Post by Lookout! Boxing on Jun 26, 2021 4:10:54 GMT -6
Chloe Bennet vs. Naomi Scott (Unified Bantamweight Championship)
BEFORE:
Absolutely zero hype needed for this one. It's very simply a match of two of the very top bantamweights in the world, and both fighters clearly know it. "She's elite," says Chloe with a nod and a smile. "And, she got there in near-record time. Reminds me of someone ELSE who's going to be in the ring tonight. I'm going to have to bring the 'A' game, obviously. The good news is, I'll bring it, like I always do."
"She's a measuring stick, no doubt," says Naomi. "She's JUST about as good as it gets in this division. Just about. Because, there's one girl who's better. And, she's wearing the belts."
ROUND ONE:
Plenty of recon in the opening stanza. Both of these brunettes can do this a lot of ways. And, in the first, they decide to do it at range, get their box on. Naomi's plenty effective on these terms, but, she quickly finds out that Chloe is JUST as effective. Result is video you can show to young fighters to demonstrate how to, you know, box, both offensively and defensively. There's absolutely no WASTED effort here, but plenty of effort. Both brunettes moving heads, hands, feet, angling, working the left hand, trying to square, all while working to stay off square and present geometrical problems to their respective opponents. It's stuff purists love, but, a nightmare for judges trying to find a little space between the two fighters. When the bell rings, they can't do it. The round is even and the cards read: 10-10.
ROUND TWO:
More of the same, good, two-way boxing, with neither fighter getting the least bit sloppy or overly aggressive. Both are playing this smart, as they usually do, and it's leading to some excellent stuff from both brunettes. If you want to know why these ladies are at the very top of the bantamweight division in the FCBA, well, you don't need to do any more than watch what happens within these three minutes. There's nothing to pick apart. No flaws to exploit. Nothing to improve on. Everybody's in mid-season form, hitting on all cylinders, and looking every bit like the champions they are. Once again, the purists are loving it, and, once again, the judges have, other than the two fighters, the most difficult job in the house. When the bell rings, they can find a little space this time. It's Chloe's round, narrowly, and the challenger goes up 20-19.
ROUND THREE:
Back to boxing, but now Bennet is starting to really get rolling. She's putting together hard flurries that back the champion up, force her to cover up. And, once Scott gets on the back foot, the challenger KEEPS her there with solid but constant aggression. Soon, Chloe's walking Naomi down. Scott's trying to hold canvas, hearing it from the corner telling her to stop backing up, but she can't get it done. Instead, Bennet keeps grabbing canvas and Naomi keeps reluctantly ceding it to the challenger. Scott's never backed to the ropes, mind. She avoids that. But, what she doesn't avoid is a WHOLE lot of hard, accurate leather that piles up points and punishment. When the bell rings, for the first time, there's no doubt about it. It's Bennet and wide and Chloe leads 30-28.
ROUND FOUR:
Scott DETERMINED to hold canvas as we start the fourth and the result is a FIREFIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING! Ladies just going AT it and Bennet backs up the champ with a hard right hand, steps forward and GETS ROCKED WITH A RIGHT HOOK! That quickly, Chloe's hurt and DROPPED BY A STRAIGHT RIGHT HAND! All of a sudden, the challenger is sitting on the canvas staring up at the ref as the champion heads to a neutral corner. Chloe's up at six and the ref gives her the mandatory, but ON COMES NAOMI. Scott winging away with both hands trying to finish this thing. She backs Chloe to the ropes and bangs away to both head and body. Bennet keeping the guard high, countering in spots, working clock. And, she makes it to the bell. But. the damage is done. Scott takes the round 10-8 and we're all even at 38.
ROUND FIVE:
Scott in total control. She jumps on the still-wobbly challenger early and gets her on the back foot, then spends the rest of the round keeping her there. Bennet being forced to give ground over and over again because she's playing this smart. She's going to go ahead and play for time, let the legs come back, try to limit the damage as much as possible in the mean time. And, mostly, she's able to do that. Oh, Scott's scoring plenty, putting together punches well, landing some solid shot, but she's being denied the big shot over and over again, as Bennet keeps the guard high and the head and hands moving. It's good stuff from the challenger, but, despite all of those efforts, Chloe can't prevent her rival from tossing a shutout and pulling into the lead 48-47 at the half.
ROUND SIX:
Scott continuing to press the issue. She's moving forward consistently. Bennet giving ground again, but engaged in more of a fighting retreat this time. She's getting some good, solid counters on target. But, it's still the champion who's in control, calling the tune, getting the work done. Naomi's in a great rhythm, has everything working, and she's working OVER the challenger, punishing her with excellent combinations, scoring with both hands consistently, overwhelming the good work Bennet is able to do in counter. Final minute sees a change. Chloe stabilizes the front, begins banging back, forcing Scott to either get into a firefight or dial the aggression back. The champion chooses to do the latter, and we're back to ranged boxing for the last 45 seconds or so. But. No matter. When the bell rings, Scott has it wide and has extended her lead to 58-56.
ROUND SEVEN:
Ranged boxing now and Bennet giving as good as she gets for the firsts time since the knockdown. It's excellent, two-way stuff, but with a little more of an edge this time. Naomi's got the lead and knows it. Naomi's got the lead and CHLOE knows it. So, both brunettes are committing more, Scott trying to add to her advantage while choking off the famed Bennet comeback, while Chloe's looking for, well. The famed Bennet comeback. Result is a LOT of sharp shot being exchanged, with heads snapping back, sweat flying, but nobody hurt and nobody able to take control of the proceedings. As the final seconds tick away, it's clear this is going to be another difficult one for the judges, and, when the bell rings, it's TOO difficult. Nothing in it at all. Draw. And Scott leads by two, 68-66, with three to go.
ROUND EIGHT:
Cue classic Bennet comeback. Chloe ups the ante early, backing up the champion with a series of hard flurries. Naomi trying to manage, but Bennet turns it up to eleven, hammering away with both hands, sending a surprised Scott into full retreat. Challenger stepping to in a big way, going body, getting VERY physical. Scott tying up in spots, but Chloe shoving off, going right back to work. Naomi trying to reestablish distance, but can't get it done. Bennet committing on absolutely everything and then...BOOM! DOWN GOES SCOTT! Right hook from Chloe and the champ is dropped to her back! Bennet quickly to a neutral corner. Naomi staring up at the ref, the count not seeming to register. Finally, it does. And, she manages to get to her feet at nine. The ref gives the champ the mandatory and ON COMES BENNET. Not a LOT of time left in the round, but Chloe takes full advantage, pounding her rival back to the robes and battering her to the bell. When it rings, it's 10-8, Bennet. And, we're even at 76.
ROUND NINE:
Bennet hammering away at the champion. She's pouring on the fire, driving all before her, forcing Naomi back to the ropes in the opening seconds and giving her a thorough working over. Scott tying up when she can, manages to slip off the cables a couple of times, but she can't stay in open ocean for long, because the blizzard of leather coming from the challenger keeps driving her backward until, well, there's nowhere else to go. Scott's weathering the storm fairly well. She's taking a LOAD of punishment, and Bennet's piling up points, and, while Chloe's not being denied MUCH, one thing she IS denied is the finish. Naomi hangs on desperately right to the bell. And, when it rings, the challenger has pitched a shutout and gone into the lead 86-85 with just one frame remaining.
ROUND TEN:
Bennet pressing the issue. She's determined to clinch this thing, either by stopping the champion or by making this a no-doubt round. Scott trying to hold canvas, banging back. Ladies are both tiring now, but they keep banging away, ending up in the phone booth digging body as well as working upstairs. Then, Scott slips a left hook and hits Bennet on the side of the head with a clubbing right. And, CHLOE DROPS TO A KNEE! Bennet bounces right back up, unhurt, but the referee, rightly, rules it a knockdown, since it was definitely as the result of a punch...and everyone knows it. There's not even any protest from the Front Street corner. Ladies bang away for the rest of the round, with Scott refusing to take a backward step and Chloe trying to offset the knockdown, but, when the bell rings, both brunettes are standing. And, both show plenty of respect with a closing hug. When we go to the cards, that knockdown has made all the difference. It comes back 95-94 for the winner and STILL Unified Bantamweight Champion, Naomi Scott!
AFTER:
Scott plenty scuffed, but also plenty pleased. "She's the measuring stick in this division," Naomi says. "My management told me that. If you're going to be the best, you HAVE to beat Bennet. Well, it was a bloody NEAR thing, but I managed to do it, because I AM the best bantam on the planet!"
BEFORE:
Absolutely zero hype needed for this one. It's very simply a match of two of the very top bantamweights in the world, and both fighters clearly know it. "She's elite," says Chloe with a nod and a smile. "And, she got there in near-record time. Reminds me of someone ELSE who's going to be in the ring tonight. I'm going to have to bring the 'A' game, obviously. The good news is, I'll bring it, like I always do."
"She's a measuring stick, no doubt," says Naomi. "She's JUST about as good as it gets in this division. Just about. Because, there's one girl who's better. And, she's wearing the belts."
ROUND ONE:
Plenty of recon in the opening stanza. Both of these brunettes can do this a lot of ways. And, in the first, they decide to do it at range, get their box on. Naomi's plenty effective on these terms, but, she quickly finds out that Chloe is JUST as effective. Result is video you can show to young fighters to demonstrate how to, you know, box, both offensively and defensively. There's absolutely no WASTED effort here, but plenty of effort. Both brunettes moving heads, hands, feet, angling, working the left hand, trying to square, all while working to stay off square and present geometrical problems to their respective opponents. It's stuff purists love, but, a nightmare for judges trying to find a little space between the two fighters. When the bell rings, they can't do it. The round is even and the cards read: 10-10.
ROUND TWO:
More of the same, good, two-way boxing, with neither fighter getting the least bit sloppy or overly aggressive. Both are playing this smart, as they usually do, and it's leading to some excellent stuff from both brunettes. If you want to know why these ladies are at the very top of the bantamweight division in the FCBA, well, you don't need to do any more than watch what happens within these three minutes. There's nothing to pick apart. No flaws to exploit. Nothing to improve on. Everybody's in mid-season form, hitting on all cylinders, and looking every bit like the champions they are. Once again, the purists are loving it, and, once again, the judges have, other than the two fighters, the most difficult job in the house. When the bell rings, they can find a little space this time. It's Chloe's round, narrowly, and the challenger goes up 20-19.
ROUND THREE:
Back to boxing, but now Bennet is starting to really get rolling. She's putting together hard flurries that back the champion up, force her to cover up. And, once Scott gets on the back foot, the challenger KEEPS her there with solid but constant aggression. Soon, Chloe's walking Naomi down. Scott's trying to hold canvas, hearing it from the corner telling her to stop backing up, but she can't get it done. Instead, Bennet keeps grabbing canvas and Naomi keeps reluctantly ceding it to the challenger. Scott's never backed to the ropes, mind. She avoids that. But, what she doesn't avoid is a WHOLE lot of hard, accurate leather that piles up points and punishment. When the bell rings, for the first time, there's no doubt about it. It's Bennet and wide and Chloe leads 30-28.
ROUND FOUR:
Scott DETERMINED to hold canvas as we start the fourth and the result is a FIREFIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING! Ladies just going AT it and Bennet backs up the champ with a hard right hand, steps forward and GETS ROCKED WITH A RIGHT HOOK! That quickly, Chloe's hurt and DROPPED BY A STRAIGHT RIGHT HAND! All of a sudden, the challenger is sitting on the canvas staring up at the ref as the champion heads to a neutral corner. Chloe's up at six and the ref gives her the mandatory, but ON COMES NAOMI. Scott winging away with both hands trying to finish this thing. She backs Chloe to the ropes and bangs away to both head and body. Bennet keeping the guard high, countering in spots, working clock. And, she makes it to the bell. But. the damage is done. Scott takes the round 10-8 and we're all even at 38.
ROUND FIVE:
Scott in total control. She jumps on the still-wobbly challenger early and gets her on the back foot, then spends the rest of the round keeping her there. Bennet being forced to give ground over and over again because she's playing this smart. She's going to go ahead and play for time, let the legs come back, try to limit the damage as much as possible in the mean time. And, mostly, she's able to do that. Oh, Scott's scoring plenty, putting together punches well, landing some solid shot, but she's being denied the big shot over and over again, as Bennet keeps the guard high and the head and hands moving. It's good stuff from the challenger, but, despite all of those efforts, Chloe can't prevent her rival from tossing a shutout and pulling into the lead 48-47 at the half.
ROUND SIX:
Scott continuing to press the issue. She's moving forward consistently. Bennet giving ground again, but engaged in more of a fighting retreat this time. She's getting some good, solid counters on target. But, it's still the champion who's in control, calling the tune, getting the work done. Naomi's in a great rhythm, has everything working, and she's working OVER the challenger, punishing her with excellent combinations, scoring with both hands consistently, overwhelming the good work Bennet is able to do in counter. Final minute sees a change. Chloe stabilizes the front, begins banging back, forcing Scott to either get into a firefight or dial the aggression back. The champion chooses to do the latter, and we're back to ranged boxing for the last 45 seconds or so. But. No matter. When the bell rings, Scott has it wide and has extended her lead to 58-56.
ROUND SEVEN:
Ranged boxing now and Bennet giving as good as she gets for the firsts time since the knockdown. It's excellent, two-way stuff, but with a little more of an edge this time. Naomi's got the lead and knows it. Naomi's got the lead and CHLOE knows it. So, both brunettes are committing more, Scott trying to add to her advantage while choking off the famed Bennet comeback, while Chloe's looking for, well. The famed Bennet comeback. Result is a LOT of sharp shot being exchanged, with heads snapping back, sweat flying, but nobody hurt and nobody able to take control of the proceedings. As the final seconds tick away, it's clear this is going to be another difficult one for the judges, and, when the bell rings, it's TOO difficult. Nothing in it at all. Draw. And Scott leads by two, 68-66, with three to go.
ROUND EIGHT:
Cue classic Bennet comeback. Chloe ups the ante early, backing up the champion with a series of hard flurries. Naomi trying to manage, but Bennet turns it up to eleven, hammering away with both hands, sending a surprised Scott into full retreat. Challenger stepping to in a big way, going body, getting VERY physical. Scott tying up in spots, but Chloe shoving off, going right back to work. Naomi trying to reestablish distance, but can't get it done. Bennet committing on absolutely everything and then...BOOM! DOWN GOES SCOTT! Right hook from Chloe and the champ is dropped to her back! Bennet quickly to a neutral corner. Naomi staring up at the ref, the count not seeming to register. Finally, it does. And, she manages to get to her feet at nine. The ref gives the champ the mandatory and ON COMES BENNET. Not a LOT of time left in the round, but Chloe takes full advantage, pounding her rival back to the robes and battering her to the bell. When it rings, it's 10-8, Bennet. And, we're even at 76.
ROUND NINE:
Bennet hammering away at the champion. She's pouring on the fire, driving all before her, forcing Naomi back to the ropes in the opening seconds and giving her a thorough working over. Scott tying up when she can, manages to slip off the cables a couple of times, but she can't stay in open ocean for long, because the blizzard of leather coming from the challenger keeps driving her backward until, well, there's nowhere else to go. Scott's weathering the storm fairly well. She's taking a LOAD of punishment, and Bennet's piling up points, and, while Chloe's not being denied MUCH, one thing she IS denied is the finish. Naomi hangs on desperately right to the bell. And, when it rings, the challenger has pitched a shutout and gone into the lead 86-85 with just one frame remaining.
ROUND TEN:
Bennet pressing the issue. She's determined to clinch this thing, either by stopping the champion or by making this a no-doubt round. Scott trying to hold canvas, banging back. Ladies are both tiring now, but they keep banging away, ending up in the phone booth digging body as well as working upstairs. Then, Scott slips a left hook and hits Bennet on the side of the head with a clubbing right. And, CHLOE DROPS TO A KNEE! Bennet bounces right back up, unhurt, but the referee, rightly, rules it a knockdown, since it was definitely as the result of a punch...and everyone knows it. There's not even any protest from the Front Street corner. Ladies bang away for the rest of the round, with Scott refusing to take a backward step and Chloe trying to offset the knockdown, but, when the bell rings, both brunettes are standing. And, both show plenty of respect with a closing hug. When we go to the cards, that knockdown has made all the difference. It comes back 95-94 for the winner and STILL Unified Bantamweight Champion, Naomi Scott!
AFTER:
Scott plenty scuffed, but also plenty pleased. "She's the measuring stick in this division," Naomi says. "My management told me that. If you're going to be the best, you HAVE to beat Bennet. Well, it was a bloody NEAR thing, but I managed to do it, because I AM the best bantam on the planet!"
