BOXING AFTER DARK

Posted by Simguy on 5/7/2002, 7:08 am.

Before: Hannigan getting a rare chance to strut it up on Leno, Letterman etc--redhead’s upset of rising star Tara Reid striking a chord with the average hard working fan who may have been rubbed the wrong way by Tara’s superiority complex before the fight. “Tara’s funny,” Alyson schmoozes with Jay. “in her mind, she’s a blonde Eliza Dushku. That’s the way she talks. I can’t believe they’re going to PAY me to punch her out again!” Hannigan beating the bigger, supposedly classier Reid with a combination of moxy and compact execution--all up to Tara to make the adjustments for the return bout. Blonde the bigger girl, typically entering the ring as a bantam, but she got outpunched by the steady Hannigan last time and needs to get back to that “pretty girl” style that works bets for her. Alyson in red bandeau bikini with low-ride hipster bottoms, stars and stripes bikini Tara--small workout gloves for both.

During R1,2: Hannigan chipper, smiling throughout, Reid frowning and focus as she circles, uses her legs early. Girls like to work out of the high guard, elbows in, hands loose--both throw nice compact punches with their legs and bodies doing the work--it’s fairly crisp stuff. Alyson overworking her left, keeping the right taped to her cheek--when she gets off, it’s usually to the ribs and belly, hard glove making little PAK! PAK! Noises in Tara’s firm midsection. Red responding with both hands, throwing in choppy combinations--she’s doing a nice job of touching Alyson to the body and head. Then getting out of dodge rather than waiting for receipt, Close, competitive rounds for Reid.

R3: Reid keeping Alyson in the center of the ring, finding the face available with the jab, getting over with a stern right hand to the jaw,. Alyson taking a good shot, coming forward, blocking with her high guard, and down the stretch, she times Tara’s hook with a counter hook inside, doubles it up and has the blonde fumbling forward to clinch. Hannigan just dipping that left sho0ulder and lifting short left hands into Tara’s breadbasket--blonde drapes her arms around redhead’s shoulders all wobbly butt and groaning at the bell.

R4: Tara showing sterner stuff than she had in the first fight--she shakes of Alyson’s damage, gets right back on top with her jab, jamming it in to the body, breast and face, backing Hannigan up. Tara stepping in with lead right hands, starting in Alyson’s body, then tic-tac-toeing up the torso to cash in on chin--Hannigan  rocked for the first time, smile gone as she extends her arms to push Reid off. Tara stepping with the wilting redhead, blue eyes blazing--stays disciplined, punching with her legs and torso--short, sticking punches in the body and mouth have Hannigan breaking down at the bell.

R5: Tara dictating with the stick early, moving Alyson to the ropes, then stepping in, dropping off the slick combinations and weaving back out to rest Hannigan starting to lump up, but she’s taking Reid’s punching very well and late in the round starts to find the blonde with a well timed counter hook as Hannigan leans into the ropes to clip it. Tara suddenly woozy, reaching to clinch--=Alyson steps in and jams home a tight left hand as she bodies up, putting Tara awkwardly on her heels and NAILS Reid another hook on the chin as the blonde falters back and TARA GOES DOWN! Tara bouncing off her buttocks and disgusted at having been dropped yet again by Hannigan. Alyson steals a blonde round, still doing ruinous damage with hooks and jabs that Tara just can’t seem to handle.

R6: Hannigan partying it up on Tara, really punishing the blonde for the first time up against the ropes. Reid with her gloves at her temples just stands there, letting Alyson get off. Aly will drop her fists from her guard onto Taras breasts with little hammer blows, then hook around the guard to at Tara’s chin. In  the body. Hannigan with her elbows in, just flexes her legs, twists her shoulders, jerking in little hooks and uppercuts with the left hand--Red glum, taking as Hannigan grins. Tara avoids the shutout with spirited punching in the last minute--girls taking turn s peppering each other as the opponent stands in a tight, high defence.

R7: Hannigan getting the better of Reid--Tara standing in front of her girl, hands at her eyebrows letting Alyson get off. Alyson stubbing the jab up the middle, pawing it in two or three time, then poking in the straight right , then tap tap tapping the hook up and down Reid’s flanks--Tara grunting and standing in, waiting her turn. Tara getting off as well--fists smacking off Alyson’s surprisingly hard gut, or working around the side to get at either kidney, but this is Alyson’s fight. Hannigan finishes up with the same disciplined, steady punching, just putting sequences together, keeping Tara contained.

R8: Corner pleads with Reid: “Baby why don’t you just box this bytch?” Reid responds with her best effort in 18 rounds against Alyson. Tara circling right, stepping in and out, moving her head very well as she punches and she starts to bang Hannigan up to the face as the redhead squares up and takes between the mitts. Constant punishment has Alyson woozy by the last minute--redhead starting to gamble, reaching with her punches and taking flush counters. Final moments, Alyson pushes a weak right hand over Reid’s shoulder--Tara slips in close stuffs a double tap left hand to the sternum and Hannigan goes groggily to all fours at the bell. Reid buoyed by the sight of Hannigan’s pain wracked face.

R9: Relatively hard two way punching, although neither girl really commits offensively as a rule. Turn taking as each poses behind a high guard, allowing the other dig away at the ribs and belly--both girls wearing constipated looks of discomfort as little fists pink it up downstairs. In  the end, Reid’s two fisted attack a little more effective--Hannigan still ding most of her work with the patting left hand.

R10: Another all action round--neither girl really hits hard enough to discourage the other--both get off in gaudy, crowd pleasing bursts that look more damaging than they are. Reid using her jab to step around, take the initiative when she wants it--more and more its Reid getting off first--Alyson hooking back only if the blonde stands still. Brisk punching to the bell--ref forced to intervene as girls continue to peck away. Comes back UD10 Tara Reid.

After: Reid taken to the brink once again down on the cards after 7, hurt, bounced off the canvas by a woman Tara just can’t see as an equal, Tara met with boos as she takes Alyson for a walk of shame--Hannigan shiny and a little scuffed up, but clearly outraged at being displayed after another very close contest. Jury’s out on Tara--HBO loves her look, wants her to fight higher profile foes at bantam--Reid looking to stay small, get every conceivable advantage and pad her record, but she’s life and death almost every time out.

Reposted by Archer 7/6/10.