Natalie Portman vs. Katherine McNamara

(HISC vs Fates Boxing)

Results: Lookout!; Words: Front Street

BEFORE:

Battle of elite flyweights features veteran Natalie, who's resided in the top echelon of the division for years and redhead Kat, who's taken the place by storm after being signed by Fates a year and a half ago, piling up a 13-3 record and claiming some impressive scalps along the way. But. Know who's NOT impressed? Natalie. "Yes, she's won some fights," says the Queen dismissively. "But, she's never been in the ring with a fighter as good as I am. Simply, because there AREN'T any."

"Look," says a hard-eyed Kat, I handled Hale, Campbell, Cole, Hudgens, and Panettiere. I can handle Portman, too."

ROUND ONE:

Kat wants to get physical early, and that's probably a good fight plan, considering her rival's giving up fourteen years. But, everybody's got a plan until they get punched in the face. And, Kat gets punched in the face, repeatedly. Efforts to close and brawl with the brunette beauty parried perfectly as Natalie gets her jab going, follows on with right hands, builds hard, accurate combinations, and, eventually, tosses the brunette to the defensive. Soon enough, McNamara is covering up as Portman gets off lusty, backing up the redhead, punishing her with short, sharp shot. By the closing seconds of the round, Kat's taking a thumping and the bell can't ring soon enough. When it finally does, Portman has grabbed the points and wide to take the early 10-9 lead and send McNamara's fight plan to the ash heap.

ROUND TWO:

Kat slowing her roll. She doesn't want to box with Portman, but she's figured out that trying to bully the Hall of Famer isn't the way to go. So, now, it's much sounder stuff. She's working the feet, keeping the hands up, looking to block or slip the jab then step in. And, it works. All of a sudden, the redhead is getting to her spots and getting off, and now it's Portman who's getting tossed to the defensive as the younger fighter's getting hard, accurate leather on target. Natalie's never hurt, and, being the skilled veteran she is, she's able to manage the effective aggression and get some of her own offense in. But, for most of the round, McNamara's fighting lead, scoring with both hands, and piling up the punishment as well as the points. When the bell rings, it's McNamara wide and we're even at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Portman adjusts. She's more active with both the left hand and the feet, the idea being to stop McNamara from penetrating her defenses. And, it works. To a point. Nat's not able to call the tune with the left hand like she did in the first, but neither is Kat able to consistently get into Portman's grill and get her brawl on, like she did in the second. Result is good, two-way stuff as both fighters get some of what they want, but not nearly enough to grab control of the round or create any space on the scorecards. It's nip and tuck through the first two minutes, but, in the third, Portman gets something going, putting together good combinations that force the redhead to stop and cover. That final minute plays, as Portman uses it to claim the round narrowly and move back into the lead 29-28.

ROUND FOUR:

Portman's roll continues. This is vintage Natalie. She's got everything working and she's keeping her younger opponent off balance and on the defensive. McNamara trying to find time and space to get off, but can't do it. BOOM! Right hand, PORTMAN! Kat staggered! Natalie pours on fire and DOWN GOES MCNAMARA! Kat flops to her back in the middle of the ring after a pair of brutal flurries from the Hall of Famer. Natalie quickly to a neutral corner. Redhead staring up at the ref, blinking rapidly, manages to get to her feet at eight. Ref watching closely as he gives the younger woman the mandatory...and then waives on Queen Natalie! Portman all OVER the redhead, battering her back against the cables and tossing flurry after flurry of hard shot at her. McNamara looking ready to go, but hanging on desperately, doing just enough to keep the ref at bay to the bell. It's Natalie, 10-8 in the fourth, expanding Portman's lead to 39-36.

ROUND FIVE:

Portman in command, taking the redhead to the woodshed early. She's cleaning up in a big way, but looking to do more than that. Natalie all about the finish, and she's going about it clinically, as always, setting up hard right hands with nice left jabs, keeping the pressure on, taking advantage of the redhead's still-wobbly legs. About mid-round, Katherine's legs begin to come back, but the brunette has her on the back foot and she's keeping her there, continuing to score, continuing to punish and then GETTING ROCKED! Right-hand counter, McNamara and Natalie is HURT! Portman quickly covers up and McNamara lets the hands go and DROPS HER WITH A STRAIGHT RIGHT TO THE CHIN! Natalie crashes to her back as Katherine bounces to a neutral corner. Portman looking finished as the ref counts down at her, but, at seven, she begins to rise and DROPS TO A KNEE AT NINE! Portman can't beat the count and it's OVER! And your winner by KO5 is Katherine McNamara.

AFTER:

Kat still breathless in the post, but smiling just the same. "Caught me a good one in the fourth," the redhead admits. "She's still got it, that's for sure. Made it tough for me all night. But, the thing is, I'm just BETTER, you know? So, eventually, that was going to be the difference. And, it was."