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Posted by Simguy on 5/24/2002, 7:23 am

(Thanks to FightFan for this repost)

Before: Danes and HISC taking a calculated risk - relatively raw Kim can hit a ton, but has been exposed when boxed - Ms. Danes presenting a formidable technical challenge if not physical risk to an inexperienced champion. "It makes sense to fight Kim now before she knows what she's doing," says Claire, "she's been getting by on power alone, but she's tailor made for me." Kim and her bling bling crew shouting and strutting in pre-fight - Claire not rising to the constant baiting and trash talking, appearing slightly amused throughout. Black bikini, white shoes and gloves for Claire, orange bikini, white shoes and gloves for Kim.

During R1: Danes dragging that front foot in a bucket, wheeling to her left, flicking out the pesky rangefinder as Kim turns, whiffs on monster overhand rights and wide left hooks. End of the first minute, Danes stakes all on a drilling right hand to the eye, immediately following up with a gaudy left uppercut disguising a vicious elbow tip strike over the right eye - KIM'S BUSTED WIDE OPEN! Li'l one on her heels, stunned at the sight of her own blood and Danes POUNDS AWAY! Claire with her elbows in, torquing punches in licking arcs side to side and KIM GOES DOWN! Li'l one in total disarray, badly, badly cut, rocked and stunned as she takes a panicky 8. Danes swarming in again, loose limbed as she licks away at Kim's available face - champ lolling at the ropes, gloves at her lips, just getting shellacked across her jaw. Danes practically leaving her feet to heave it in - she's punching Kim hard enough to stun the champ, but not enough to put the rapper out. At the bell, Danes lands a blatant, cheap, late right elbow, nicely splitting open the left eyebrow - Kim sent in a blubbery panic to her corner as her team tries to steady the ship.

R2: Claire told in no uncertain terms to "open her up" - gets after a still shaken Kim at the bell. All power punches from Claire - she's stepping in, rolling left and rights from underneath to get Kim backing up, then finishing off with outrageous left or right elbow smashes across the eyebrows - busting Kim up fresh. Midway through, Kim standing helpless at the ropes, taking robust licks upside her head as Danes leans into the strokes - champ wobbles to her right, just walking mindlessly away then stumbling to one knee. Danes steps up and drills Kim on the eye, shunting the champ onto her backside as the ref steps in - Krusher corner screaming in protest as Kimmie gets up trembling. Danes back on top with wide, slinging lefts and rights, stepping in and out as Kim pushes out dazed leather, opening herself up for more slashing abuse.

R3: Danes piling on, Kim blinking, shellshocked - she's backing up and not punching back. Claire pulling champ's head down with her left, BITING into that left eye with cruel right uppercuts over and over until referee intervention. Danes wading in again, PANCAKING Kim's jugs to loll the champ ropeside and CLAIRE GETS HURT! Wild swinging desperation left clangs againsts Danes' skull - Claire staggering sideways with gloves at her temples, face twisted in pain. Kim breathing deep, finally has an opening and she charges the blonde, trying to end the fight with each swinging blast. Danes gets on her bicycle, forfeiting the points to run the clock - blonde escapes without further damage as Li'l Kim succeeds in punching herself out at the bell.

R4: Danes feinting in, stepping back and DRILLING Kim a beautiful right hand counter and LI'L KIM GOES DOWN! Kim dropped to her hands and knees - she's not seeing the incoming thanks to Danes precision work on the eyes. All Claire Danes the rest of the way - she's circling, tearing open the cuts with a purposeful jab, then slinging in opportunistic clouting right hands that are catching Kim flush. Li'l Kim taking the Danes leather, but mentally broken down - blood's effecting the kid, and the constant hard punching has Kim backing up, discouraged. Clearly not the fight the champion had trained for.

R5: Easy shutout Claire Danes. Danes taking a little off the fastball, now settling into the boxing fightplan with Kim rocked, busted up and unsure of herself. Claire just needling and slapping from outside, too crafty with her supple head movement and timely pivots for a wild and rattled Kim.

R6: First minute classic Claire Danes boxing - pivoting around that lead foot, touch-and-go off Kim's face - making the kid miss and breaking her heart in the process. Midway through, Danes bends in and down with a glorious right hand square on the nose - Kimmie's head rocks back, feet square up - she's hurt, gloves at her lips and stationary as Claire starts to roll. Danes steps to the left, steps in, rolls her fists in curling arcs from underneath, then pivots away. Down the stretch, it's pathetic - Danes picking her shots, drilling straight right hands to the ruined eyes or busted up nose of the champ - backing Kim to the ropes and battering her unrecognizable. Savage hooks in the tits have Kim screaming in frustration and Danes turns into a heartless right elbow strike to the bridge of the nose, sitting Kim stunned into the ropes. Harsh follow up to the bell - Danes just lashing away, shrugging her shoulders sexily as she pours it on from the hips - Kim getting her face splattered, taking punches groggily to the bell. During the break, Li'l Kim falls apart - refusing to go on despite Grier's impassioned urging - Claire Danes takes the title as Kim gives it up on her stool!

After: Shocking upset - not that Danes won, but the WAY she did it - totally demoralizing and dismantling a reeling champion with a combination of savvy power punching/blatant fouling in the blonde's most ruthless outing ever. "I have a lot of experience with bullies," Claire says with a nod to Eliza, "and there's no secret to how you handle them: you stand up to them, you back them down, and you beat them up. We knew Kim couldn't fight backing up and we knew she had no heart - it was the plan all along to talk boxing, while preparing to take it to her. The sight of that girl, blubbering in her corner, quitting on her stool, and handing over her belt is the highlight of my career by far." When asked about the blatant elbow smashes - some of the most vicious fouling ever seen in a title contest, Danes responds, "I think if you review the tape, you'll see I was catching Kim with all glove. My punching tore her apart, nothing else." Fall out from the fight includes the first real criticism of Pam Grier since she took over from ousted Janet Jones - Kim obviously unprepared for Danes' surprise gambling attack, unprepared for being cut, and pundits seriously re-assessing the kid's character in light of the punk finish.



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