UNIFIED WELTERWEIGHT TITLE BOUT


Posted by simguy on 3/27/2004, 9:00 am

(Thanks to FightFan for this repost)

Before: Kidman and Hurley not exactly friends, but they're presenting a united front on the Tech side of the dais, joining forces to bring Farrel down. "We've set our personal animosity aside," says Elizabeth in prefight, "and the result will be devastating for Terry. Between Nicole and I, there is a wealth of Farrel-beating expertise which cannot, and shall not be denied." Terry showing amusement at the anti-Terry alliance. "Maybe I'll knock Liz out now that Nicole's sparring with her for this fight? Seriously - Liz is going to do what Liz does - she's going to be patient, counter into the gaps and minimize her own mistakes. I'm not so sure she can outbox me, I mean, I guess we'll see - but I really think I can out maneuver Hurley in the middle of the ring. This is going to be a tactical test for sure - I'm looking forward to it." Terry in ponytail, royal blue, high neck two piece, Liz in Union Jack motif bikini.

During R1: Feint-and-step, both girls wary, cautious midring. Terry's left jab slaps against Hurley's right. Both trying to negotiate the extreme range of their punch, nibbling instead of really sticking each other. Not a lot of leg, just methodical circling as girls take turns cutting each other off - Terry trying to step left, Liz trying to step to her right.

R2: Liz spotting a rigid stick, working it up and down the Farrell torso, brushing at Terry's mouth - she's got the champ on her heels, laying back. Hurley able to get slinging lefts straight down into the body, then in the final minute - a clanging straight left on the teeth. Farrell rolls with the punch to take the KO sting off it, but it still sends her reeling to the ropes - Liz scoring the fight's first significant blow 6 minutes in.

R3: Terry got poked, opens up a little to get the points back: it's a mistake. Liz getting her favoured ground - right shoulder pointed at Terry, sliding back from Farrel aggression, slipping low, coming back with sliding lefts into creamy breadbasket, slicing right hooks ribs and chin, pivoting off to the right side. Midway through, Terry missing hard-swinging lefts and rights - Liz staying in range, dipping and rolling with her torso - she comes right back at Farrell with a rangy left thick on the paunch, sudden right hook on the eye and TERRY SPILLS TO CANVAS! Farrel on all fours - she's up quick, maybe too quick, anxious to get even. Terry fighting on warrior's instinct, but it's the wrong move against Hurley - Liz able to hang back, slip, slide, roll to the side and place her counters - she's getting greasy lefts and rights clean to Terry's chin, straining tummy. End of second minute - Liz bends in with a sneaky lead right hook, catching Terry high on the temple - Farrel tip-toeing with hurt, never sees the sudden whip-left straight between her mitts - FARRELL SCOOTS TO HER BUTT! Terry up glassy eyed, blood from her nostril as she takes a woozy 8 and ON COMES HURLEY! Liz all supple limbs and confident strut - left hand cocked at her hip, right hand low - she steps close, fades back to draw the miss, cuts her way into Farrell with lanky, lashing right hooks and tidy straight left hands out of the screen. Liz swaying in and out on wide-spread feet, tugging chin with hooks, tearing up belly and ribs with both hands - it's a masterpiece, leaving Farrell ragged at the bell.

R4: Tasty boxing shutout Liz Hurley. Elizabeth circling right with impunity, sampling a busted-up Farrell's face with constant banging jabs, moving the stick down between the breasts, reaching it to belly. Farrell coming forward, but tentative - she's not releasing her hands as freely, so she's not getting tagged as clean, but she's also not pressuring Liz effectively, not doing anything to get Hurley off her game. Oily bell to bell, Liz - she tarts a frustrated champion up this round. Kidman clapping, smiling in the Hurley corner, gives Liz a high five at the break.

R5,6,7: Fight settles into chessmatch, sign says "for purists only" as less sophisticated members of the audience start to get restless. Hurley had looked like a marauder in dropping Terry in the first half, but Brit backs off, content to circle, feint, fade in and out, work her jab. Farrel keeping her distance, stepping back and using her left hand to brush Hurley's seeking right jab to the side. Farrel ekes out non-descript points in the sixth and seventh, whittling away at the challenger's lead, but doing no real damage. Drunks at ringside start to holler for action - neither woman obliging through 7.

R8: Terry takes this thing inside - head to head, shoulder to shoulder as girls shorten up their strokes, licking and swatting to the body with tidy, snapping deliveries. Midway through, stalemate is broken up as Liz shoves a ####ty right hook in under Terry's elbow, slides her left foot back to create a little room and pulls a tawdry right hook tight and tasty across Terry's mouth. Farrell with a little head swivel, thigh shimmy - she's shook, but covers up well, stays in close. Hurley using her right shoulder to bump and slide off her opponent - slicing and swatting effectively to the body to pocket another round. Steamy look Hurley to Farrell at the bell: Nicole on the apron, thrusting her right fist in the air, squealing encouragement.

R9: Shutout Liz - Hurley's class starting to wear Farrell down - champion with a tired, discouraged expression, trying to come forward, but that tummy's all torn up, her chin's worn out and those legs look a little heavy at this point. Liz all supple, sliding footwork - seemingly right there, but drifting off to the side, slapping her hook to Terry's jaw or strapping it in thick to the waist. Hurley shoving straight lefts to Terry's stomach, or slipping the right hand and drilling it to teeth - Farrel taking a great shot late in the fight, but simply unable to get anything on her wily foe. Hurley jubilant at the bell, celebrating early - hugging Kidman in the corner like a couple of female volleyball players after a spike.

R10: Terry takes a round, but Liz is in full prevent mode, happy to give away the points. Hurley rotating counterclockwise, batting and brushing Terry's punches out of the air, retreating in front of the American, drawing her on. Farrell advancing, but can't bring herself to press the pace - those early knockdowns very significant in this fight, teaching Terry to respect Liz's sudden striking power. So it goes: Liz running the clock, Terry making the fight, but unwilling to engage and risk being hurt again. Final seconds, Liz all smiles, jogging around the ring with her arms like an airplane, soccer style celebration as a frustrated Terry turns, glares. Farrel takes the 10th, but Liz takes the title - UD10 Hurley.

After: Farrell treated to a gaudy Kidman/Hurley celebration midring - lot of Tech back slapping and hugging going on - Terry moist-eyed as she can't look away. Hurley strips the belts, doesn't hold back during in-ring postfight. "There," Hurley spits, brandishing one gold-festooned shoulder, "Got the swag, Farrel exposed - job well done. I'd like to dedicate this victory to my friends at Tractorpull - without their endless carping about my age and overated skills, I never would have been motivated to take Terry apart the way I did." Farrell classy in defeat, bitterly disappointed, but offering a few words. "You just can't let Hurley build an early lead, I mean, that's really all there was to it. I truly believe I can out-slick her woman to woman for ten rounds, but she hurt me, in the second I think, and that made me press, and we all saw what happened from there. She's good - not half as good as she thinks she is, but she's good, I take nothing away from her. She got me fighting her fight and nobody beats Liz Hurley doing that."



simguy



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