanging on, manages to run out the clock on the brunette. But, it's Kunis wide in the fourth, and Mila's now up by two, 39-37.

ROUND FIVE:

Cue Hayden comeback? Yes, cue Hayden comeback. Just when it seems as if Kunis is taking control of the fight, well. It happens early, with Mila pushing forward, backing up the blonde, looking to take advantage of legs that still aren't all the way back. Hayden stops her with a well-placed jab, then nearly drops her with a laser-guided straight right hand. Kunis is HURT! Mila wobbles backward and covers up and everything's turned on a dime. Now, it's Hayd pushing forward, letting the hands go and Kunis giving ground, covering up, taking fire from everywhere. Mila's quickly against the ropes, keeping the guard high and Hayd looks to drop it by digging some body. Not happening, so the blonde goes back upstairs and gets off lusty, buffeting the wobbly brunette with salvo after salvo. Kunis, however, takes a licking and keeps on ticking, hanging on to the bell. It's shutout, Hayden in the fifth, but Mila still leads 48-47.

ROUND SIX:

Hayden pushing the action now. She's got Mila in reverse and is determined to keep her there. Kunis engaging in a fighting retreat, trying to slow the blonde down with jabs all while trying to move enough to stay off square. Problem is, Mila's legs aren't all the way back and Panettiere's taking advantage, barreling the brunette up a lot more than Kunis and her corner would like. About half way through the round, things go from bad to worse for the HISC beauty. A right hand from Hayden wobbles the brunette again and Panettiere pounces, throwing a barrage of leather that finally DROPS KUNIS TO HER BACK! Hayden quickly to a neutral corner to watch and wait. Mila struggling to sit up at six, rolls to her hands and knees and then SLUMPS BACK TO THE CANVAS! It's OVER! Kunis can't get off the deck and its over! And your winner by KO6 is Hayden Panettiere!

AFTER:

Hayden fired up in the aftermath. "How do I look NOW," the blonde says defiantly. "Do I look DONE? Ask Mila if there are still 'holes in my game. After you wake her up. There's nothing wrong with me. I'm still ME. And that means the best flyweight on this planet. Period. Just like I've been for the past decade."