Emily VanCamp vs. Brie Larson
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout)

BEFORE:

Larson had her first FCBA fight just seven months ago, but her management isn't spoon feeding her. She's already been in against a top twenty talent in Laura Vandervoort, and tonight she faces a three-time bantamweight champion in Emily VanCamp. But, if Larson's concerned about that, well, she's not betraying it in the pre-fight. "Obviously, Emily's a challenge for me," says Brie. "But, I've faced challenges before. I'm not going to back down from this one."

"Well," says Emily with the hint of a smile, "I'll say this for the girl, or her management, or both. They've got guts. Brains? Now, that's a different question."

ROUND ONE:

Brie sets up at range, and Emily's more than willing to oblige for the moment. Larson tall for this weight and would expect to have a reach advantage. But. Not against Emily, who's an inch taller and can box with just about anyone in the division. Larson, though, proves, somewhat surprisingly, able to hold her own with the former champion in the early going. Larson moving the head, hands, and feet, angling well, playing the geometry, able to get to spots and get leather on. Emily having similar success doing same. It's good, two-way stuff from the opening bell, and, while nobody's really gaining much of an advantage here, it's encouraging stuff for Larson and her corner. Final 30 seconds get even more encouraging. Em tries a veteran move. She looks to get aggressive late and steal the round. Brie's not having it, keeping VanCamp at bay and scoring enough to grab the points close and take the 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

Larson getting rolling. Academy Award winner's finding a rhythm at range, using the jab, angling, getting punches put together. Veteran VanCamp getting thrown to the defensive repeatedly. Em finding herself covering up, waiting, looking for an opportunity to strike back, but not finding one. She's wrong-footed, back-footed, a second slow. It's pretty surprising stuff considering the relative amounts of FCBA experience the two fighters have, but Larson isn't some callow 20-year-old. She's been around the fight game, if not the FCBA, and she's clearly not at all cowed by either the opponent or the venue. By the latter portions of the round, the former champ's finding herself backed up. Larson's not hurting her, but she IS getting her attention. Em's taking too much hard, accurate leather and has to be relieved when the bell rings. It's Brie wide in the second, and Larson's lead is now 20-18.

ROUND THREE:

More Larson. Brie's really got something going now, and the fans are picking up on it. She's got VanCamp flummoxed. Emily can't get anything going and is spending her time covering up and trying desperately to get some punches put together. Can't get it done. And, the problem here appears to be the distance. Larson's a girl who's comfortable at range, while Em prefers middle distances. VanCamp allowed the fight to play out at long range in the first, and that may have been a mistake, because it allowed Larson to get comfortable, and she's looking plenty cozy as the third proceeds. Everything Brie's doing is working, and virtually nothing Emily tries is. Instead, VanCamp's being held on the end of Larson's accurate left jab and picked off repeatedly by her hard, accurate right hands. At the bell, it's Brie wide again, and the Academy Award winner now leads 30-27.

ROUND FOUR:

VanCamp in need of some adjustments, and she makes some. It's all about the feet. She's moving more, angling, working in getting off, forcing Larson to cover up, then stepping back to range. Brie working hard to keep Emily at arm's length, but VanCamp is a champion, and there are reasons for that. She's slick and talented, and now she's found something. And, that's bad news for the lovely Brie, who's now learning how the other half, namely VanCamp herself, has been living the past two rounds. Now, it's Brie on the back foot, Brie getting wrong-footed, Brie taking too much accurate leather and unable to respond in kind. By the final 30 seconds, the former champ is REALLY rolling. She's landing punches in bunches and has Larson in a completely defensive posture. At the bell, it's Emily wide, and Larson's lead has been cut to 39-37.

ROUND FIVE:

Now, a nice adjustment from Brie. Larson's using her own footwork to maintain distance. She's willing to give some ground to give herself a little extra time and space with the jab, and to make Emily's work getting to mid-range that much more difficult. The adjustment works. To a point. It slows down Emily and allows Brie to score more at range. But, it doesn't stop VanCamp from getting to her spots, and, when the former champ gets there, she gets plenty of hard leather on target. Brie's keeping these exchanges shorter, though, and, adding that to being able to do more herself, she's in the round, unlike the previous stanza. But, being IN the round and WINNING the round are two different things. The veteran VanCamp is able to slowly build a small lead, a lead she carries into the final seconds and seals with some nice work at the bell, cutting Larson's advantage on the cards to 48-47.

ROUND SIX:

Distance battle continues. Larson working hard to maintain it, VanCamp working just as hard to close it. Brie handled Emily's efforts better in the last round than in the round before, and, she's doing even better this time. She's not keeping VanCamp on the end of her glove like she did in the first three, but she's limiting penetration very well. For her part, Em resolute. She's determined to get to her spots and get off. BOOM! VanCamp lands a right hook! Emily unhinges Larson's knees with a mid-range flurry that includes a BLISTERING right and Larson's in trouble! And, now the former champ all about the finish. She's letting the hands go with authority. Brie wobbling, driven back to the ropes. Referee watching closely as EVC picks the Academy Award winner apart. Dark, dark days for Larson, but, somehow, the gutty Brie hangs on to the bell. It's Emily wide, though, and we're all even at 57 after six.

ROUND SEVEN:

Larson still shaky early, and that chums the water plenty for EVC. She knows she's got her rival in trouble, and she wastes no time taking advantage. She's all OVER Larson, banging away with both hands, forcing the Academy Award winner to cover up, then working the body with nasty hooks. Brie getting buffeted around the ring, but gamely hanging on, firing back in the odd spot. But, Emily's dominating, getting tons of heavy leather on target. About half way through a BIG flurry by VanCamp freezes Larson and a short left hook DROPS HER TO HER BACK! Brie ragdolls to the canvas and Emily's quickly to a neutral corner. Referee begins the count with Larson not moving at all. It quickly becomes clear that Brie isn't GOING to move. She's both down AND out, but the referee continues counting until he reaches ten before waiving it off. It's OVER. And your winner by KO7 in comeback fashion is Emily VanCamp!

AFTER:

Emily looking plenty pleased with herself in the post-fight. "She got off to a nice little start," says the former champ, somewhat dismissively. "But, I wasn't worried. She's not a bad fighter, but, I'm the best bantamweight in the world, and Brie is, frankly, not in my league."