Post by Lookout! Boxing on Oct 26, 2019 1:05:07 GMT -6
Evangeline Lilly vs. Emily Bett Rickards
BEFORE:
Pair of fighters coming off some tough losses. Rickards falling short against the bigger Hailee Steinfeld, while Lilly has dropped bouts to Kira Kosarin and Kaya Scodelario. And, both blonde and brunette are determined to reverse fortunes tonight.
"Obviously, she's a great fighter," says Emily. "She's going into the Hall of Fame, and she belongs there. And, she can still fight at a very high level, as she's proven. But. I can beat girls like her. I'VE proven THAT. And, tonight, I'm going to prove it again."
"I can't BELIEVE this girl sat for four years without management," says Vangie with a shake of the head. "She's a LOT better than plenty of managed girls. She's just NOT better than ME."
ROUND ONE:
Blonde younger and quicker and the game plan clearly involves using those advantages. She's on the move, snapping jabs, turning, bouncing around the ring. Evangeline looking to locate with the jab, cut the ring, create exchanges, but the blonde having none. She's here, she's there, she's everywhere...and nowhere. At least, nowhere Evangeline can find her. Instead, Emily's ranging, using every inch of canvas, making Lilly chase. The brunette's willing, but she's not able. Oh, she can chase, but she can't FIND. Instead, she's getting her face powdered by jabs, and she's being forced to cover up when the blonde stops to pop with quick, accurate flurries. Final twenty seconds sees a smile from Emily, who legs out the remainder of the stanza to take the first wide and the lead 10-9.
ROUND TWO:
Lilly getting the lay of the land now. Veteran starting to get the geometry down, finding the right angles, cutting off the ring by stepping to. Makes all the difference. Now, Vangie's forcing exchanges. Blonde's holding her own in those, mind, but she's no longer controlling the fight with her legs. Result is that rather than a one-sided frame, we're getting a two-way round that sees both blonde and brunette having their moments. Vangie's landing the slightly harder shots, while Emily's landing a few more. Meanwhile, Lilly doing a little investing in the body, which, of course, is a very smart thing to do, considering that enough punishment down there might well get into the blonde's legs, creating more opportunities for the brunette. Not a lot in it, but, when the bell rings, it's Evangeline who's got it close and we're even at 19.
ROUND THREE:
Adjustments. It's all about adjustments. And, now, it's the blonde's turn. A drop step changes the calculus. By giving jusssstttt a little ground, Rickards is able to create enough time and space with her jab and her legs to get back to what worked so well in the first. She's ranging wide again, peppering the brunette's face with jabs, forcing her to stop and cover when the blonde decides to stop and let a flurry go. Watching this round, it's clear why Rickards was such a hot prospect for so long and UNCLEAR as to why she remained an indy for four years. The tools are all there. This is a future Hall of Famer, a girl who's beaten the best in the FCBA, not just years ago but recently, and Emily's dominating, using that great athleticism and those fast, heavy hands to put on a show. At the bell, it's Rickards wide and up 29-28.
ROUND FOUR:
Vangie adjusts again. Hands come up now, head gets tucked. She's using the feet to work in, the hands to pick off the jabs. She's angling, closing, working body. Emily again firing back and giving as good as she gets, but no longer controlling the proceedings. Lilly looking to get physical in there, and the blonde shows she can do that, too. She may not hit quite as hard as Vangie, but she holds her own on Lilly's terms. But. Make no mistake. We ARE fighting on Lilly's terms, and that's not a good recipe for any fighter trying to beat the former champion. Just like in the second, it's a two-way round and there's not a lot in it, but, just like in the second, Evangeline's built a slight lead that she carries to the bell. It's close, but it's Lilly and, after four, we're even at 38.
ROUND FIVE:
Fifth begins where the fourth left off. Lilly cutting the ring, forcing exchanges. Rickards firing back, holding her own, not letting the brunette take control despite being forced to fight on Vangie's terms. BOOM! It all changes that quickly. Lilly ducks the head right into an uppercut from the blonde and DOWN GOES EVANGELINE! Brunette sent crashing to her right side by an almost perfect punch from the blonde. Rickards quickly to a neutral corner as a gobsmacked Lilly tries to shake the cobwebs. Ref's count reaches seven before the brunette makes it to her knees, but she manages to rise at nine. She takes the mandatory and the referee waives on Emily. Blonde goes to work, battering the older woman back into the ropes, then giving her a beating. Lilly hanging on desperately, makes it to the bell. But. Rickards is now in charge and up 48-46 at the half.
ROUND SIX:
Emily Bett to work. Now, SHE'S the one stepping to and getting physical. Lilly can't hold canvas, not with her legs still shaky. Instead, she's being backed up, forced to cover up, while the younger blonde punishes her. Brunette game, tossing back here and there, but she's taking a shellacking as Rickards sits down on her punches looking for the 'off' switch. Lilly staying off the ropes, clinching when she can, playing effective defense, but still taking a TON of leather. Can't go on for long like this...BOOM! Right hand COUNTER and RICKARDS IS HURT! Blonde's wobbly butt and now Vangie winging away and DOWN GOES EMILY! Rickards dropped to her back with a BOOMING right hand. Lilly stumbling to a neutral corner. Rickards, head lolling as the ref counts down at her. And, she CAN'T GET OFF THE CANVAS! It's OVER! And your winner by KO6 is Evangeline Lilly!
AFTER:
Former champ and future Hall of Famer looking very much like a woman who's been in a FIGHT. "Like I said," says Evangeline with a shake of the head, "She's better than a LOT of girls. You saw what she could do in there. But. She's NOT better than ME."
BEFORE:
Pair of fighters coming off some tough losses. Rickards falling short against the bigger Hailee Steinfeld, while Lilly has dropped bouts to Kira Kosarin and Kaya Scodelario. And, both blonde and brunette are determined to reverse fortunes tonight.
"Obviously, she's a great fighter," says Emily. "She's going into the Hall of Fame, and she belongs there. And, she can still fight at a very high level, as she's proven. But. I can beat girls like her. I'VE proven THAT. And, tonight, I'm going to prove it again."
"I can't BELIEVE this girl sat for four years without management," says Vangie with a shake of the head. "She's a LOT better than plenty of managed girls. She's just NOT better than ME."
ROUND ONE:
Blonde younger and quicker and the game plan clearly involves using those advantages. She's on the move, snapping jabs, turning, bouncing around the ring. Evangeline looking to locate with the jab, cut the ring, create exchanges, but the blonde having none. She's here, she's there, she's everywhere...and nowhere. At least, nowhere Evangeline can find her. Instead, Emily's ranging, using every inch of canvas, making Lilly chase. The brunette's willing, but she's not able. Oh, she can chase, but she can't FIND. Instead, she's getting her face powdered by jabs, and she's being forced to cover up when the blonde stops to pop with quick, accurate flurries. Final twenty seconds sees a smile from Emily, who legs out the remainder of the stanza to take the first wide and the lead 10-9.
ROUND TWO:
Lilly getting the lay of the land now. Veteran starting to get the geometry down, finding the right angles, cutting off the ring by stepping to. Makes all the difference. Now, Vangie's forcing exchanges. Blonde's holding her own in those, mind, but she's no longer controlling the fight with her legs. Result is that rather than a one-sided frame, we're getting a two-way round that sees both blonde and brunette having their moments. Vangie's landing the slightly harder shots, while Emily's landing a few more. Meanwhile, Lilly doing a little investing in the body, which, of course, is a very smart thing to do, considering that enough punishment down there might well get into the blonde's legs, creating more opportunities for the brunette. Not a lot in it, but, when the bell rings, it's Evangeline who's got it close and we're even at 19.
ROUND THREE:
Adjustments. It's all about adjustments. And, now, it's the blonde's turn. A drop step changes the calculus. By giving jusssstttt a little ground, Rickards is able to create enough time and space with her jab and her legs to get back to what worked so well in the first. She's ranging wide again, peppering the brunette's face with jabs, forcing her to stop and cover when the blonde decides to stop and let a flurry go. Watching this round, it's clear why Rickards was such a hot prospect for so long and UNCLEAR as to why she remained an indy for four years. The tools are all there. This is a future Hall of Famer, a girl who's beaten the best in the FCBA, not just years ago but recently, and Emily's dominating, using that great athleticism and those fast, heavy hands to put on a show. At the bell, it's Rickards wide and up 29-28.
ROUND FOUR:
Vangie adjusts again. Hands come up now, head gets tucked. She's using the feet to work in, the hands to pick off the jabs. She's angling, closing, working body. Emily again firing back and giving as good as she gets, but no longer controlling the proceedings. Lilly looking to get physical in there, and the blonde shows she can do that, too. She may not hit quite as hard as Vangie, but she holds her own on Lilly's terms. But. Make no mistake. We ARE fighting on Lilly's terms, and that's not a good recipe for any fighter trying to beat the former champion. Just like in the second, it's a two-way round and there's not a lot in it, but, just like in the second, Evangeline's built a slight lead that she carries to the bell. It's close, but it's Lilly and, after four, we're even at 38.
ROUND FIVE:
Fifth begins where the fourth left off. Lilly cutting the ring, forcing exchanges. Rickards firing back, holding her own, not letting the brunette take control despite being forced to fight on Vangie's terms. BOOM! It all changes that quickly. Lilly ducks the head right into an uppercut from the blonde and DOWN GOES EVANGELINE! Brunette sent crashing to her right side by an almost perfect punch from the blonde. Rickards quickly to a neutral corner as a gobsmacked Lilly tries to shake the cobwebs. Ref's count reaches seven before the brunette makes it to her knees, but she manages to rise at nine. She takes the mandatory and the referee waives on Emily. Blonde goes to work, battering the older woman back into the ropes, then giving her a beating. Lilly hanging on desperately, makes it to the bell. But. Rickards is now in charge and up 48-46 at the half.
ROUND SIX:
Emily Bett to work. Now, SHE'S the one stepping to and getting physical. Lilly can't hold canvas, not with her legs still shaky. Instead, she's being backed up, forced to cover up, while the younger blonde punishes her. Brunette game, tossing back here and there, but she's taking a shellacking as Rickards sits down on her punches looking for the 'off' switch. Lilly staying off the ropes, clinching when she can, playing effective defense, but still taking a TON of leather. Can't go on for long like this...BOOM! Right hand COUNTER and RICKARDS IS HURT! Blonde's wobbly butt and now Vangie winging away and DOWN GOES EMILY! Rickards dropped to her back with a BOOMING right hand. Lilly stumbling to a neutral corner. Rickards, head lolling as the ref counts down at her. And, she CAN'T GET OFF THE CANVAS! It's OVER! And your winner by KO6 is Evangeline Lilly!
AFTER:
Former champ and future Hall of Famer looking very much like a woman who's been in a FIGHT. "Like I said," says Evangeline with a shake of the head, "She's better than a LOT of girls. You saw what she could do in there. But. She's NOT better than ME."