Part 1:

Posted by Simguy on 1/4/2004, 10:26 am.

Before: “I offered to fight with one am tired behind my back,” Eliza jokes in prefight, “but Claire wants to be completely, totally dominated, so they are making me go with both.” Danes more serious at the podium—she’s a very interesting underdog in this bout: in the history of intrastable fights in the FCBA, no flyweight has ever moved up and unseated her bantamweight mate, but a few pundits like Claire’s chances to be the first. “You can call me an underdog if you want,” Danes tells the press, “but HISC hasn’t let me spar with Eliza for over a year now because they don’t want to ruin her confidence—what does that tell you? Don’t be surprised if I hurt Dushku in this fight—when I start breaking her down, I’ll get spots to punch, and I’m taking them, This isn’t going to be a Mish Williams ‘just happy to be here’ effort against Dani—I’m moving up to give big sis a beating and when I’m done, things are going toi be very, very different between us.”

Dushku in red leather bikini, Claire in black crochet two piece, peasant top, hair up.

During R1: Claire comes out southpaw, gets trickier from there. At one point, Danes puts a hand around Eliza’s back, turns the brunette to obscure the ref, taps Dushku a little crotch music—Dushku angrily responds to Danes’ trunks in kind and ELIZA GETS THE ~WARNING! Oh, that insufferable Danes grin from behind the ref’s back. Claire leggier than usual at the open, using the ring, often scooting behind the ref to make her get-aways, constantly forcing adjustments on Eliza’s feet. Claire sliding back, gets a nice tight little righty hook on Eliza’s ear out of the southpaw stance, pivoting to the right around it—it’s enough to take a tactical first.

R2: Dushku with straight power, coming with lead rights against Danes; lefty stance, pounding back the face and pursuing with choppy left/rights as Claire backpedals. Danes shook up as she hots the ropes—Dushku squaring away to finish, but Claire dazzles with defensive wizardy. Supple upperbody slips and rolls forces half a dozen Dushku misses—then Claire spins out of trouble with a helpful hand at Eliza’s hip. Rest of the round Eliza trying to corral her blonde—Claire putting on a brilliant display of slap n’ slip. Danes shifting effortlessly from conventional to southpaw, routinely luring Eliza into slapping check hooks, pivoting with that front foot in a bucket, just swiveling around Eliza’s flanks. Pretty stuff—Dushku can’t consolidate. Danes gets out of the round well-regrouped, shows she can handle Eliza’s power early.

R3: Danes setting in—now conventional, getting the jab on Eliza’s left eye, pivoting clockwise, Danes pointing the left shoulder at E, right hand at the chin—Claire swiveling, sliding out, changing distance, starts getting chances to drop potshot rights on Dushku’s advancing chin. Midway through, Danes glides back from a Dushku rush, suddenly dives in with that lead right, pivots left as she bites her hook off Dushku’ chin and ELIZA SCOOTS TO HER BUTT! Crowd roaring to it’s feet as Eliza bounces to a stop—bantam champ up quickly, face flushed as Claire taints with her eyes from the neutral corner. ON COMES CLAIRE! Danes going right at Dushku after the 8, trading furiously to keep Eliza’s back to the ropes and DUSHKU COVERS UP! E earmuffed, riding it out—Claire pushing in, extending her arms, then licking and lashing at stubborn ribs, proud tummy. Claire at the bell: digging jagged left uppies over and over as she bounces at the knee—picking Eliza up in the mouth as brunette poses stooped over for the shot.

R4: Eliza getting a wake up call last round, ups the tempo, looking to come in hard off her jab—but Claire’s battling for every inch of canvas, Danes not running—she’s swivel pivot, refusing to stand right in front of Dushku, but blonde activity is very high. Claire typically slaps a hook, slaps a tight right hand, then sets down a third hook, biting it sharp to Eliza’s ear or in under the elbow, Dushku trying to force lead rights through to Claire’s chest  to fix her position, then nip her that sneaky hook inside, Late the round—Dushku finally buckles Claire’s knees, sagging Danes momentarily hurt at the ropes, Gut check for Claire—legs numb—she bends low, rolls her torso, blocks, rolls—Dushku tightening up her shots, stabbing straight punches from her chest to Claire’s body, ignoring the elusive head. Danes trembling at the bell, but gets out of another predicament—Dushku shaking her head in disappointment en route to her corner.

R5: Eliza stalking forward, pretty much the puncher—she’ll jab to close or negotiate with Claire, but brunette’s looking to land straight lead rights and hooks. Danes working off either Dushku shoulder as she switches up stances, stepping back into southpaw, gliding smoothly into conventional, pointing one shoulder or the other at E at all times. Claire’s beating Dushku to punches, making the brunette come forward, then greasing her with slapping flurries, setting down on the one punch she wants after laying the smokescreen, Dushku covering up during the squalls, then wincing as Danes sinks in the hook amidships or claps her on the ear, Claire won’t be cornered—she’s edging in and out, sliding to either side, getting very low, leaning back, using her shoulders to nudge Eliza’s hips back—strawberry blonde polishes Dushku for points in the 5^th. After the bell, girls side by side at the ropes—Claire suddenly ducks in off Dushku’s left shoulder, driving her right elbow tip into Eliza’s breadbasket—blonde scampers away like a thief in the night as Dushku glares after her, momentarily stunned amidships, again, while the ref’s back was turned.

Danes/Dushku conc.

Posted by Simguy on 1/4/2004, 10:27 am.

R6: Claire Danes posts the best 3 minutes of her career against Eliza Dushku—crowd on its feet at the unbelievable sight in the ring. Starts with Claire’s icy calm execution in the first, just swiveling, nibbling, undressing Eliza a little bit. Claire cute with her elbows to Dushku’s arms and ribs, cute with the inside shoulder butt to the mouth—just nasty little touches nobody seems to see. Second minute—Dushku starts to rush, trying to land something hard—she’s missing and getting clocked in return as Danes lands charging hooks to either temple, fits in a slutty rising right into Dushku’s sternum and Eliza’s wobbly butt. Dushku to the ropes NOT of her own free will, clearly bewildered and Claire cleans up down the stretch. Danes hard-eyed, staying on Eliza—Dushku covers up rigid—Claire tears up that taut gut with greasy, slashing lefts and rights, Claire getting slick uppercuts with either hand, then turning over the opposite elbow, cracking Eliza’s shoulders and biceps. Eliza getting jolted, shook, not answering back—she even looks to be on the verge at points. At the bell, dominant Claire lands vicious right elbow over Dushku’s left eye, busted it open, drawing the warning and sending Eliza back to her corner in shock.

R7: Eliza gets the “yer blowin’ kid” speech in her corner—responds like the champ she is. Dushku systematically going at Claire, but smarter this round, feathering the jab to get Danes committed, then thumping her body. Dushku’s not picky—she’s just trying to land hard, clubbing shots to Claire’s flanks, falling in to tie up and walk her girl to the ropes. Eliza mauling in the clinches, using her forearm rough against Claire’s neck and face, landing short, chopping blows to Claire’s skull, shoulders, chest. More and more-- Claire going to the clinch for breaks—she can’t spin or slip her way out of trouble with Dushku right on her, and Eliza keeps wading in, bodying up. Down the stretch, attrition takes effect—Danes shopworn, riding her left around Eliza’s neck as the brunette pours in rights and lefts downstairs. Claire’s legs give way, sitting her hurt in the ropes—she’s powerless to stop the bludgeoning romp to her midsection as Dushku shovels it on to the bell.

R8: Claire back to the slap and slip—working on Eliza’s busted up left eye with the jab, flurrying with slappy lefts and rights, then digging in a keeper to brunette ribs or mouth. Middle minute—Dushku caught a lick in under right hand as she misses over top—Eliza visibly wounded as she cringes, tucking the elbow in and bending forward momentarily winded. Moments later—Dushku returns the favour, lifting Danes’ head up a tidy left uppercut, then doubling the left up into a tucking hook to liver. Danes’ legs bend and straighten—blonde forced to tie up hurt, but Eliza keeps shouldering her off, pitching hooks to wounded area and CLAIRE GOES DOWN! Danes’ eyes brimming at the bell—Dushku’s heavier hands finally making an impression as blonde wears down.

R9: Eliza taking a deep breath off her stool, concentrating, reeling Danes in. It’s Dushku walking Claire down and bringing the brawl—Danes more and more defensive, surviving, but not able to answer back. Dushku inexorable—constantly falling in, bodying up, walking her girl to the ropes and mauling her. Dushku clubbing over top her left hand in close, then ripping the short right uppercut to finally cudgel Claire constantly about the head. Dushku working in the body like a lumberjack, stepping with Claire, keeping her head on Danes’ shoulder and digging away at that tidy waist. Smearing shutout along the perimeter—Eliza imposing her will late—fight up for grabs in the 10^th.

R10: Claire standing her ground, impetuous—she’s fighting Eliza toe to toe I a bitter show of defiance, Gorgeous, crowd pleasing stuff—Dushku driving forward with straight right hands, sudden ripping hooks, keeping her head on Danes. Claire slicing and slashing her punches, stepping back to walk Eliza into the uppercut, suddenly turning her with a push against Dushku’s elbow—it’s nip and tuck, back and forth. Down the stretch, both girls working furiously amidships, arms pumping, heads leaning in—both comes up top with the hook and CLAIRE SCOOTS TO HER BUTT! Danes seated at the ropes, looking up in weary hate—Eliza smoldering down, eyes blazing—it’s the deciding moment in the fight. Claire up at 8, luring Eliza into a clinch at the bell—fight goes to the card. Comes back UD10 by a single point; Eliza Dushku!

After: Mixed reaction from the crowd—brave little Danes winning a lot of fans with the gutsiest, toughest showing of her career and casting off the shackles big time with rebellious stand. Dushku behind after 9, needed the knockdown and got it like the hard pro she is—both women really distinguishing themselves tonight. “Everyone knows I can outbox anybody south of 120,” says a pumped up, lumped up Claire, “but I think I really surprised people with the way I stood up to Eliza and fought her. I hurt her over and over in that fight, exposed her body, busted her up, I’m disappointed with scoring, but I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of—Eliza Dushku got pushed tonight,” Eliza with an ice pack against that gashed left eye, looking shopworn, sullen. “First off—she cut me with an elbow, not a punch,” Dushku growls. “I gotta give her credit—she did what she had to do to compete, but she think she’s having more effect than she really is. She never got me off my game, never rattled me with all her little tricks—I just stayed on her, wore her down. I can’t believe the judges had her ahead after nine rounds—I was rolling her up over the second half.” Is Claire an equal at long last? “Get real,” snarls Eliza, “She’s improved a lot, she IS a champion and she’s the best flyweight out there, but that doesn’t put her on a par with Eliza Dushku. PLEASE don’t buy her bullshit—she knows I had her at the end and that’s how it better read when you guys go to print.”

Reposted by Archer 10/18/09.