Brie Larson versus Scarlett Johansson

BEFORE:

The fanboys are out in force for this one, as two of the top big screen superheroines face off at bantamweight. And, while Brie might be the favorite here, Scarlett is not sweating her. "Yeah, she's the pick," says the redhead with a smile. "And, I get that. But, that doesn't change the fact that I'm going beat her a**."

"She's actually underrated," says Brie. "She's had her ups and downs the last few years, but the tools are all there, and so is the experience. She can beat a LOT of girls. Just not THIS girl."

ROUND ONE:

Brie wants to get her box on early, moving the feet, working at range. ScarJo? Not so much. Redhead steps to behind the jab, gets off lusty and ROCKS the brunette with a right hand about 45 seconds in! Larson in DEEP trouble in the first as the crowd goes NUTS and Johansson wings away with both hands. Brie backed to the ropes and taking with the ref looking in closely. ScarJo goes downstairs, begins stocking up on body, which Larson has put on sale. Brie tying up, hanging on, trying to run clock and force breaks, but Scarlett keeps stacking her up and then going right back to work. It's a LONG 2:15 for Larson, but, somehow, she manages to ride it out. When the bell finally rings, though, it's Johansson who's taken the points wide and grabbed the 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

ScarJo pressing forward early, looking to, if not finish this thing, at least effect a solid clean up. BOOM! Right hand, BRIE and now its Johansson who's rocked! Larson POURING forward now, paying back the older woman for the first round and with INTEREST. She's hammering way to head and body, forcing her rival to the cables and then calling in a series of artillery strikes. ScarJo playing D, keeping the hands up, rolling with punches, using her veteran wiles to run clock and deny the brunette the finisher, but that's about all she can accomplish. Brie's piling up both points and punishment as the ref again looks in closely, ready to leap in if necessary. But, Scarlett does enough to hold him off to the bell. When it rings, Larson has taken the points wide to even things at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Now it's Brie with the pressure as she walks down the older woman behind the left ja...BOOM! Right-hand counter, SCARJO! Are you KIDDING ME? Larson GOBSMACKED, stumbles backward and is DROPPED by a three-punch combination! Crowd going NUTS as Scarlett heads to a neutral corner. Ref counting down on a dazed Brie who pushes to hands and knees at seven and juuuuussttttt manages to beat the count by rising at nine. Ref thinks about it as he gives the younger woman the mandatory, but he waves on ScarJo. Redhead all OVER Brie, again battering her back into the ropes. This time, she's not buying body at ANY price. It's all head-hunting as she looks to finish. But, once again, Larson effectively hides the off button and is able to keep the referee at bay with the occasional counter and some slick defending. By the time the bell rings, Larson's looking a wreck, but she's still on her feet. It's a 10-8 round for Scarlett, though, and she now leads 29-27.

ROUND FOUR:

Johansson after Larson, but, as you might imagine, with a little more care than she showed in the second. Shorter woman stepping to behind that left. Brie, meanwhile, on wobbly legs, more than willing to give ground at this point. She's keeping the hands up, just trying to run some clock and shake off the worst of the damage. ScarJo's all about the finish now. She's not sitting down on everything, but ALMOST everything, as she punishes the younger woman to both head and body. For the first half of the round, Brie manages to stay off the ropes, but, eventually, ScarJo pins her there and begins emptying the magazines, firing all the big guns over and over again. It's grim stuff for Larson, but, for the second round in a row, she hangs on in a tight guard to the bell. When it rings, Scarlett's pitched a shutout and leads 39-36, but, once again, Brie lives to fight another round.

ROUND FIVE:

ScarJo fighting lead early, but the redhead's looking a little arm-weary after all the punches she's thrown in the last two rounds. Brie takes advantage of the respite, still giving ground, looking to counter, happy to have a little more time to firm up the legs. By mid-round, Larson's looking better, and she begins getting some work done. She's a bit tentative at first, but, by the final minute, she's putting punches together and even forcing Johansson to the back foot. ScarJo's the one working in counter now, but she's effective doing it. Brie makes up the stagger by the final thirty seconds, meaning there's almost nothing in it. Larson, knowing what the cards look like, turns up the heat late, letting the hands go in a major way. She never hurts the redhead, but she does get enough done to take the points narrowly and cut her rival's lead to 48-46 at the half.

ROUND SIX:

Larson going back to her first round strategy, looking to get her box on, use the reach, move the feet. Again, Scarlett counters by looking to angle forward, slip to middle distances, get off with heavy leather. And, for the first time in the bout, nobody's dictating terms. Both women are getting some, but not all of what they want. By mid-round, things are pretty even until...BOOM! Right hand, LARSON and ScarJo is HURT! Redhead wobbles on the spot and nearly goes down. Brie immediately shoves all her chips into the middle of the table, thumping away with both hands and DOWN GOES JOHANSSON! Scarlett dropped to her back by a straight right hand. Brie to a neutral corner. Ref counting down on the redhead. Scarlett sits up at six, begins to rise at seven...AND CRUMPLES BACK TO THE CANVAS! It's OVER! ScarJo can't beat the count and it's OVER and your winner by KO6 is Brie Larson!

AFTER:

Brie a puffy, scuffy winner, but she manages a smile through her bleeding lips. "I told you she was underrated. She's a very good fighter and can definitely hit, as I'm sure my face shows pretty clearly. But, as I ALSO told you, while she can beat a LOT of girls, she can't beat THIS girl."