PARAMOUNT/REEBOK FLYWEIGHT TITLE UNIFICATION BOUT

Posted by Simguy on 6/2/2001, 9:04 am.

Before: Dushku mounts her challenge of Cruz in search of unified gold, Eliza confident and why not? Punches that convinced Mish Williams to go out will be that much more devastating when applied to Penelope’s avian architecture. Cruz finally answering critics that she’s been a protecting champion--she’s getting all the comp she could want from this battle of champions. Cruz in pale pink string bikini, Eliza in red leather bikini.

During R1: Pene looking more like Carolos Zarate in her ring management, hands high, elbows in, legs bending at the knees as she slide steps to her left. Dushku going to Cruz’ slender midriff early with crisp right/lefts--Cruz answering  with lateral movement, a hammer-drop jab that restores order by the midway point. Down the stretch, Penelope doing a good job of forcing Eliza to make the fight, picking the American up with a little left uppercut or hacking the right hand, then pivoting away before Dushku can rrspond. Tactical first to Penelope.

R2: Pene taking over early--dictating with her legs and jab--Dushku bending at the waist, bobbing, but she’s having trouble getting the angles and distance she wants. Cruz methodical, touching Eliza with the jab, dropping in straight right hands, finishing up with thick hooks to the ribs, then stepping around--pretty combinations from the Spaniard. Midway through, Penelope steps in and out with a series of belly jabs--Eliza getting the timing down, starts to cover too soon and Cruz slashes a vicious hook to the jaw--DUSHKU GOES DOWN! Perfect punch-Pene getting her whole body into the tight sling and Eliza gets up angry, but swaying. Down the stretch, Eliza earns respect, fighting through the haze, getting into Penelope’s chest and banking body shots for the later rounds.

R3: Cruz maintaining her form, loping around Dushku, making the American fight outside. Great variety from Pene--she’ll hook off the jab, cut Eliza’s face with an insolent right and escape- she’ll jab, dip and clip and the left uppercut under Eliza’s chin, then drop the right hand on the youngster’s shiny face. Dushku following, unable to punch as Penelope continually dictates the exchanges. Down the stretch, flashy collision sees Cruz beat Eliza to the same crunching hook on the jaw, beats her to a right hand and Eliza backs up stunned, hands at her waist. Cruz reloading, gets full extension on a bending right hand, pounding her fist off Eliza’s left eye and DUSHKU GOES DOWN! Dushku sprawled on her back, goes out briefly, then starts to struggle up--Cruz strutting close delays the count to stand directly over her foe. Nobody’s taken the time to humiliate Eliza in her brief career--Penelope challenging the youth’s psyche as well as body tonight. Eliza’s corner--trainer asking incredulously “Are you hurt?”--has to slap his girl when Dushku only stares back in return.

R4: Cruz picking over Dushku like a choice dessert tray. Stamping jabs close that left eye this round--hooks and uppercuts repeatedly test Eliza’s chin and legs as Dushku continues to come forward. Late in the round, Dushku finally unpacks her jab and gets back inside--sharp licks to the stomach help Eliza avoid the shutout--but it’s Penelope’s 4th straight.

R5: Penelope stings Eliza with an early lead right hand, Dushku leaning on her right foot momentarily as she absorbs the punch and Cruz takes over. Pene pretty as she drops punches from her guard at her cheeks onto Eliza’s face, or dips over to wrench hooks to Dushku’s middle. Stepping left, Cruz rips left to the body, then curls in the left uppercut and DUSHKU IS HURT!  Eliza stumbling forward little girl lost--Penelope stepping back and picked her up with at tough left uppercut in the breasts, followed by a clouting right on the teeth. Neve one punch from Cruz--Eliza’s always soaking up a heater, then catching an extra when she doesn’t seem to expect it. Once again, Dushku shows poise late, sucking it up, doubling up on a stubby jab to get her face on Penelope’s chest, then digging into the Spaniard’s hips and tummy--HOPING to slow Cruz down in the championship rounds.

R6: Counter right from Dushku over Pene’s jab surprises Cruz as she hasn’t felt much on her face al night. Eliza follows up with a swinging left hook on the teeth and another banging right hand and CRUZ GOES DOWN! Penelope blinking and trembling after 8, pushing out a weak jab as Eliza walks her down. Dushku wants the body--now ripping her lefts and rights hard to the ribs--Penelope doesn’t like it, stooping forward, arms in trying to block the incoming. Best two way action of the fight down the stretch--Cruz with her back to the ropes, teeth bared as she slugs for her life--Dushku calmer, in control, moving her head better, timing her jab into Penelope’s face and landing clean, sharp hooks and right hands to the head and body at the bell.

R7: Pene looking shopworn, mouth breathing--the patient body work is starting to show on the slender Spaniard. Dushku having an easier time walking her girl down--she’s out jabbing Cruz now, and forcing her way inside. Dushku initiating, working compact lefts and rights hard to the belly and breasts--breaking her girl down with thudding pressure, Penelope getting banged up an she’s slugging back rather than tying up or boxing--flat footed, she licks lefts and rights up Eliza’s sides, but Dushku is rolling well with the punches. Eliza smearing Cruz on the ropes in the final minute, shoving and bludgeoning with abandon--Penelope cringing now whenever Dushku jerks to her body.

R8: Dushku stepping in with another beautifully timed counter right over Pene’s jab--Cruz with a gaudy head loll, body going limp--she drifts to her right with panicky look as she tries to regain her footing, Eliza methodical in pursuit, walking her girl down, careful not to take anything coming in, then once bodied up, it’s all Dushku. Eliza finishing up strong, scrubbing her girl up against the ropes, putting HARD punches together at the trunk line to leave Cruz hobbled and hurting at the bell.

R9: Pene gambling, she comes out lashing power punches as Dushku goes on the defensive. Eliza rolling and slipping, stepping back to lure Pene forward--Cruz wide and whippy with her punches, trying to overwhelm the American with slinging bombs. All Cruz early, but she never can land flush--Dushku  doing an excellent job of blunting the impacts, Down the stretch, Cruz is rubber armed, and Eliza starts to nibble. Timing Penelope’s lefty--Eliza starts to potshot over and under the jab with heavy right hands, Cruz’ jaw and rib cage getting tanned by the accurate power. Fading back, Dushku cleverly makes Pene give up her height--Cruz stepping in, loading up on the right hand, but Eliza dips in and down with a pre-emptive right, kissing the punch sweet off Cruz’ wide open chin and PENELOPE TAKES A KNEE! Pene with a blasted expression, falters from one knee to all fours and SHE CAN’T BEAT THE COUNT! Pene Cruz gives it up as a relieved Eliza Dushku struts the ring with hands held high. KO9 Eliza Dushku.

After: Dushku overcomes a 6 round whitewash from a sharp punching Cruz, working behind a steady body attack and opportunistic counters to wear her slighter foe down and finally manufacture a brilliant stoppage late. Cruz showing her offensive class in this fight, giving Dushku maybe her toughest outing as Eliza’s face is a swollen, puffy pout afterwards. Hayek, Williams and now Cruz--Dushku earning comparisons to Liu with her marauding success against top flyweight comp--showdown for all the marbles promises to be Liu’s stiffest test in some time.

Reposted by Archer 7/18/10.