BEFORE: Scerbo pumped, riding the wave after coming off the canvas to stop well-regarded Brenda Song: little blonde starting to run roughshod over flyweight prospects. "I'm fine with Hayden cowering behind gatekeepers," Cassie beams, "I'll gobble up the fights she would have had and show her up that way instead. Vanessa's high on my list - right below Song - so I'm thrilled that I'm getting right to her. I want Lohan to get warmed up, and I'm eyeing Tisdale: as far as I'm concerned, everyone's here to make my star shine just a little bit brighter!" Hudgens putting aside differences with Brenda Song to once again team up: scowling brunettes glaring daggers at bubbly Cassie throughout prefight. "OMG, is her balloon going to get popped," promises Vanessa at podium - with Song sitting nearby, arms crossed, petulant frown in place. "Look, Scerbo's good coming out of 'the program' (ie: Disney finishing school) but she's nothing special. In fact, Brenda exposed Cassie and only bad luck prevented Song from cleaning up. I'm going to punch through the holes Brenda made, and I'm going to take this chick apart. We're not going to have put up with her attitude much longer, I promise you that!" Cassie in black bikini with ring connections; small black gloves; blonde hair loose n' tangly. Vanessa in bright red crochet bikini; small black gloves; long curly hair tied back off her face but tumbling down her back.

During R1: Scerbo bouncing to the attack, hopping in with her jab, then putting bang-bang combos together. Hudgens fadiing the pressure, then sidestepping - occasionally stooping to reach jabs into Cassie's tummy, keeping her honest. All Scerbo in hot pursuit for two minutes: she's not landing anything clean against Hudgy's slick slips and pivots, but the pressure's undeniable. Late the round, Vanessa suddenly lets hands go - punching-with Scerbo midring, surprising the blonde toe-to-toe. 'Nessa up on her toes as she turns a swift palm-down hook across Cassie's mouth: SCERBO'S ROCKED! Cassie put wobbly butt, blinking rapidly, stumbling backward as Hudgens looks to pile on. Flurry chases Cassie to ropes; short right cross turns her head...then Hudgens is up and in those perky blonde jugs, hookin' 'em senseless. Crowd on it's feet; Scerbo wilting into ropes, lips parted in astonishment: Hudgens steals the round late, claims heavily against jugs at bell.

R2: Step-and-feint, Vanessa: Scerbo bites; 'Nessa pours in drifting right cross to chin and BLONDE GIRL DOWN! Cassie's chin turned aside...she's on her butt before she knows it, blinking in wonder. 8 count, Cassie...Hudgens quickly upon her at ropes, scouring body and breasts with both hands. 'Nessa up on her toes to turn over that palm-down hook: Cassie clipped to chin, rocked wide-eyed into ropes, taking hard hits here. Scerbo banging back off ropes: rising right hand hard to brunette breadbasket; hook to 'Nessa's tits; trade in short right hands up top as Hudgens stands her ground. Scerbo stabilizes her front, avoids getting cleaned up, but Vanessa's pasting away too, keeping Cassie's back to ropes. Bell: 'Nessa catches Scerbo a cheap late right to chin - blonde girl sits in ropes, legs momentarily buzzed as ref jumps in hot.

R3: Two way flurry midring - girls getting off short n' swfit. Nessa up on her toes to turn over that palm-down hook, turning Cassie's chin...SCERBO'S LEGS GIVE A SHIMMY! Cassie hurt again, stoops forward in woozy earmuff: 'Nessa clips a tidy right/left uppercut sequence off the guard, clipping part of Cassie's forehead. Digging hook takes Cassie behind right elbow - Hudgens pivoting left around the shot, turning blonde right flanks. Trade in stubby right crosses goes 'Nessa's way; trade in hooks wobbles Scerbo's knees again. Cassie battling through adversity, but she's getting all scuffed up...'Nessa VERY cute here walking her blonde into clipping, chipping little uppercuts and hooks. Rounds ends to the sight of Scerbo butt-in-ropes again, fighting hard from a peek-a-boo guard, trying to punch 'Nessa off her. Stiff blonde resistance again prevents any kind of finishing run, while Vanessa stays atop her blonde at bell. Scerbo panting, straightening up...Nessa leans in from blonde left flank, driving that right elbow tip backwards into Scerbo's unsuspecting gut! "GUHH!" Cassie shouts, doubling up hurt: ref pulls Vanessa away by her elbow, giving her a good shake.

R4: Series of compact, very hard-fought exchanges sees Cassie re-stabilize her front: she's finally starting to land more than she's hit. Short, clipping combinations from both girls - each covering up well, bobbing her head, pivoting smartly to the side to avoid getting lit up. Cassie's weight of shot slowly decisive: her punches POP! POP! off Vanessa's guard, driving the brunette out of her stance into stepping retreats. Scerbo walking Vanessa down, but cautiously: Hudgens early success purchasing her tons of respect at this point.

R5: Scerbo continues to initiate, fight, and win little set-piece exchanges all around the ring: girls bobbing and rolling on the spot, hands up/elbows in tight to bodies. Not much to hit - both girls digging hooks in behind right elbows, or working tidy right/left uppercuts against opposing guards. Scerbo bouncing a right hand off Vanessa's hairline at one point, and jabbing her mouth stiffly at another, just doing enough to edge 'Nessa out. Importantly, anytime Scerbo reaches under Hudgy's arms to get tummy to tummy and work from the clinch? Vanessa either disengages to scamper away, or hangs on tight for ref's breaks.

R6: Cassie's third straight round sees her continue to outwork Vanessa, back her up, walk her down. Scerbo's punches starting to detonate loudly off Vanessa's shiny flanks/arms as blonde combos flow...Vanessa shying away rather than looking to answer as immediately as she had been. Hudgens closing up stance - pointing left shoulder at Cassie, keeping weight on back (right) leg: brunette pivoting left around little shoulder-bumps in Cassie's chest, just nudging her off balance. Enough movement, bumping, and sporadic punching for 'Nessa to keep Scerbo off balance, but blonde confidence completely repaired through 6. Big, brassy smile, Cassie S: she's nodding at her trainer en route to her corner.

R7: Bitter in-fighting as Vanessa elects to win back some respect: compact fighters snuggling in shoulder to shoulder, diggin' it up. Tuff little hooks gouge at tummies, or cuff at jugs - both girls exquisite with short, powerful left hand techniques. "Nessa picking Scerbo up via jerky little left uppercuts off front (left) foot: Cassie bumping the left shoulder, then bouncing tart left hooks off 'Nessa's tummy and breasts. 'Nessa doing well at this sturdy bump-n'-slug, but she's no longer giving Cassie angles: blonde simply able to outpunch her brunette after a while. Down the stretch, short right hand skids off Vanessa's hairline, buzzing her legs: she immediately clinches, frowning mouth-on-shoulder with Cassie as ref's moving in. Scerbo grinning as she manages to lift a few pumping left uppercuts inside the embrace, scrubbing 'Nessa's jugs at the bell.

R8: Girls trade violent right hands, missing over each other's right shoulders; comeback hooks launch, but 'Nessa gets up on her toes, turning her palm-down left across Scerbo's chin before Cassie can land. Cassie suddenly distressed - legs give a shimmy, then stumble sideways as Hudgens quickly regroups. Vanessa's eyes dancing as she stalks staggering blonde - just reaching out the right fist to paw at her/nudge her backward. Scerbo whining, backing into ropes...Vanessa crouching in...pawing/poking the right hand then TORQUING that left hook. Scerbo caught flush to chin...big blonde head swivel...curvy little body relaxes into ropes...hands dropping to Cassie's lap. VANESSA'S ALL IN! Hudgy letting her hands go...OH the pasting - Scerbo's pretty face all drowsy, jerking about as she's kissed hard lefts and rights and THE REF JUMPS IN! Good Lord, TKO8, Vanessa Hudgens!

AFTER: Scerbo swooning, blinking in confusion, snivelling when she realizes she's been stopped: no prettier sight in boxing than a gorgeous undefeated fighter losing her 0. Huge hugging party in the Hudgens corner - Song hopping around with bitter rival Hudgens: they're momentarily united in delight at Scerbo's crushing heartbreak. Walk of shame in the aftermath - Hudgens roughly pulling weepy Scerbo from her stool...Song trailing behind, clapping, scowling with Scerbo-hate. Big win for Vanessa reignites a career that had been overshadowed to some extent by Hayden and Brenda: Hudgens a player once again in the Disney sweepstakes. In days to follow, Cassie shows her feisty side, issuing an immediate challenge for rematch with Hudgens, temporarily setting aside plans for global domination.