Post by Lookout! Boxing on Dec 1, 2018 0:43:52 GMT -6
Evangeline Lilly vs. Alyson Michalka
BEFORE:
Battle of two of the best bantams on the planet, a pair of former champs who clearly have plenty of respect for one another. "I remember the first time I fought her," says Alyson with a shake of the head. "It was back near the beginning of my career, and she was the very best I'd fought to that point. And, now, seven and a half years later? She's still the best I've fought."
"I remember that first fight, too," says the brunette with a smile. "I remember thinking, 'I wouldn't want to get in the ring with this girl in a year or so,' because you could see how much talent she had. All she needed was experience, and she's got that now. She's been champion already, and she'll be champion again. Count on that."
ROUND ONE:
Pre-fight respect carries over into the fight itself. First round all about the recon, as the younger blonde wants to work the jab, create space, while Evangeline looks to angle forward, get to middle distances where Alyson's reach advantage will be negated. Everybody showing plenty of caution, both well aware of the power the other girl has, power that matches just about anyone in the bantamweight division and more that a few girls at lightweight as well. All that caution doesn't lead to a lack of action, though. Both fighters work, both the feet and the hands, and, while the first minute or so sees mostly one-punch stuff, combinations begin getting built about mid-round and that continues for the remainder of the stanza. It's good, two-way stuff, with both blonde and brunette having their moments, and, when the bell sounds, it's close. Michalka, however, has done enough to claim the points and the 10-9 edge.
ROUND TWO:
More of the same. Two-way stuff that sees Michalka piling up points when they're at gunnery range, and Lilly offsetting that with the work she's doing at middle distances. It's all about tactics for the entire three minutes. Michalka working feet and left jab all in the service of getting the distance she wants. Lilly moving head and feet, angling, looking to pick off those long jabs and step inside the blonde's glove. And, for the second round in a row, both ladies get some of what they want, but not enough of what they want, and the result is a nip-and-tuck affair that swings back and forth, with first Michalka and then Lilly gaining the slight edge in points. By the time the bell sounds ending the round, however, the pendulum has swung right back to the center and there's absolutely nothing in it. It's a draw and Alyson maintains her one point edge 20-19.
ROUND THREE:
Michalka begins to get rolling, Blonde starts doubling up the jab, finding and stopping the brunette, holding her at range and setting her up for hard right hands that follow behind the lefts. Lilly getting thrown to the defensive, spending a lot of time covering up out on the end of Alyson's punches. And, when she's not doing that, she's getting stopped as she tries to come forward. Brunette getting almost no offense on for the first two and a half minutes of the round. She does finally manage to get inside late, and, rather than stop at middle distances, she closes and works some body. Alyson willing to play that game, thumping the older woman to flanks, belly, ribs in response. Final seconds see an awful lot of meat being tenderized, and both fighters do their share of thumping. But, none of that has an effect on the cards. Michalka's built up a huge lead to take the third wide and increase her lead on the cards to 30-28.
ROUND FOUR:
Lilly adjusts. Brunette tucks the chin, keeps the hands high, works forward in a half crouch. And, she doesn't stop until she gets into Alyson's grill. From there, more tenderizing develops. Both ladies working body until...BOOM! Right uppercut, Evangeline! And, Michalka is HURT! Alyson stumbles backward and Lilly lets the hands go, thumping the blonde back into the ropes. Siege quickly develops, with wobbly blonde taking LOADS of heavy fire from the power-punching brunette. Lilly banging away upstairs, but not neglecting the body. She's working downstairs hard, looking to bring down the guard. Blonde not having it, though, taking the body shots and keeping the hands high, working clock, looking to get out of the round. And, despite the brunette's best efforts, she does so. At the bell, it's Evangeline wide, and it's a one-point fight, with Michalka up 39-38.
ROUND FIVE:
Lilly looking to press the advantage early, but Michalka's moving well, having shaken the worst of the damage from the last round. She's getting the jab on, stopping the brunette, and touching her up on the outside. Evangeline too aggressive and she's paying for it, leaving herself open for those left hands and taking hard right follow ons as a result. As the round goes on, Michalka moves better and better and takes more and more control. Last minute and a half is a replay of the third, with Lilly being thrown repeatedly to the defensive as Michalka puts together combination after combination from gunnery range. Evangeline never able to get out of neutral, despite her best efforts, and, when the bell finally rings ending the fifth, the blonde has taken back control of the proceedings, winning the round wide and extending her lead on the cards to 49-47 at the half.
ROUND SIX:
Evangeline back to working forward in that half crouch after hearing it in the corner between rounds. Brunette getting back into the blonde's grill and working body. Michalka again firing back until, again, BOOM! This time a right hook from Evangeline and MICHALKA'S HURT AGAIN!. Alyson immediately covering up as the older woman goes all in, letting both hands go, sending the knock-kneed blonde into full retreat. Michalka's quickly rope-bound again and Lilly's working body, then going back to the head, then back to the body. Blonde again covering up, trying to run some clock., She's jabbing back here and there, but, other than that, just taking an absolutely thorough licking. Vangie looking desperately for the 'off' switch, but doesn't find it. What she DOES do is build up plenty of hurt and a ton of points, getting the shutout win to cut Michalka's lead to 58-57.
ROUND SEVEN:
Lilly forward immediately. And, this time, she's getting to Michalka's body, not being held at bay. Alyson giving some ground, trying to fire back to slow the brunette down, but the legs aren't willing and Evangeline knows it. Lilly PUNISHING, sitting down on every punch. Again, she's looking for the switch, but she's not abandoning the body work, thumping hooks to the midsection and ribs and BOOM! Right uppercut and DOWN GOES MICHALKA! Vangie catching Alyson as she was crouching to protect body, right going up as the blonde's head was coming down. Bazz beauty absolutely RAGDOLLS to the canvas. Lilly quickly to a neutral corner, but she needn't have rushed. Referee's count is a mere formality. No movement at ALL from Michalka as the numbers get higher and higher. It's OVER! And your winner by KO7 is Evangeline Lilly!
AFTER:
Lilly over to check on Michalka, and, only after she makes certain her rival is OK does she step to the mic. "Great fight," she says with a shake of the head, "And I knew it would be. This girl is just very hard to fight, with all that length, all that power, and all that skill. I managed to catch her a couple of times and turn it, but, if I hadn't, well. It wouldn't be me you'd be talking to."
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)
Battle of two of the best bantams on the planet, a pair of former champs who clearly have plenty of respect for one another. "I remember the first time I fought her," says Alyson with a shake of the head. "It was back near the beginning of my career, and she was the very best I'd fought to that point. And, now, seven and a half years later? She's still the best I've fought."
"I remember that first fight, too," says the brunette with a smile. "I remember thinking, 'I wouldn't want to get in the ring with this girl in a year or so,' because you could see how much talent she had. All she needed was experience, and she's got that now. She's been champion already, and she'll be champion again. Count on that."
ROUND ONE:
Pre-fight respect carries over into the fight itself. First round all about the recon, as the younger blonde wants to work the jab, create space, while Evangeline looks to angle forward, get to middle distances where Alyson's reach advantage will be negated. Everybody showing plenty of caution, both well aware of the power the other girl has, power that matches just about anyone in the bantamweight division and more that a few girls at lightweight as well. All that caution doesn't lead to a lack of action, though. Both fighters work, both the feet and the hands, and, while the first minute or so sees mostly one-punch stuff, combinations begin getting built about mid-round and that continues for the remainder of the stanza. It's good, two-way stuff, with both blonde and brunette having their moments, and, when the bell sounds, it's close. Michalka, however, has done enough to claim the points and the 10-9 edge.
ROUND TWO:
More of the same. Two-way stuff that sees Michalka piling up points when they're at gunnery range, and Lilly offsetting that with the work she's doing at middle distances. It's all about tactics for the entire three minutes. Michalka working feet and left jab all in the service of getting the distance she wants. Lilly moving head and feet, angling, looking to pick off those long jabs and step inside the blonde's glove. And, for the second round in a row, both ladies get some of what they want, but not enough of what they want, and the result is a nip-and-tuck affair that swings back and forth, with first Michalka and then Lilly gaining the slight edge in points. By the time the bell sounds ending the round, however, the pendulum has swung right back to the center and there's absolutely nothing in it. It's a draw and Alyson maintains her one point edge 20-19.
ROUND THREE:
Michalka begins to get rolling, Blonde starts doubling up the jab, finding and stopping the brunette, holding her at range and setting her up for hard right hands that follow behind the lefts. Lilly getting thrown to the defensive, spending a lot of time covering up out on the end of Alyson's punches. And, when she's not doing that, she's getting stopped as she tries to come forward. Brunette getting almost no offense on for the first two and a half minutes of the round. She does finally manage to get inside late, and, rather than stop at middle distances, she closes and works some body. Alyson willing to play that game, thumping the older woman to flanks, belly, ribs in response. Final seconds see an awful lot of meat being tenderized, and both fighters do their share of thumping. But, none of that has an effect on the cards. Michalka's built up a huge lead to take the third wide and increase her lead on the cards to 30-28.
ROUND FOUR:
Lilly adjusts. Brunette tucks the chin, keeps the hands high, works forward in a half crouch. And, she doesn't stop until she gets into Alyson's grill. From there, more tenderizing develops. Both ladies working body until...BOOM! Right uppercut, Evangeline! And, Michalka is HURT! Alyson stumbles backward and Lilly lets the hands go, thumping the blonde back into the ropes. Siege quickly develops, with wobbly blonde taking LOADS of heavy fire from the power-punching brunette. Lilly banging away upstairs, but not neglecting the body. She's working downstairs hard, looking to bring down the guard. Blonde not having it, though, taking the body shots and keeping the hands high, working clock, looking to get out of the round. And, despite the brunette's best efforts, she does so. At the bell, it's Evangeline wide, and it's a one-point fight, with Michalka up 39-38.
ROUND FIVE:
Lilly looking to press the advantage early, but Michalka's moving well, having shaken the worst of the damage from the last round. She's getting the jab on, stopping the brunette, and touching her up on the outside. Evangeline too aggressive and she's paying for it, leaving herself open for those left hands and taking hard right follow ons as a result. As the round goes on, Michalka moves better and better and takes more and more control. Last minute and a half is a replay of the third, with Lilly being thrown repeatedly to the defensive as Michalka puts together combination after combination from gunnery range. Evangeline never able to get out of neutral, despite her best efforts, and, when the bell finally rings ending the fifth, the blonde has taken back control of the proceedings, winning the round wide and extending her lead on the cards to 49-47 at the half.
ROUND SIX:
Evangeline back to working forward in that half crouch after hearing it in the corner between rounds. Brunette getting back into the blonde's grill and working body. Michalka again firing back until, again, BOOM! This time a right hook from Evangeline and MICHALKA'S HURT AGAIN!. Alyson immediately covering up as the older woman goes all in, letting both hands go, sending the knock-kneed blonde into full retreat. Michalka's quickly rope-bound again and Lilly's working body, then going back to the head, then back to the body. Blonde again covering up, trying to run some clock., She's jabbing back here and there, but, other than that, just taking an absolutely thorough licking. Vangie looking desperately for the 'off' switch, but doesn't find it. What she DOES do is build up plenty of hurt and a ton of points, getting the shutout win to cut Michalka's lead to 58-57.
ROUND SEVEN:
Lilly forward immediately. And, this time, she's getting to Michalka's body, not being held at bay. Alyson giving some ground, trying to fire back to slow the brunette down, but the legs aren't willing and Evangeline knows it. Lilly PUNISHING, sitting down on every punch. Again, she's looking for the switch, but she's not abandoning the body work, thumping hooks to the midsection and ribs and BOOM! Right uppercut and DOWN GOES MICHALKA! Vangie catching Alyson as she was crouching to protect body, right going up as the blonde's head was coming down. Bazz beauty absolutely RAGDOLLS to the canvas. Lilly quickly to a neutral corner, but she needn't have rushed. Referee's count is a mere formality. No movement at ALL from Michalka as the numbers get higher and higher. It's OVER! And your winner by KO7 is Evangeline Lilly!
AFTER:
Lilly over to check on Michalka, and, only after she makes certain her rival is OK does she step to the mic. "Great fight," she says with a shake of the head, "And I knew it would be. This girl is just very hard to fight, with all that length, all that power, and all that skill. I managed to catch her a couple of times and turn it, but, if I hadn't, well. It wouldn't be me you'd be talking to."