Posted by Simguy on 6/2/2000, 8:43 am.

Before: Important bout for both girls--improving prospects being matched with the winner expected to springboard towards more lucrative bouts in the near future. Both have interesting upset wins--Hannigan over Reid,  Portman over Shakira--that require confirmation. Before grudging pundits can get award either some stamp of legitimacy. Natalie a straight puncher, maybe showing a bit more sting and mixing up of her punches better than Hannigan, but Alyson with a knack  of lulling girls into fighting her fight, and scoring some surprising knockdowns despite her lack of one shot power. Hannigan in red bandeau bikini, half hipster bottoms, Portman in white sports bra, high cut aerobic trunks.

During R1: Natalie out sharp, dousing Alyson with sniping jabs between the mitts and backing redhead to the ropes, Portman going to work with precision 3 punch combos. Rocking Hannigan on the chin, finishing up in the body--it’s a serviceable impression of Kelly Packard going to work in there. Uppercuts, hooks, form left hands stiff in the belly--Portman shows bice variety, hurting Hannigan repeatedly and completely shutting the redhead down. Alyson all banged up and drowsy after tasting a Natalie portman shutout beat down.

R2: Nat all over Alyson again--all disciplined, sharpshooting attack. At midring, Portman works behind her jab, spearing it up the middle, stepping in to hook the jaw or uppercut the sternum with the left hand, backing a cringing Hannigan to the ropes. Middle minute more of that 3 punch textbook combination punching--Portman’s eyes focused on hjer prey, jamming the straight right hand, snapping the hook around Hannigan’s guard, then dropping the left mitt hard to the body to get Alyson grunting forward. Alyson looking bewildered, getting hit flush, standing there butt on ropes, gloves framing her face as tic-tac-toe punching tears her up. Hannigan left bloody nose, wobbly butt as Portman puts the boots to her for six straight minutes!

R3: Alyson’s shown a gritty streak--it comes out finally as she digs down, gets after Portman with those pesky body hooks off the tapping jab. Girls rotating clockwise midring taking turns putting punches  together. Each likes to drop that jab hammer style from the elbow onto the opponent’s face, step in with the hook--Portman likely to finish up with the right hand--Hannigan doubling or tripling up on tapping hooks to Natalie’s ribs  and toned belly. Once again it’s Portman showing power, rocking Alyson off balance with a firm right cross as the end of the second minute to take over the round. All Portman finishing up strong--Hannigan helpless against the ropes, stooped forward, taking chopping lefts and rights that shake her at the bell.

R4: Alyson stubbornly coming forward, patting Natalie down with that busy left hand, but Portman’s got the answers. Nat spearing her jab, straightening Hannigan up and SCORCHING her with clean right crosses--Alyson absorbing terrific hits in this fight from punches she usually blocks or blunts. Natalie leaning in, getting good extension on her straight shots--routinely bouncing Alyson’s head back and putting the redhead in her heels. Hannigan busted up through 4--Portman landing solid power shot in each and every round to take a huge lead in the first half.

R5: Brisk two way punching--Alyson getting just close enough to fight at a more comfortable range--fight takes on a more workmanlike, scrubbing pace as the girls hunker in shoulder to shoulder. Turns being taken--Alyson with that right fist tight against her cheek, raking Portman’s nubile body with brisk hooks, clipping tit, rib and belly with a compact delivery. Natalie showing she can shorten up her strokes, using her left shoulder to bump Alyson very effectively, opening up space for a little right uppercuts and her own firm left hook in behind the elbow. Fighting Alyson’s fight--Portman comes out on top, outworking the workhouse at her own game.

R6: Hannigan chiseling her jab, stepping right, dipping low then SHOCKING Portman with that sudden hook on the chin--Natalie scooting to a seat as Hannigan’s eyes light up. Portman up quick but shaken--Hannigan takes over for the first time, jamming a straight right hand up top to set up her bat-bat hooks to the ribcage. Natalie’s back down her right side as Hannigan scrubs away with hooks in tight, Final minute, on the mouth and HANNIGAN GOES WOBBLY BUTT! Alyson staggering slightly. Looking drowsy--Portman gouges a left hand hard under the right breast to fold Hannigan up in pain. Natalie with that good shoulder bump, gets Alyson sleep walking backwards, then PLOWS home a sweet right cross, dropping Hannigan to her back and it’s OVER! Shocking back to back KO wins for Natalie Portman brings Hannigan’s Cinderella story to a crashing halt. KO6 Nat Portman.

After: Natalie obviously buoyed by her handling of the highly touted Shakira, comers out and destroys the previously pesky Alyson Hannigan, giving the stubborn redhead the most one-sided beating of all her recent losses. Pundits floored by the result--writes one impressed scribe, “This was an even fight on paper--you had two overachievers, neither really showing the ability to dominate an opponent and Portman separates herself with pounding right hands and crisp combinations. Then to top it all off, she climbs off the canvas, shakes off some firm punishment and stops Hannigan cold. Easily the most impressive performance of Portman’s career.” Opponents already lining up--with Natalie’s star power finally back up by a little ring success, brunette can start to pick anf choose amongst a crowded junior flyweight class.

Reposted by Archer 7/17/10.