Posted by simguy on 11/2/2002, 9:09 am

(Thanks to FightFan for this repost)

Before: Danes emboldened by 2 things: her own terrific body punching of late and the devastating effect on Liu that Salma Hayek's body punches had. "Salma really opened my eyes in that fight," confides Claire. "I saw a shabby, confused Lucy Liu all used up by Hayek and I got the blueprint we needed. I tear it up to the gut as well as any flyweight and I know Lucy can't take it. I never thought I'd be saying this about a Lucy Liu fight, but I think it'll be a showcase for me." Liu blushing at the complete lack of respect spewing from one of her former subjects. "I get dropped and everyone gets brave," says Lucy. "Claire Danes is no Salma Hayek. The day that blonde stick figure knocks me out to the body is the day I hang 'em up for good. I'm punishing this girl and she's only got herself to blame for it." Liu in low ponytail, black push up, leopard print boy cut trunks. Danes in bra style black/white half and half bikini.

During R1: Danes cautious, dragging her front foot, pivoting to her left, spraying jabs, keeping to the outside. Liu brazen, hands down, leaning in and out, depositing heavy single shot digs to the rib cage with either hand. Liu the clear aggressor, willfully taking it out of Claire's body in repraisal for blonde's pre-fight rhetoric.

R2: Claire doubling up on the jab, trying to lick the hook in behind Lucy's right elbow while pivoting, but Liu's wise to the move. Midway through, Liu feinting, getting Danes to commit defensively then jumping in a lead left uppercut circus punch and CLAIRE GOES DOWN! Danes scooting to her backside, punching the canvas in frustration as she gets up quick - she picks her guard up and looks to slip n' slide her way out of trouble. Liu hopping forward, then taking a half step out, utilizing more feints - she's messing with Danes timing, fitting in low slung haymakers to the ribs - fortunately for Claire, it's all one at a time. Liu purring, very full of herself at the bell - Danes looking a little achy after 2 tough heats.

R3: Claire's stuff just isn't working. Liu's footwork exquisite, getting her in and out, cutting off the ring on Claire. Liu's feints masterful - Danes overeacting, then having to cover up to take hard in her body - Liu just methodically hoisting leather in from her thighs. Down the stretch, Liu feints - Claire covers up - Lucy dips in, stuffs a right to the stomach, comes up with a curling right on the chin and DANES GOES DOWN! Claire on her backside, but sprawling slightly - she's hurt this time, very deliberate getting up. Lucy prancing, showboating to draw boos - Danes weaving slightly on the spot as the punches are adding up.

R4: Claire has her best round, gutting up and getting after Lucy with smart boxing. Danes slipping punches, sliding to her left, licking her hook across the belly, stamping the straight right hand in - Liu unhurt but disoriented by the raindrop barrage - she's having trouble getting her timing down. Final minute, Liu leaning back, hands down, swivels to her left, cuffs Danes a short left hand in the ear and Claire staggers sideways. Liu pounces, swatting a sidearm right to the face, striding in to land the left cross from a southpaw stance and DANES GOES DOWN! Claire bludgeoned to her left side near the ropes, she rolls to her knees, face on the canvas, climbs strands to beat the count. Lucy grinning showboating - she's just playing now, showing Claire her head, bobbing and weaving with her hands down - dazed blonde pushing out leather and missing at the bell.

R5: OH LUCY! Liu with a shoulder feint, then a leaping lead left uppercut, NAILS Claire trying to duck to the side and Danes goes wobbly butt! Danes struggling to keep her feet, reeling badly - Liu playfully stepping in and out, slapping and swatting at Claire's ears and face. Claire regroups, starts getting the jab on Lucy - once again Liu has to focus to regain her form. Rest of round fairly even, tense tactical standoff as girls jockey for position more than punch.

R6: Claire gets something going, Lucy takes it away. Once again, a good Danes minute of patient boxing is undone by a breathtaking Liu haymaker - a crashing straight right off a clipping short left has Danes staggering back to the ropes. Claire badly hurt once again, sets up on flat feet, bending, twisting at the ropes to minimize the hurt. Liu squared up, hands down - she's leaning back on her hips to make Claire miss, then leaning in, lifting her mitts up into Danes' creamy sides or jamming hard straight rights up the middle. Claire busted up, swooning at the bell - Lucy lifting her mitts and shouting taunts as the ref gets involved.

R7: Claire drops another round. Liu up on her toes now, circling her foe, dancing, hands loose at her sides until she can shear in off on an angle and look to land lunging power. Danes hurting, legs ramshackle - she's still showing the jab, but she's defensive, not wanting to get clocked any more. Liu content to dominate with her feet, takes her seventh straight.

R8: This time it's the left in the liver, left hook on the chin that unhinges Claire's legs - once again blonde staggers to regain her balance, eyes glazing over as Liu's shocking power announces itself. Liu stalking, right hand just below her breasts, left hand down - she's jumping in lead rights, trying to smash them off Claire's face, then catch her with looping left from down low. Danes doing a good job of self preservation - Liu not landing flush, often overshooting and exposing herself to counters. Claire tentative - she doesn't take advantage of very many openings as Liu starts to strut.

R9: SHUTOUT CLAIRE! Danes saves face with a pesky 9th, victimizing a blatantly overconfident Liu as the Asian showboats, clowns for the crowd. Danes leading with surprise right hands, often startling Liu, then thumping away with fluid, 4 and 5 punch combinations rising up into the chest and face. Liu unhurt by these flurries, but she's reacting too late, missing as Claire pivots sweet to her left and FINALLY the Danes bodywork makes an impression. Claire stroking Asian ribcage this round - where was this stuff in the first 8 heats?

R10: Liu still brazen, sloppy, but getting away with it. Claire chin tucked, trying to unnerve Liu with the jab, pick her up with straight rights, then mop up the hook. Liu jumping in and out, bending at the waist, whalloping wide punches, trying to wrong foot Claire. Down the stretch, Danes steps left behind her jab, getting Liu to chase - blonde with a wide left hook, short, sharp right hand on the mouth puts Lucy wobbly butt! Liu rocked, steps back, circles away - she keeps her distance as Danes turns stalker but can't close the gap. Comes back UD10 Lucy Liu by wide margin.

After: Danes redeeming herself with a strong final two rounds, but this was a bad beating for the blonde technician. Claire's face lumpy, ribs pink - she's lucky Liu was potshotting and not putting her punches together very often. Danes soaking up more hard shots in this fight than she has in several of her recent fights combined - Claire showing good resilience in going the distance but just unable to impose her will in this contest.

sim guy

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