Posted by Simguy on 2/2/2007, 5:56 am.

Before “One of these days, Sarah’s going to rise up and shake off this slump she’s in,” Claire predicts in preflight. “Not THIS fight of course, but soon, after I’ve beaten her--she’s going to get her act together. It’s hard to watch her struggling--must be even harder from her point of view. Everything she does turns against her, all her little gambits and tweaks just backfiring--brutal. I feel for her, I really do>“ Gellar pursing her lips at Claire’s mock sweetness--Sarah one of the proudest technicians in the game knows she’s got to turn things around. “I’ve been overlooked by Claire before and shocked her in fights,” Sarah reminds the assembly, “and I’ll do it again. Danes better look to her own house first before throwing any stones: HISC is looking pretty glassy these days. As Claire goes, so goes the Wolfpack, and I’m looking to take out the lead dog in spectacular fasion.” Claire in vivid scarlet bikini (bra style top). SMG in black bandeau, slick puncher’s ponytail.

During R1: Claire: wide stance, weight forward on left plant leg, dukes up, palms out--she’s poking a crisp jab or lead right hand interchangeably, straight up the middle. When Gellar retaliates, Claire morphs from her rigid attack-stance into a more fluid, supple defensive swivel--crouching down, pivoting to her left behind that protective left shoulder--very crisp, deft execution from Danes. Gellar showing the right hand near her chin, left across her body, weight on right leg, emphasizing slick hooks-off-the-jab but unable to establish. Velvety-smooth shutout, Calire Danes--at the bell, she’s all demure, grinning down at the canvas as she prances lightly to corner. Gellar grumpy, scowling-she knows how pretty Claire looked at Sarah’s expense.

R2: Sarah more effective--weaving Claire’s straight pokes, scooting close and answering back biting hooks--Danes stepping away from tart leather against her right flank. Sarah encroaching, making the fight--Danes elusive, using the ring--unashamed to simply leg away from Gellar.

R3: Claire back on top--when she can land the jab or lead right hand, she can pretty Sarah up from there. Danes swivel-pivoting left, easing in and out on widespread legs, setting a methodical pace--Sarah just turning, parrying, moving her head well as girls probe and feint for weakness. Danes mixing in additional ingredients--licking her whippy hook in under Sarah’s right elbow; dropping hesitation rights off feints. Claire posts another shutout, making it look easy: Sarah back to her corner looking like she’s trying to figure out Rubik’s Cube.

R4: Pendulum swings back to Sarah: if she can make Claire MISS the initial jab, Gellar can pounce to the inside, biting hooks against Claire’s ribs. Any penetration from Gellar and Claire bounces outside, then walks to her right--Danes refusing toe-to-toe battle on Sarah’s terms. Claire’s footwork, body movement exquisite--turning in behind her left shoulder, making Gellar miss--Danes not doing enough offensively to win the round but making it very hard for Sarah to earn a dollar tonight.

R5: When Claire wins a round, she does it in style: another Danes shutout leaves Sarah perplexed, frowning. Feints, jabs, straight lead right hands--Claire setting Sarah up, freezing her with these tactics, then exploiting her with hooks and hard crosses. Sarah grunting from Claire’s lithe left hook slashing in under the right elbow. Sarah facing into Claire’s hesitation right. Danes stepping to eithe4r side after landing, feinting, keeping the jab on Sarah--poor Gellar spellbound as HISC sorceress weaves her spell in the fifth.

R6: Intriguing two-way ro9und as both women launch and repel attacks in turn--but Claire wins the first back to back heats by controlling Sarah in the sixth. Battle of nerves as both girls execute as flawlessly as they can--neither looking to take any chances: the more risk-free a round is, the more Claire seems able to control her opponent. Bell: Danes catching Gellar’s eye as they pas, smirking at the Slayer’s frustration; Gellar smoldering en route to her corner as she lets the pivotal sixth slip away.

R7: Gellar a little more anxious, starting to open up, starting to press, having some success early in hounding Danes around the ring. Claire loping more, using more leg, bouncing off the ropes to spin ‘round her foe--Sarah’s hot pursuit givers her the first two minutes clean, but exposes her to disaster late. Down the stretch, Claire swings a long right hand against Sarah’s body, hen slides back as Gellar storms forward: OH THAT WHIPPY DANES HOOK! Claire walking Sarah into the tidiest of hooks, clouting Gellar behind the ear, pivoting-left as Sarah staggers face-first and hurt to ropes, Gellar momentarily out of it: Claire pounces, lets her hands go with trademark shoe-shine to her foe’s trembling abs and breasts. Late round polish lets Claire steal a Gellar round: Sarah really behind the 8 ball after 7.

R8,9: Sarah convinced to pressure now--desperate toi bring the fight to Claire and force decisive collisions: Danes won’t have it. Claire swivel-pivoting clockwise, midring, patiently picking Sarah apart, walking Sarah into harm, using Sarah’s aggression against her. Gellar lumping up facially as she ships more and more Danes leather, but getting to Claire’s ribcage nonetheless. Sarah able to hook Claire to the body, but unable to sustain as Danes’ legs and willowy upper body movement slowly tighten the noose around Gellar’s hopes.

R10: First minute pressure from Sarah shows her desperation--she’s coming in wide open, winging hard punches at Claire’s elusive head: Danes making Sarah miss, then carving her up while pivoting away from danger. Gellar taking the punches well, but sill tough to watch a classy little veteran being dismantled and schooled. Danes smirking throughout, in complete control at this point--she’s doing what she wants with Sarah and both girls know it. Midway through, Sarah punching out straight lefts and rights as she step forward: Claire slips every punch by bending low, pivoting, straightening up on her back leg, twisting her torso to present her left profile, then ducking Sarah’s last right hand. Sequence nearly breaks Gellar’s heart as her lower lip quivers; Claire’s eyes dance with triumph as she comes out of the evasive maneuvers with a single clean, straight lead right hand clean against Sarah’s mouth. Bell: will o’ the wisp UD10, Claire Danes.

After: Happy Danes are here again--Claire laughing in her corner, getting hugged and backpatted--spellbinding boxing from Danes leaves Sarah a nervous wreck. Gellar on her stool, eyes wide, body trembling as she suck at a water bottle--you can just see her going over the fight in her mind, trying to make sense of it, For boxing purists, what Danes did to Gellar over the last half of this fight is more humiliating than a walk of shame or smother-out between lesser skilled beauties, When a classy fighter is outclassed, it hurts.

Reposted by Archer 7/14/12.