Claire Danes vs. Chloe Bennet

BEFORE:

Pair of former champions and current top five bantams squaring off for the first time, and, is Hall of Famer Claire actually saying something half complimentary of her opponent? "She can fight, no question about that," says Danes with a nod. "Now, she's not at MY level. Then again, who IS?"

"Well," says Chloe with the hint of a smile. "I'm NOT a Hall of Famer like Claire. And, I never will be. But. I CAN beat Hall of Famers. As Claire is about to find out."

ROUND ONE:

Ladies get their box on early. Not a ton of aggression early, as both fighters clearly want to get the lay of the land. Recon efforts involve plenty of movement of head, hands, and especially feet, as fighters probe defenses, look for openings, try to determine if what looked like being there in all the video sessions is actually there. Nobody committing on much of anything in this stanza. It's more about gaining knowledge than building up points. Things do pick up in the final minute of the round, as Claire begins to put punches together, landing some solid combinations. Bennet fires back in kind, but not as effectively. Hall of Famer's found the geometry she wants, and she puts it to use, out-boxing her rival for the final sixty seconds. Yeah. There's a shock. Claire Danes is out-boxing somebody. That's only been going on for two solid decades now. At the bell, Claire's claimed the points and the 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

More of the same. Two-way boxing in the second, with Claire, again, getting the better of things early. Funny thing happens on the way to a second-consecutive victorious round for the Hall of Famer. Bennet begins to get things rolling. Chloe's finding openings now, getting the geometry right, and using her advantage, albeit a small one, in quickness to great effect. She's getting combinations on target and beating Claire to punches in spots. Danes is still scoring, mind, still putting punches of her own together, but, now it's Chloe who's getting more done. Result is the brunette overcoming Claires early advantage and beginning to pull ahead in the latter stages of the round. Final twenty seconds sees Bennet clinch things with a pair of nice combinations that throw Danes to the back foot. At the bell, it's close, but it's Chloe, and we're even at 19 after two.

ROUND THREE:

Chloe continuing to establish control. She's far from dominating Danes, but, as the fighters continue to box at range, she's getting more done than the Hall of Famer is. Physicality has always been Bennet's hallmark, but she's proven her boxing bona fides before, and she's giving an even more impressive demonstration of same now. BOOM! Right hand, Claire! Out of nowhere, Danes turns the fight with a perfect straight right. Bennet wobbled. Claire going all in and DOWN GOES CHLOE! Bennet dropped to all fours by a vicious blizzard of punches from Danes! Claire quickly to a neutral corner. Referee's count reaches eight before Chloe gets to her feet and takes the mandatory. And. On. Comes. Danes. Claire THUMPING Bennet to head and body, driving her back into the ropes and giving her an absolute thrashing. Referee watching closely as Chloe takes punishment on the cables. And, she's taking a TON of it. To the point where Claire actually looks back over her shoulder at one point as if to ask the ref what he's waiting on. But, he continues to wait, and the bell rings with Bennet still on her feet. She's looking ready to go, though, and she's also down 29-27 after a huge 10-8 round from Claire.

ROUND FOUR:

If the third was bad for Chloe, and it was, the fourth is, perhaps, worse. Bennet's hurt and wobbly, which puts her at the mercy of Claire Danes. The. Mercy. Of. Claire. Danes. Yeah. Hall of Famer gets off big early, pounding Bennet with flurry after flurry to the head. She's got the younger woman all squared up and she's picking her apart. Chloe giving ground, keeping the hands high, trying to run clock. Soon enough, she's on the ropes again, and Claire's letting her have it with both hands. Danes both clinical and effective, piling up both points and hurt while looking for the finisher. Again, the referee is looking in closely, ready to leap in to stop things, but, again, Bennet's doing just enough to keep him at bay. When the bell, finally, mercifully rings, Chloe's again still standing, but Claire's claimed the round about as wide as you can claim one and now leads 39-36.

ROUND FIVE:

Danes pressing forward again to start the fifth, and, again, Bennet forced to give ground. Chloe showing a bit more of a fighting retreat this stanza, but, it's a retreat nonetheless, as Danes is still squaring up and landing hard shot. Slowly, though, Chloe begins firming up and firing back, and, about a minute in we've got a FIREFIGHT in the middle of the ring as both bantams let the hands go. Danes determined to remain in control, but Bennet not having any, stopping Claire's offensive cold and even beginning to back the Hall of Famer up a bit. Danes hearing shout of "box" from her corner, but ignoring them. She's not afraid to get physical with the younger woman, and, while Chloe's getting somewhat the better of things, no question Claire's at least holding her own. Problem is, Bennet's again made up the early deficit, and, in the late stages of the round, as the fighters continue to bang away, she pulls ahead, meaning that, when the bell rings, it's the younger woman who's claimed the points and cut Danes' lead to 48-46 at the half.

ROUND SIX:

Bennet determined to bring the physical in the sixth, stepping to Claire. Danes, though, not going to keep playing her rival's game. Instead, she wants to get back to boxing, and she works to enforce range with her accurate jab. Bennet angling, bobbing, looking to work past and close, and banging body when she's able to do so. Claire keeping those exchanges brief, tying up quickly and forcing breaks. But, Bennet keeps working in. BOOM! About a minute in, Chloe steps to, Claire ties up and Bennet lands a short right hook and Claire is HURT! Danes wobbled at mid ring and it's HALL OF FAMER DOWN! Chloe drops Claire with a straight right hand! Danes crashes to her back and Bennet's quickly to a neutral corner. Referee counting as Danes stares up at him, eventually rolling to her belly and pushing to hands and knees before COLLAPSING BACK TO THE CANVAS! It's OVER! Claire can't beat the count and it's OVER! And your winner by KO6 is Chloe Bennet!

AFTER:

Bennet looking more than a little puffy in the post-fight, but she's all smiles. "No question why she's in the Hall of Fame," says the brunette with a shake of the head. "I've been in there with a lot of good fighters, but, she's probably the best. Nothing she doesn't do very well. Nothing at all. I knew if I kept working and kept coming at her I could get her, but, man. I'm glad she didn't get up. Because, six rounds with HER is enough."