Before: Danes curt with press, moody at the podium - still smarting from her title-fight defeat at the hands of Mish - Claire just not her usual catty self as KBell does most of the talking. "What'sa matter Claire," Bell chirps from the podium, "jaw still hurt? Love the way you managed the pocket against Mish: do me a favour, can you stand there like a mannequin and face into my punches too? That'd be great. Oh, and can you quit the way you did against MIsh? Nothing fancy or showy - just mailing it in the way you did will be fine." Sour looks from Claire: she just leans over towards her agent and asks: "Are we done here?" Scribes trying to decipher Danes' mood: is she just serious and focused, or is she actually failing to rise to the occasion in prefight? Dukes will tell. KBell in black push up, smart leopard print trunks, small black work out gloves, frisky puncher's ponytail, black suede boxing moccasins (knee). Claire in two-toned black/white two piece - bra style sport top, boy cut bottoms, matching boxing boots (mid calf) with tassles; small black work out gloves.

During R1: Wide ranging, tactical first - both girls coming in off angles, using feints, stepping out to regroup. Danes relaxed - right hand stacked atop her left at her body, twisting her torso to either side to slip incoming punches. Sliding, balanced, puncher's footwork from Claire - she's looking to get leverage. Danes showing a zippy upjab; putting weight on front (left) foot and snatching a meanspirited hook against Bell's ribs. Krissy using a lot more footwork - darting in and out: she's moving her hands in peppy little poking series - tapping at Claire's head and shoulders, keeping her defensive. Mostly skidding, glancing contact - but the volume keeps Claire under wraps for the most part.

R2: Claire in the same relaxed stance - really fetching Kristen a consistent, snappy hook in her side. Danes pivoting left around her front (left) heel, upperbody supple - she's starting to find her groove here, dressing Bell up a bit. Hesistation right hand is getting through, punching Kristen's pretty face back PAK! Up-jab stiff and sure - but Claire's also showing a nuisance pawing jab and a flicking backhand jab to keep Krissy occupied. Down the stretch, Danes leans in, drags a fat right hand sidearm into the pit of Bell's stomach: Krissy steps out with a pained frown, refusing further combat after that stroke. At the break, Danes looks pointedly at Bell's tummy, then makes eye contact, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

R3: Claire dipping and ripping her hook off the front foot, really snatching at Bell's ribs, but Krissy reads and reacts to it this round. Midway through, Bell blocking Danes' bodyshot on the right elbow, answers back a snappy hook to chin, catching and hurting Claire. Hurting pony-trot Claire as she tries to hop-it-off - good tapping pursuit as perky Bell pounces, jams away straight left/rights. Danes prodded ropeside - she covers up face-in-gloves, gives Bell a slow torso-roll to look at. Kristen upright, feisty, spitting her jab and trying to chop right hands against Claire's skull whenever Danes is bent forward and low. Claire supple, elusive, taking the edge off Bell's connects - but once again, Bell's consistent output enough to pocket the points.

R4: Claire keeping clear of the ropes this round - stays midring, turns her foe, dictates the exchanges. Danes twisting her torso, pointing either shoulder at Bell - tough for Kris to predict exactly what's coming. Dip-n'-rip hooks tangy from Claire, spanking bright off Bell's ribcage and tummy; brisk, shoeshining one-twos from Danes - the right hand landing immediately after the left as part of the same smooth motion. Bell getting scuffed up - forced to step out and regroup more and more often. Krissy's connect percentage very low, starting to discourage her from tossing: as volume drops, Claire's efficacy rises.

R5: Claire swivelling midring, landing 10 consecutive jabs in a series of pinpoint, precision strikes against Bell's left eye and tummy - it's just vintage Danes as she patiently pecks away from long range. Bell grimacing at the sting, reaching and pressing more: Claire picking Krissy up on the way in and nibbling her badly. Danes fighting equally well moving forward, back or laterally, drawing Kris in, then repelling her at will. Bodyshot hook is still there for Claire, starting to draw pained wince-and-cringe from Bell - other punches starting to dot Krissy as well. Classy shutout Danes: trace of a demure little smile as she glances down en route to her corner - finally shaking the post-Mish blues.

R6: First minute, Claire with both hands up, easy clockwise pivot as she drops the jab down onto Krissy's face PIK...PIK...PIK...Claire punching off the front foot, pushing off the back (right) big toe. Bell scowling, trying to parry this poke - left eye starting to shine up nicely as Danes patiently pounds away. Midway through, Danes selling 'jab', feints instead and brings the right up the middle, crossing Bell up. Krissy startled, doesn't see the jab that takes her in the forehead, nor the mop-up right on her mouth. Kris driven in disarray to ropes behind a very KBell-like assortment of quick, straight pokes: Danes rewards herself with a fat, strapping hook dragged harsh across Krissy' waistline - big grin Danes as she follows through, hearing Bell's winded gasp. Still fight left in Kristen: she firms, flurries to get Claire off her - Danes retreats from the apron, eyes narrowing as she assesses her foe's reserves.

R7: Pesky pursuit combinations from Bell - she chops and pokes at Claire as Danes is swivelling away, chasing Claire out of her stance. Ropes - Claire sets up that beguiling torso rotation, but Bell's not buying this time. Krissy staying on the body with ratatat lefts and rights, followed by a VERY tangy snap-hook off the ribs, and another just for luck. Claire panting, issuing the fight's first real clinches: Bell proving herself to Claire's body, has Danes' thighs trembling at the bell.

R8: Claire landing that oily-smooth, fluid one-two, just dragging her mitts across Krissy's cheek tic-toc. Bell spitting jabs, stepping-with and deploying her hook in snappy batches - Danes starting to wilt under Bell's hot touch. Classy give and take gradually gives way to steady KBell aggression - Claire retreating, feinting to shake her foe, and spinning to keep her back clear of ropes. Feisty points for KBell - she's scowling, intense and alert back to her corner.

R9: Claire goes back to the high-angle jab off her shoulder - weight on front foot, pushing off the ball of right foot: Bell's face suffers. Claire can pivot from this stance, can slide back - it's a good, conventional look, and it's picking Krissy apart. Minutes worth of poke has Bell breaking down - now Claire feints the jab to set up hooks or that greasy one-two tart to cheek. Bell getting scuffed up - Danes never really lighting her up, but the sheer beauty of some of these shots draws appreciative oohs and aahs from ringside. Not content with busting pretty KBell up - Claire salts away the round with a feint to freeze her girl, then a strapping hook-to-gut as Bell's crouched forward behind her mitts.

R10: CLAIRE WADES INTO KRISTEN! Why not - Danes has the fight won, now she turns slugger to give the crowd a thrill. Bell backed up early, but firming once she sees Claire's committed - good old fashioned flyweight back-and-forth as whippet-fit blondes lash away. Claire leaning out over her front (left) foot, dukes at her cheeks as she dips, then looks for snappy hooks or clipping uppercuts from either hand. Bell showing the right at her chin, left across her gut configuration, dipping at the waist and snatching back in combination: Bell's hands as quick as any flyweight's in the game at this sort of thing. Crowd roaring in approval as neither girl takes a backward step - both catch stiff licks in the rousing swap-meet to finish line. Comes back UD10: Claire Danes.

After: Danes to the ref's right, Bell to his left as Claire's hand is raised: Danes moving to front-up on Krissy (ref still holding hand aloft), smirking, forcing haughty eye contact as Bell blushes. "Better get some ice on that eye," Claire says quietly, causing Bell to purse her lips and scowl - both girls know who won the skills competition tonight. Close fight - Bell edged on the cards by a true sorceress: no shame in that.