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31 October 2014 Title Ch Yvonne Strahovski vs Adrianne Palicki

Page history last edited by Archer844 9 years, 2 months ago

Yvonne Strahovski 12.jpg

UNIFIED LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE

Posted by Lookout! Boxing on October 31, 2014, 10:11 am

Adrianne Palicki (Sceej Boxing) vs. Yvonne Strahovski (Lookout Boxing)
Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!

Plenty of mutual respect in the pre-fight, not a surprise for a pair of classy women who've both worn the belt. "At the moment, she's the measuring stick," says Adrianne with a lovely smile. "She's been fighting one top-shelf girl after another and finding ways to beat them. That changes tonight, though."

Strahovski also respectful, and clearly ready for another major challenge. "She's probably as dangerous as any woman in the FCBA. With all that length and that one-shot power, she can take you out at any time. She's as good as anyone I've fought, but I can get the job done, and I will."

ROUND ONE:

It's ranged warfare, stupid. There wasn't much question about the styles and game plans in this one. When you have two tall, long beauties who can box and have ranged power, you're going to get this kind of contest, and, for the first three minutes, it's a thing of beauty. Blonde and brunette both work hard, and both find the range. The jabs begin to land first, followed by the rights. Then it's flurries. Back and forth they go, both landing good stuff, both rolling with and picking off opponent's punches and showing quick hands in the defense. It's the kind of round you put on video to show younger fighters how this is done. When it's over, it's close, but Vonnie has the 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

Back to gunnery range. No real change in tactics or even any adjustments around the edges. Both girls are comfortable here. Both are dangerous here. Nothing big has landed so far, but it seems only a matter of time. You can't be out on the end of The Chin Checker's punches forever without getting clipped, and the same goes for the blonde champion. But, these two are not brawlers. They're good boxer-punchers and they can both play solid "D" to go with their offensive prowess. Again, both women score, but, again, nothing huge lands. It's good, sharp exchanges all the way through with Palicki coming out best and tying things at 19.

ROUND THREE:

The shells continue to fly. Both women moving hands and feet well. The footwork is lovely as the slide, dip, angle, all to get into better position to land their gloves and make the geometry difficult for their respective opponents. It's all about that movement for a minute or so, and then BOOM! BLONDE GIRL DOWN! Palicki checks the chin and Straho is suddenly on her back! Adrianne goes to the neutral corner, but there's no air of celebration. She knows she didn't land it flush. Vonnie saw it coming at the last second and was able to turn with it some. As a result, Strahovski beats the count. The fight continues, but the blonde, while not finished, is clearly hurt, and the brunette takes full advantage, cleaning up perfectly with the round ending as Adrianne pummels the champ along the ropes. 29-27 after three.

ROUND FOUR:

Yvonne starting to get the legs back, but still buzzed. Buzzed is not a good thing to be when Adrianne Palicki is standing in front of you. The long, rangy jabs start things. Palicki is able to STICK them perfectly, breaking down the blonde's defenses and opening her up for the big right hands. Yvonne counters, but she's mostly in retreat, driven backward the entire round, trying to stabilize her front as Adrianne creates breakthrough after breakthrough. Palicki's no doubt looking for the finisher, but she can't find it. She does, however, find plenty of places to score and score big. When the bell sounds, Palicki's taken the round wide and opened up a nice 39-36 lead.

ROUND FIVE:

The assault on the champion continues. Adrianne is slowly breaking the blonde down. Yvonne is recovered from the knockdown, but can't get back in the fight. There's just too much Palicki. She's firing with both hands and landing hard shot from everywhere. Again, it's the champion in retreat, keeping the guard up, trying to get something done in counter, but mostly working hard to avoid being overrun. Adrianne again looking for that one big shot, and, again, the blonde is able to avoid it, but she can't avoid most of the rest of what leaves the big brunette's guns. Palicki is in control from bell to bell and takes another wide victory, extending her lead to 49-45.

ROUND SIX:

Yvonne stabilizes. It takes time. It takes effort. And it takes plenty of want-to. Adrianne is still working hard at range, still landing heavy shell, but Vonnie grits her way back into it. She finds angles and she finds ways to get her offense going, ways to give as good as she gets. Palicki clearly not surprised by the rally, and not disrupted by it, either. She's still getting her offense in, still landing good, clean shot, still putting punches together, the only difference is that Strahovski is, too. The result is an excellent back and forth round that sees both women have their moments. Both are able to send the other back a step at times with good right hands. And neither is able to gain control. It's a near thing, but, when the bell rings, the champion has won the round and cut the lead to 58-55.

ROUND SEVEN:

Palicki right back to work, lands a couple of sharp rights that back up Vonnie early. Adrianne knows well that the champion's taken a lot of shell already tonight, and she plans to add to the total exponentially. Quickly, the brunette is moving forward and the blonde is in retreat. The stabilized front is broken again and Palicki's pouring leather through the openings. Yvonne is game, conducting a fighting retreat, but she IS retreating, and Palicki sees that for what it IS. Adrianne's been here before, in big fights, in championship fights, and she knows how you win them. There will be opportunities, opportunities to take command or to finish. You have to recognize them, and seize them. Adrianne seizes. She comes forward, forcing the champion back, banging her with heavy leather. Seizing. And then, BOOM! PALICKI IS DOWN! Where did that right hand counter come from? Palicki never sees it, but she feels it and experiences the results. The brunette is down on her back. She beats the count, which basically ends the round, but a three-point swing has come with one punch. The cards say 66-65, when Adrianne was seconds from 68-64, the kind of lead that's hard to overcome. But, that opportunity has passed.

ROUND EIGHT:

Others, however, have taken their place, and Strahovski well knows it. Vonnie was almost buried, but now she's back from the near-dead and making her presence felt. Adrianne's still working to get her legs back, still buzzed, and Straho is taking full advantage. She goes for it from the opening bell, walking through Palicki's jabs, risking the big right hands, taking chances and knowing that's what you've got to do to win fights like these. Yvonne has Adrianne on her heels, and she's determined to keep her there. She does. And then she PUTS HER ON HER BACK AGAIN! This time it's a combination, a left hook that wobbles Palicki and a right hand that finishes her. And it DOES finish her. Adrianne stays on her back, head lolling back and forth as the count passes her by. It's over, and your winner by KO8 and STILL lightweight champion is Yvonne Strahovski!

AFTER:

Yvonne battered but unbowed in the post-fight. "She's as good as anyone I've fought," she says,in that lovely Aussie accent. "She can hit with the best welters. She's long and she's quick. It wasn't easy in there, but it was never going to be. I want girls like her, top competitors. It's the only way I prove who the best lightweight in the FCBA is, and she's ME."