Posted by Simguy on 8/20/2005, 9:38 am.

Before: Kelly anxious for a showcase—former pound for pound queen and bantam titlist yearning for attention and accolades—she turns to Dani for answers. “I’m not comfortable being just another ranked face in the crowd,” an unusually candid Hu admits, “I’m used to ruling 120 with an iron fist. Dani’s made to order for me—she’s just the thing I need to get myself out of the doldrums.” Fishel used to being the underdog to Kelly—betting line usually reflects the thinking that all things being equal, Hu gets the decision. “Yeah, you know, people think Kelly’s going to finesse me,” Dani shrugs, “and she probably will, if I let her. The way to beat Kelly is to train to stop her. I’ll just come right out and say this and I don’t care what anybody thinks: Kelly Hu’s gutless. Yep, you heard me: press Kelly Hu and she folds just like Jessica Alba, except Kelly’s skills keep her from being exposed. Well, that’s all going to change in this fight—I’m making Kelly quit and there’s not a damn thing she can do about it!” Hu in black push up, slick low ponytail, yellow hipster bikini bottoms, black shoes. Dani in navy bandeau with bra strap support, large baby blue polka dots, perky puncher’s ponytail, white shoes. Big grin Dani during staredown—she’s brought her feisty attitude to the dance tonight.

During R1: Kelly chewing it up, showing Dani the closed stance with a dangling left hand, right hand under the chin, left shoulder pointed at Fishel. Kelly sliding to her right as she taps harmless jabs, turns into sliding right hands, finishes up cuffing hooks. Kelly putting’em together pretty—busting Dani a little doubled-up catspaw right off the front foot, easing away to pull hook across chops. Fishel taking clipping, chipping leather about her face, bobbing and weaving through it—by the final minute she’s in range to do her thing. Kelly covering up and rolling shots—Dani pounding the hips, arms, ribs with loud, shivering leather at the bell.

R2: Mirror image—Kelly controlling the first two minutes with slinky movement, deft hands, chopping and swatting Dani’s skull. Fishel finally whittling down the ring late and bludgeoning her girl to the body and arms. Hu sliding to ropes, twisting, rolling with the incoming, sometimes sticking her left in Dani’s face to smudge and chip at her, but Kelly defensive for the most part, not willing to trade toe-to-toe.

R3: Kelly pestering Dani with nimble little lefts and rights—Hu darting and dabbling her fists off the front foot, just speedbag stuff. Dani bending low, rotating her torso, slipping punches surprisingly well—she comes out of the crouch and DETONATES a big swinging hook on Kelly’s mouth. HU SCOOTS TO HER BACKSIDE! Kelly lifted off her feet and deposited in a heap of shellshocked Asian—dark eyelashes fluttering, mouth open in disbelief as Dani bounces to the neutral corner. Hu up at 8, face grim—she comes off the ropes and meets Dani head on with a chopping little lead right. Hu opening up her stance, chopping down the right, back with biting hooks to temple, doubling up either hand as she bangs out a brisk tuine on Dani’s head. Fishel grinning through it despite some clapping shots on either jawline—final minute sees her plough a right hand through to Kelly’s chin to force Hu to ropes. Dani issuing a stubby jab to chest, gets position and turns on another clubbing right, clouting Hu’s chin juicy and leaving her string in hurt. Kelly covers up: Dani belting away, leaning in with her noggin to keep Hu pinned down—big booming 10-8 Fishel has the kid beaming ear to ear,

R4: Kelly listless off her stool, shopworn, even hangdog—she moves to ropes in desultory fashion, covering up elbows in to await Dani’s charge. Oh. The. PUNCHING! Fishel on wide-soread pins, ponytail a-jangling—she’s just heaving it in from her hips, lefts and rights splattering against Kelly’s tanned shoulders, throbbing ribs and flanks. Hu wilting into the ropes, turning either side to Dani—Kelly getting bashed senseless, not answering back, just tying to slowly roll and absorb the shock. Fine with Fishel—she pins her ears back and hammers all things Kelly, hip and head. Devastating series of thick hooks amidships has Hu groaning, hands coming down and FISHEL LIGHTS UP RUGHTY! Dani bending into a drifting short right pounds fist against face and DOWN GOES KELLY! Hu dropped to her back parallel along the ropes, badly hurt: eyelashes humming, hands down at her sides as her head lolls side to side—it’s over! KO4 in savage fashion—Dani Fishel.

After: Dani posting her most devastating win over Kelly EVER—Hu flat on her back, badly softened up by Dani’s cudgeling body work and SCORCHED by that clobbering right—Kelly a disturbingly long time coming around as physicians tenderly see to her. Fishel bubbly, pumped, but flashing the odd look of concern in Kelly’s direction when Hu isn’t immediately revived. “She was flat tonight,” Dani says in postfight, “not her usual self. Even when she was getting off, I was still cutting down the ring and lining her up—I felt like I was in control all night long. You know, there’s been a lot of talk about Jewel and Neve being the strongest workers in the division, but I doubt either of them could have had Kelly the way I had her tonight. When I’m on, I’m a NIGHTMARE for anybody at a buck-twenty.”

Reposted by Archer on 1/20/10