(Thanks to FightFan for this repost)

Posted by simguy on 12/16/2000, 11:21 am

Before: Liu dropping down and challenging Milano - apparently for no other reason than to dish out a beating. Alyssa a better fighter than she's ever been, but there's nothing about her approach that should give Lucy problems except for power, especially to the body that might make the two fight on more even terms. Milano appropriately defiant in pre-fight, but she's a Buster Douglas type long shot at most books. Lucy in black push up, leopard print boy cut trunks, Blonde Alyssa in gold tankini (see current FHM magazine cover).

During R1: Lucy flat footed, hands down, pawing with the left and suddenly jerking right hands off her hip to the face and breasts of Alyssa - Milano keeping her mitts uncharacteristically high, wants inside but Liu's power stance has the blonde tentative. Liu scoring, potshotting - doing it all with sheer handspeed and reflexes as she backs Milano up. Down the stretch, Lucy pokes a left hand, eats a short right on the temple in return, follow up left hook to the gut and LUCY GOES DOWN! Liu rolling to her back, up quick - she's startled - stepping forward her legs look queasy - Milano pounces. Alyssa walking Liu to the ropes starts to rip up the gut with plunging lefts and rights - Liu covering up, bending forward and taking it to her body and protective arms downstairs. Bell sounds - Milano keeps chugging away until the ref can pull her off - Liu flushed, embarassed at the sight of Alyssa prancing to her corner, playing to the delighted crowd.

R2: Milano has herself another good minute tracking Liu down, attacking to the midriff with both hands, but Lucy gets the wheels turning by the midway point. Liu dancing, circling, slashing in from 4 feet away to sweep single shot rights into any opening, then darting back out before Milano can get off - this is the fight most pundits anticipated - Alyssa with her gloves at her lips, pivots, squares up well, but can't do much about stopping Liu from touching her.

R3: Lucy with hands at her sides, insolently backing away, bending to one side, laying there until she draws a punch, then sweeping back the other way with a vicious straight arm counter that unerringly meets with skull, breast or belly. Milano coming forward, starts to get clocked flush - her own punches coming up short, or slicing air as Liu's supple defence proves impenetrable. Midway through, Liu stepping back, tagging Milano at will, walks the blonde into a crunching left uppercut from the knees - Alyssa hurt for the first time in the fight, covers up as Liu pivots with a hand at Milano's back to attack from the side. Staggering sideway retreat from Alyssa as Lucy bashes away from the oblique angle, herding the blonde to the ropes. Liu right in front, bending down as Milano groggily paws at her and Lucy just starts lighting Alyssa up with sudden jerking right uppercuts from a southpaw stance - all leg and shoulder as she repeatedly drapes Alyssa up against the ropes. At the bell - Milano all busted up - feet stepping uncertainly as she stumbles to her corner - Liu in complete control.

R4: Liu brazen, showboating - keeping her hands down, bending her torso back at crazy angles as Milano chops short punches at her, pivoting and turning Milano around the ring as the blonde struggles to make contact. A good middle minute from Alyssa sees her stubbornly continue to pursue, lay glove on body and forces Liu to her toes. Lucy easily dancing, tapping and escaping with slapping punches to take the round - either she's carrying Alyssa, or letting her off the hook.

R5: Similar pattern - Milano with pressure able to have moments, but Liu's legs dominate the round - girls fight when and where Liu says as she commands the ring. Pretty stuff from an agility and form standpoint, but scattered boos greet the gliding smooth of Liu.

R6: Shutout Liu. For the most part, it's posturing and clowning from Liu as she delights in making Milano miss with supple acrobatics, but Lucy's not hurting the blonde in turn and the crowd's restless. Liu turning Alyssa with a hand at the blonde's hip or elbow, making it look easy - Milano getting frustrated at not being able to make meaningful contact, but meanwhile she's done a good job of recovering from Lucy's earlier power shots.

R7: Liu stepping back and crouching, giving Milano more opportunity, but midway through the round, Liu pops out of a crouch with a sharp right/left clout on the teeth, taking a half step back to draw Milano forward and CRUSHING her with the left uppercut. Milano soaking up the hardest blast of the fight - legs all trembly - she wanders to the ropes with a blank expression as Liu walks her down with a smile. All Lucy Liu to the bell as she sways in and out on flat feet, hands down, just reaching into Alyssa's body, stepping over to drill right hands between the mitts - Milano's face lumping up badly as she starts to take heat again this round. After the bell, girls chest up - a stunned but defiant Alyssa Milano taunting Liu for not putting her down - Liu promising Alyssa she won't finish the fight.

R8: Liu outclassing Alyssa now, gives up a few hefty body shots for the chance to clap Milano's head side to side with outrageous circus punches from the floor. Milano reeling, often staggering several steps after being clobbered, but refusing to go down - she's throwing a gauntlet down as the fight becomes about Milano denying Liu the stoppage.

R9: Liu pouring it on with the flat eyes of a siamese cat - murderous intentions on every punch as she walks in, bodies up, steps out and cracks Milano with overhand rights, uppercutting lefts. Liu striking suddenly, jumping to the left or right and quickly slashing with the other hand has Alyssa stepping in fence post holes, but at the bell, Alyssa smiling through cracked lips, goading Liu to fury during the break. Lucy's corner worried she's losing control, tell her to take the decision - Liu showing no sign that she's even listening, just glaring across at the other corner.

R10: Liu lunging across the ring, dips and nails face with a statue of liberty left uppercut, narrowly missing the follow up right hand as Milano crumbles away. Milano stepping in fence post holes, gloves tight at her temples as Liu walks her down. Liu able to touch Alyssa to the body, but Milano doing a nice job of blocking upstairs - time running down - in the final minute Liu uptempos as the crowd starts to roar. Lucy stepping to her right, clips a little come-along hook under Milano's chin, suddenly reversing field and driving a right hand in on the blonde's mouth - MILANO'S HURT! Alyssa wobbling straight back with glazed eyes, hands down - she's defenceless. Liu catches her on the run with a sailing right on the forehead - enough to topple Milano and send her reeling across the ring to land on her back at the ropes. Alyssa a pathetic sight as she flops and writhes to get off her back, climb the ropes - Lucy counting from the behind the ref, smiling broadly at 8 and thrusting her gloves to the ceiling when Milano hasn't gotten off her hip at 10 - KO10 Lucy Liu.

After: Liu giving Milano about 3 seconds to have her gloves removed, then its the walk of shame for Alyssa as Lucy claims her prize. Slowest ring walk in history - Liu guiding Alyssa forward a few steps with the right hand at Milano's waist, then stopping to brush Alyssa's sweat soaked hair behind her ear, exposing the badly battered features - Liu cooing or making mocking "that's gotta hurt" expressions as groggy Alyssa tries to turn her head away with sullen resentment. Heartbreaking stoppage for the plucky blonde - Alyssa coming within 30 seconds of going the distance with boxing's most relentless KO artist. Liu drinking in the triumph - heaping a beating on Milano just because she can.

Sim Guy

ff