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27 July 2018 Title Ch Yvonne Strahovski vs Anna Torv

Page history last edited by caspian2 4 years, 1 month ago

Posted by Lookout! Boxing on Jul 28, 2018 at 8:24am

Yvonne Strahovski vs. Anna Torv (Unified Lightweight Championship)(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

No hype needed for this one, the fourth FCBA meeting between top Aussie blonde lights Strahovski and Torv. All of the previous bouts have gone the distance...the last two into overtime. Torv won the first. Strahovski the last two, including one for these very lightweight straps. But, this fourth battle has added significance, because Torv turned 39 last month and is approaching the end of her FCBA career. This is likely not only the last meeting between the two fighters, but Anna's last shot at claiming the straps she so nearly won in 2014, when she lost to Strahovski in 13. None of that "big picture" stuff is on Torv's mind in the pre-fight, though. "I can beat her," says a hard-eyed Anna. "I've done it once. I SHOULD have done it three times. I'll do it tonight."

"The fact is," says Vonnie with a smile. "Anna's very good. I'm just better, that's all. I'm just better."

ROUND ONE:

Ladies set up at range behind their jabs early, no surprise with two long-limbed lights who box very well. Surprise comes seconds in when Yvonne lands a HARD right hand that buzzes Torv! That quickly, Vonnie's pouring forward driving Anna before her. Champion giving her fellow-Aussie a PROPER working over before the crowd's even gotten settled. And, she doesn't slow down. Once Straho gets Torv on her heels, she keeps her there, backing her up, pouring on the fire. It isn't until the final 30 seconds that Anna gets back into the fight, creating some good, two-way exchanges that get the crowd going. Both ladies land some solid shot in those flurries, but nobody's hurt and, when the bell finally rings, there's no doubt about who's had the best of it. It's Yvonne and wide, too, in the first round, to grab what could be, considering the history between the two, a very important point.

ROUND TWO:

Same set up as before. Ladies at range, boxing. Again, we're on even terms in the early going, with each Aussie showing just how slick and skilled she is. About a minute in, however, things change. BOOM! A right hand from TORV this time and Yvonne is HURT! Straho quickly covering up as Anna begins firing away with the big guns. Vonnie backed slowly into the ropes, where the challenger gets the range and lets her have it with salvo after salvo. Strahovski looking like being in deep trouble as the referee watches, but, like the champion she is, Yvonne slowly stabilizes, begins firing back. For the second-consecutive round, final thirty seconds sees a series of sharp exchanges with both fighters landing good, hard leather right to the bell. When it rings, it's Torv who's grabbed the second wide and evened things at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Even terms to start the third. Again, ranged boxing. Vonnie's got the legs back, and that means we've got good, two-way action coming our way. It's a purist's round, with both fighters working hard to set up punches, using their jabs, dropping in right hands afterward, building combinations. Lots of good defense, too. It's constant movement by both fighters, head, hands, shoulders, feet. Nothing sloppy. Everything as sound as can be. And, almost nothing in it at all. Previous bouts have proven how evenly-matched these two are, and the third is a perfect example of same. It's back-and-forth the entire way, with no one able to put any space between herself and her opponent. Final ten seconds sees a BLISTERING exchange in which Anna backs up Yvonne with a pair of right hands, and that does the trick. It's JUST enough to earn the points for Torv, who goes ahead 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

More of the same in the fourth. Both fighters getting into a good rhythm now. We've seen so much of this over the course of the three fights they've had so far. Ladies at range, working their left hands, creating openings in solid defenses and filling same with leather. Lots of excellent geometry on display here, with plenty of angling and spacing going on. And, once again, there's almost nothing in it, nothing to separate the two Aussie blondes. Final minute, though, sees Yvonne turn up the heat. Straho stepping to, sitting down on some punches, taking a chance or two to get a little control of the round. Gambit works. Champion throws the challenger onto the defensive for most of that last minute. Torv eventually works her way back to even footing, but it's too late. At the bell, Straho's grabbed the round close and evened things at 38.

ROUND FIVE:

Vonnie's found something that works, and she sticks with it. She's stepping to aggressively, throwing Torv onto the back foot. Anna now backing and covering as Straho gets off lusty. Older Aussie trying to firm up her front, but can't get it done. Yvonne's too active and too accurate. She's laying down suppressive fire, keeping Anna going in reverse. Torv reduced to firing back in counter, lands a good shot here and there, but that's all she's getting done. Meanwhile, the champion's got the scoreboard rolling, piling up points like the Warriors during a three-point binge. Torv never hurt, but she's getting touched up quite a bit, as Yvonne's got everything rolling down hill and Anna's trying not to get run over. Final seconds see Yvonne put the cherry on top of a dominating sundae of a round with a nasty flurry that leaves Torv buzzed on the ropes. It's Straho wide. And the champ leads 48-47 at the half.

ROUND SIX:

Straho continues rolling. She's taking complete control of the fight now, something neither of the blondes has been able to do against the other in their previous meetings. Everything's working for the champion, who continues to back-foot the challenger...BOOM! Right hand, Straho and TORV IS HURT! Anna stumbling into the ropes as Yvonne steps in looking to put the finishing touches on this thing. Champion throwing BOMBS at the listing challenger, letting her have it with everything in the arsenal. Anna in desperate trouble, hanging on in a tight guard, trying to make it to the final bell. Yvonne keeping up a very effective, very sound assault, landing solid shot with both hands, looking for the one shot that will flip the switch from 'on' to 'off'. Looking, but not finding. Somehow, Torv makes it to the bell, but it's a shutout for Straho, who's increased her lead to 58-56.

ROUND SEVEN:

Looking grim for the challenger. MORE Yvonne. Straho after Torv from the opening seconds, continuing that hard, suppressive fire, which is being made even more effective by the fact that Anna's legs aren't all the way back...BOOM! Right-hand counter, TORV! And, Vonnie's ROCKED! Straho steppin' in fence post holes as the challenger quickly switches over to the offensive. Anna's letting the champion have it with both barrels. Yvonne, who was in command a few moments ago, is now in survival mode. For her part, Torv patient, sound, working Vonnie back to the ropes and giving her a thorough thrashing. Strahovski hanging on, rolling with punches, keeping the guard high, just trying to run the clock here while Torv searches for a finisher that's eluded her in the previous three fights. It eludes her again. At the bell, Yvonne's still standing. It's Torv wide, but Vonnie still leads 67-66.

ROUND EIGHT:

Torv right to work. She's going all-in early, backing up Vonnie and letting her have it with both hands. No sense taking anything back to the locker room at this point, and there's no question that's Anna's thinking. Again, there's nothing sloppy about what she's doing, but there's plenty of aggression that will open up opportunities for counter punching. Only, like Yvonne did earlier, Anna's throwing such a high volume of accurate stuff, she's mostly suppressing the champion's offense, especially with Vonnie still a little unsteady on her feet. Closing minute sees Torv dial the thing up to eleven, working Straho over, forcing her into a corner, where she has at her with absolute BOMBS. Referee looking in again, as the champion's not doing much of anything except soaking, but, again, being the champion she is, Strahovski rides it out. But. It's a shutout for Torv. The boxing gods have a sense of humor. After eight, we're even yet AGAIN, 76-76.

ROUND NINE:

Torv getting to work early, but Vonnie quickly firming up and firing back. Those long legs are responding now, and it makes all the difference for the champion, who's able to stop Torv's advance and fight back on even terms. Settles back into what we saw early, ranged boxing between two excellent boxers. And, two excellently CONDITIONED boxers, because it's worth noting that, after eight rounds featuring tons of work by and punishment inflicted on both fighters, neither blonde is slowing down at all. Both still moving the feet well, still putting punches together expertly. Lots of nice, crisp exchanges, and, as the round goes on, we see even more of them. Both blondes know the points are in the balance late, and both dial up the aggression as a result. Still, when the bell rings, there's not much in it at all. And, it's clear to all and sundry that this thing is going to come down to the final round. AGAIN.

ROUND TEN:

Well, perhaps not the final round, since the last two did not end after ten. Both fighters, though, know what's at stake in this tenth, and neither is going to hold anything back for a potential overtime. Instead, the Aussie blondes are after one another immediately and, for over a minute, they exchange sharp flurry after sharp flurry, both intent on grabbing the points in this stanza. BOOM! Straight right hand, Torv and Vonnie's ROCKED! Straho sent stumbling after a perfectly-placed right cross! Anna all in now, throwing everything left in the magazines as the champion. Vonnie to the ropes, guard high, holding on, determined to get this thing to the cards. Anna just as determined to make sure that doesn't happen. Torv REEFING punches at Straho, doing everything in her power to get the champ out of there. Can't do it. Yvonne is still standing when the bell rings, and, almost despite themselves, after four fights and 44 rounds, the Aussies hug it out...and then wait for the announcement from the judges. Might we be going OT yet again? Comes back 96-94 for your winner and NEW Unified Lightweight Champion, 'The Aussie Enforcer', Anna Torv!

AFTER:

Lookout! corner going nuts! They can't believe this decision, figuring they'd at LEAST gotten this to OT. Front Street corner jubilant. It's been ninety-nine months plus a couple of weeks since Anna Torv arrived in Philadelphia with exactly this goal in mind, and, at a time when a lot of people thought chances of her achieving same had passed, she finally claims the lightweight gold. Torv all smiles in the post, titles draped across her shoulders, "Wow," she says, shaking her head. "Wow. Just...no words, really. No words. It's been a long, long road. But, I always knew it would end right here, with me holding THESE."