Posted by Simguy on Tuesday, 10-Aug-1999 08:51:12

Thanks to FightFan for this repost


Before: Shania the big woman in a contest that could spring Abdul back to prominence with a win. Paula a tough little package, with fast hands and good power for her size, but Twain with the size advantage for one of the few times in her career, will look to keep the action on the outside. Abdul with black jogbra, black stretch pants to the ankle, white sneakers and gloves, Twain in red aerobics two piece.

During R1: Paula off to the quick start, moves up the middle, then hops to the right to bang at Twain's body with thumping rights and lefts. Shania using a short right uppercut on the inside, calmly steps back, doubling and tripling the jab and walking Paula into right hands by the bell. Strong round for Shania as she executes her game plan despite Paula's pressure.

R2: Similar early surge from Abdul, sees her fight off Shania's chest for the first minute, digging to the flanks and stomach of the country brunette. Shania leaning in, head clashing with Abdul as the two trade blows on the inside. Twain twisting into the jerking right uppercut as Abdul concentrates on the body - inside action favour Paula as she evens the cards.

R3: Shutout Twain as she steps nimbly around Paula, poking the jab in from the open palm stance, and snapping her body into chopping right hands that crack loudly against Paula's skull. Paula a little discouraged this round, unable to get past Twain's slicing jab.

R4: Twain continues to outbox Paula, pounding the left fist repeatedly into Abdul's exotic face, and bringing the right hand in short and hard at intervals. Midway through the round, a banging right off the cheek sets up a gaudy triple left hook as Twain swats away at a stunned Abdul, and Paula stumbles to her knees for the first knockdown of the fight. All Twain to the bell, as she hooks off the jab, banging lefts to the body and rights to the head as Paula reels.

R5: Twain with that walk away hook, stuns Paula to open the round, and moves in for the kill. Shania stepping right, digging left hooks to the sternum with rapid fire motion, bends her lithe body into right hands to the side of Abdul's face. Paula hurt, careens forward, taking punches all the way, and she staggers past Shania to collapse on the canvas at the ropes. Abdul up at 8, but her eyes are glassy, and her legs shot - referee stops the contest with no complaint from a badly beaten Paula Abdul.

After: Economical performance for Twain, who surprised pundits with her clean, professional break down of a traditionally tough fighter. High tech strategy incorporating state of the art training techniques, diet, video tape with computer analysis seems to work for the corporate icon as she really had control throughout this fight.


Sim Guy

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