UNIFIED FLYWEIGHT TITLE

(Thanks to FightFan for this repost)

Posted by simguy on 6/14/2002, 7:28 am

Before: Lucy awash in confidence, beating Ledoyen in a tactical first go 'round, then issuing a follow up challenge to 'make sure it took.' Pundits speculating that Ledoyen, who had been making smart adjustments to Lucy in the first fight, might benefit from the second look stylewise, but Liu shrugs it off, "Virginie can't prepare for me. I'm flattening her for a second time, stretching her out. In this division, there are no number one contenders - there's me, and a bunch of whining victims." Several press conferences disrupted by a brazen Kelly Packard - she's outraged at the rematch, indignant at Virginie's 'inflated' rep, and contemptuous of Liu's coddled reign. Ledoyen in black leather push up bikini, Liu in black push up, leopard print boy cut trunks, low ponytail.

During R1: Virginie shocks the world with a special innovation for this match: the left jab. It's ugly, not a point scorer, but she's flicking it out, keeping it in Liu's face and backing off around it, making Liu come forward. Awkward, halting action - Lucy can't get her timing - Ledoyen on wide spread feet, bouncy, flexing knees able to slap and cuff her way to points this round.

R2: Shutout Liu. Lucy with hands down, left shoulder pointed at Virginie, able to get in low, then step out, landing lean-away hooks and backhand jabs in another awkward, feeling out round. Ledoyen unhurt, but taking no chances - not natural for her to back up and use the ring and it shows, but she's trying to follow the gameplan.

R3: Virginie pesky, making the rangy, aggravating style work. Liu getting impatient and getting cuffed because of it - Ledoyen able to step back and clout Liu some swatting hard hooks on the ear as Lucy mistimes her jumps. At the bell - Liu chesting up for some harsh words as frustration builds - Ledoyen shoving back shows she isn't intimidated.

R4: Liu brazen, leaping in with her her uppercuts, getting turned around and Ledoyen makes her pay. Virginie leaning onto her back foot, makes Liu miss a wild sweeping left - French woman bends in with a slinging right hand to the jaw to send Liu sprawling to the ropes. Gut check for Lucy - she's dazed, hands at her chest and Ledoyen strides in to get a long, licking series off - punishing Liu with slashing, hamhanded strokes. Lucy slipping and covering up well enough to recover, then spinning off the strands - she runs shamelessly to leg out the round as Virginie turns confident stalker at last.

R5: Virginie walking her girl down, hands at chest height, looking to load up and take Lucy out - exactly what Liu needed. Lucy staying low, now taking advantage of windmill Ledoyen misses and countering with slinging circus punches from her thighs, falling off to either side to keep the French girl guessing. Liu scoring from all points on the compass, but not doing much damage - just getting the range and timing down.

R6: Liu jolts Ledoyen early - girls swinging away side to side - Liu able to fit her punches neatly inside Virginie's to put the French girl wobbly butt on her heels. Liu flat footed, right in front of Virginie, tempting punches out of the brunette, getting underneath them, then rocketing out of her crouch with leaping uppercuts or sidearm swats on the jaw. Liu in and out, sneaking around the side - Ledoyen starting to break down as big punches routinely snap her head back. Down the stretch, Liu pops out of a crouch to place a short right hand upside Ledoyen's jaw, ducks under Virginie's sleepy right and French girl twists lazily to the canvas all but out. Ledoyen struggles up at the bell, but she's swaying in the wind - Liu glaring catlike at the sight.

R7: Virginie with some sweeping, desperation offense hounds Liu to the perimeter, but Lucy content to leg it out, let it pass. By the midway point, Liu's able to get flat footed, sway in close, see what's there, pivot on out to the side. Liu leaning back on her hips, hands down - Ledoyen's missing by inches as Lucy has her all measured up. Crashing bombs start to land in single, potshot impacts - Liu jamming the right hand in over Ledoyen's left shoulder, Liu jumping in the crazy lead left uppercut, falling off to the left as Ledoyen's legs soak up the shot. Virginie sleepy, pushing out pathetic pawing punches as the hurt adds up. End comes with Virginie standing tall, feet square, mindlessly poking out her fists - Lucy times it perfectly. Liu pulls in a shocking left to the chin, beating Virginie's wide left, then dips left to clang home the right hand - bang/bang impact has Ledoyen comically out on her feet - Liu giving a little shove in the chest and grinning as the French girl totters back to crash devastated to the mat. KO7 Lucy Liu.

After: All anyone likely to remember is Lucy's spectacular punch placement and power at the end, but Virginie got a lot done against the champ, especially early. Ledoyen taken for her second walk by a purring, heartless champion - VL betrayed in the final analysis by her slugger's heart when the powder-puff stuff was more effective.

Sim Guy

ff