Posted by Simguy on Tuesday, 15-Jun-1999 18:05:16

Before: No secret from Sturges--she wants a Campbell fight as a way of drawing Theron to the table, figuring an impressive in against the aging supermodel would be a slap in the face to Charlize. Campbell finally getting some recognition, happy to get the fight, and promising to keep punishing “these cutey-pie blondes”. Sturges in cream jog bra, teal adidas terrycloth trunks, Naomi in black midthigh spandex shorts and leopard print bikini top.

During R1-2: Naomi takes the first, Shannon the second as both girls seek to establish their respective fight plans. Campbell looking to use her rangy limbs to hit from long range--Sturges looking to counter with rising shots from either hand to the ribcage. Naomi the more elusive fighter, circling and backing away from Shannon any time the blonde looks like she might put two punches together.

R3.4: Campbell shows a little veteran savvy, slowly taking the rounds with ring generalship. Stepping around Sturges, Naomi pokes and swats with a loose left hand, and begins to find the range, and begins to find the range with her looping overhand right. Sturges having difficulty judging distance, can’t seem to bring the fight to Campbell as the blonde digs herself n early hold on the scorecards.

R5: Urged by her corner to press the attack, Sturges wades in, head up, fists churning up from her hip n short arcs to bang against Naomi’s glistening ribcage. Good heat from Shannon early, but she’s wide open, and Campbell begins to lay into crushing overhand rights reminiscent of the kind of wrecking balls she landed against Theron. Shannon staggers back in the final minute, unable to absorb the punishment, and Campbell pursues cautiously, content to slap her punches to the bell.

R6: Shannon comes out strong early, but it’s a bluff, and this time, Naomi recognizes it. Campbell moving nicely back on long legs, tags Shannon repeatedly with a delayed left hook, and rockets over the top with that right hand to sweep Sturges to the canvas at the minute mark. Taunting her fore, Naomi laughs churlishly as Shannon barely beats the count and sags sad-eyed to the ropes. Campbell now wades fearlessly into her opponent, slinging lefts and rights to the square jaw of the blonde in hopes of producing the stoppage. Showing Theron-like resolve, Shannon stands in against the buffeting back and forth barrage to the bell, and meanders back to her corner as Naomi preens to the crowd.

R7: Naomi in complete command, lets Sturges come inside, set her feet, even land some, before tagging the blonde with long limbed hooks and uppercuts. Shannon seems bewildered when hit, clearly unable to see or sense the blows coming, and is taking a tremendous beating this round. A slashing wide left hand to the jaw spins Shannon face first to the ropes, and Naomi takes advantage with a rolling barrage of blows to the blonde’s buttocks with humiliation her only intent.

R8: Naomi once again stands and trades with shell-shocked Sturges, shaking off the blonde’s tired left hook and whipping her own back in response. As Shannon buckles in the final minute, Campbell blasts an arcing right off the blonde’s head, catching Sturges pulling straight back and nearly dropping her again.

R9: More toe to toe action as Campbell feels comfortable at power punching distance, catching Shannon almost at will. Suddenly, midway through the round, Sturges hooks hard off the jab and drops Naomi onto the seat of her shorts. Campbell stunned, beats the count, but looks shaky as Sturges gets after her midsection with short lefts and rights.

R10: Sturges continues to plow forward, barely able to see her opponent, but midway through the round she gets inside and fights off Naomi’s chest. Campbell taking , covers up and gives Shannon her gut, and Sturges obliges with pounding lefts and rights. The final minute sees Shannon mete out the kind of berating many had expected from her all night long, but it’s too little, too late, A weepy Shannon Sturges accepts the verdict--an unanimous and lopsided decision for Naomi Campbell.

After: Despite late power surge, Sturges showed some of that rust in this fight, unable to cope with Campbell’s early movement, or judge distance effectively. Naomi continues to light blondes up with the overhand right, relying heavily on that punch to hurt her opponents, and keep them hurt.