Kristin Kreuk versus Vanessa Hudgens

"It's clear," says Vanessa, eyes smoldering, "Why I've been SENTENCED to fight this second-stringer, a girl I've stopped TWICE in a total of TEN rounds, a girl not in my LEAGUE. This is all about Mishy abusing her power as champion. But. Her reign is going to end, and, when it does, I'll get my chance at her. Meanwhile. Kreuk will take the punishment Mishy should be taking."

"The thing Vanessa doesn't understand," says a hard-eyed Kristin, "Is that being second string at HISC is like being the ALPHA anywhere else. But. She will be MADE to understand. And to suffer."

ROUND ONE:

If you've seen these two fight before, you know the routine. Jab, circle, pounce. Thing is, there are few girls in the FCBA any better than Vanessa Hudgens at fighting on these terms. And that shows up in the first round. 'Nessa using all those slicks and all those quicks to pile up points and frustrate Krissy's attempts at rejoinders. Hudgens clearly enjoying herself as she gains the advantage on her foe. She actually begins doing some clowning in the third minute, dancing around, faking bolo punches, sticking out her chin before dancing away. Crowd loving it. Kreuk? Not so much. Canadian not being baited, though. She's not going to get sloppy in an attempt to make 'Nessa pay. Instead, she stays sound, but clearly comes out on the short end. At the bell? Hudgens wide and with the 10-9 lead.

ROUND TWO:

Kreuk making subtle adjustments now. She's timing 'Nessa better, countering those pounces with hard rejoinders and finding space and time for her own offensive forays. Result is, we get more of a two-way round between the lovely brunettes, with first Hudgens and then Kreuk going to the offensive. Both are effective in spots and both are able to frustrate the other at various times. It's nip and tuck all the way, with neither American nor Canadian able to create any space or grab any kind of advantage. Final minute sees the pair up the pressure trying to grab the points, and there are some scintillating exchanges as a result. But. Despite all the work, nobody can pull ahead. At the bell, there's absolutely nothing in it. It's an even round, which leaves Vanessa up on the cards by the slimmest of margins, 20-19.

ROUND THREE:

More two-way action, and another closely fought stanza. No surprise, that, because, again, the ladies use very similar styles against one another, and, just as importantly, they've fought twice before. That means no one's exactly shocking anyone with what she's doing in there. Both Canadian and American know what to expect, and how to counter it. So, it's all going to come down to who executes better, and, for much of the third, like the second, the answer is "no one". It's all but dead even well into the final minute when Krissy gets Vanessa's attention with a right hand. Hudgens isn't hurt exactly, but she goes to the defensive and Kreuk takes advantage, pouring fire onto the younger woman for the rest of the round. Those flurries play, because at the bell, Kreuk has won it narrowly and evened things at 29.

ROUND FOUR:

More good, two-way action, and, for boxing aficionados, this is great stuff. Both brunettes clearly very skilled in the sweet science, and they're using those skills extremely well. 'Nessa's a little quicker, and that quickness plays at times, but Kristin offsets it at others with timing, distance, geometry. Kreuk able to wrong-foot Hudgens here and there, create angles that are right for her but all wrong for the American. At other times, it's Hudgens who has it all going and going very well. Jabs create conditions for the pounce, and, when that happens, those quick hands are let go to land hard, accurate punches to the Canadian's face. For the third round in a row, there's almost nothing in it, and, this time, there's no late rally. But, when the bell rings, it's Vanessa who's done enough to take the points and go back on the lead 39-38.

ROUND FIVE:

Turning into quite the tactical bout, as, again, the brunettes work the feet and the jab and the pounce. Round looks a lot like the fourth, with the work rate remaining high throughout and both fighters having their moments. Both take control briefly, but neither is able to establish any dominance for any length of time. Instead, the initiative trades back and forth, with first Vanessa and then Kristin gaining the advantage. As a result, scoring is tight the entire way, and both American and Canadian clearly know it. Both make efforts to grab the points late, but, these are two veterans who've been in this position before. They're expecting attempts at late flurries, and they parry them nicely. When the bell finally rings, it's, once again, extremely close, and, once again 'Nessa takes the points via a razor-thin margin to extend her lead to 49-47.

ROUND SIX:

Second half starts like the first ended. Ladies boxing skillfully, circling, jabbing, then bouncing forward for quick flurries. BOOM! Right hand, Kristin! Kreuk times a beautiful straight right and Vanessa is HURT! Hudgens stumbles backward, nearly goes down, and Kreuk now all in, letting the hands go, hammering away at her hated rival. Vanessa giving ground, covering up, taking a shellacking. With a minute-plus to go in the round, the American is pinned to the cables and Kristin calls in artillery from every battery within range. Hudgens soaking it up as the referee looks in closely. 'Nessa looking ready to go in the final twenty seconds, but she hangs on in the ropes, rolling with punches running clock, until, finally, the bell sounds ending the carnage. But, it's Kreuk wide, and Kristin has cut the lead back to one, 58-57.

ROUND SEVEN:

Kreuk all OVER Hudgens early. Vanessa's legs are wobbly and that means she's a stationary target. Bad news for the American. Kristin simply finds the range and begins firing the guns, punishing Hudgens to both head and body. Vanessa fires back in spots, but she's mostly forced to the defensive, spending her time backing and covering as the Canadian gets off lusty with both hands. Kreuk sitting down on everything, upping the work rate even more as the round goes on. She's determined to finish her rival off, and, again, 'Nessa's looking ready to go late. Referee watching as Krissy pins the American to the cables once again and punishes her viciously. But. For the second-straight round, Hudgens holds on to the bell. It's Kreuk wide again, though, and we're back even at 68.

ROUND EIGHT:

Kreuk back at 'Nessa. Hudgens again in retreat, staying on the defensive, keeping the hands high. Krissy committing on her punches, pressing her advantage, punishing the American with hard, accurate shot...BOOM! Right hand, 'Nessa! And Kreuk is HURT! Kristin's legs do a shimmy and Vanessa immediately over to the offensive. Hudgens throwing BOMBS now, battering the Canadian back into the ropes and DROPPING HER WITH A RIGHT HOOK! Kristin goes down on her right side parallel to the ropes as 'Nessa dances to a neutral corner. Referee begins counting over the stricken Kristin. Kreuk reaching up, beginning to pull herself up on the ropes. Makes it to her knees, right arm draped over the second rope, but she gets no further before the count passes her by. It's OVER! And your winner by KO8 is Vanessa Hudgens!

AFTER:

No doubt 'Nessa's been in a fight. She's scuffed and puffy, but unrepentant. "I TOLD you all that she's not in my LEAGUE, and I just proved it. AGAIN. And if we fight three more times, I'll leave her slobbering on the mat THREE MORE TIMES. And, if that's what it takes to get another shot at Mishy, then SIGN ME UP!"