Three piggies abandoning base in direct confrontation (3-2-3)

'direct confrontation' is the definition.
'toe-to-toe' can be an answer for 'confrontation'. I'm not certain of the 'direct' bit.

'three piggies abandoning base in' is the wordplay.
'three piggies' can mean three substitutions for 'piggy'.
'piggy' becomes 'toe' (I've seen this before).
'piggy' becomes 'toe' (I've seen this before).
'piggy' becomes 'toe' (I've seen this before).
'abandoning base' means to remove the last letter (I've seen 'abandons base' mean this (in a down clue, base can mean the bottom letter)).
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'toe' with its last letter taken off is 'to'.
'toe' placed around 'to' is 'totoe'.
'toe'+'totoe'='TOE-TO-TOE'

Can you help me to learn more?