REEBOK FLYWEIGHT TITLE

Posted by Simguy on 1/6/2001, 12:56 pm.

Before: Rivalry starting to taint a once professional relationship between these two women. Gillian referring to Dana as a “poor man’s Gillian Anderson” on leno, Delany calling Gillian “Lucy Liu’s handmaiden”--it’s getting ugly. Very even match up, but Anderson does have the career edge--plenty of pressure on the champ to avoid going 3 and out against her fellow red head. Gillian in grey sports bra, navy sprinter’s trunks, Dana in pink push up, black velvet boy cut trunks.

During R1: Unusually high connect percentage as both women eschew defense to pile on with combinations early. Boxing to standstill through seesaw first couple of minutes, action progresses inside as the girls grind shoulder to shoulder, rooting around in between one another’s hips. DOWN GOES~DANA! Gillian with that superior smirk, turns away as Delany huffs and puffs on her haunches--sudden dog to her rightside short rib momentarily shuts the champ’s legs off. Nice 10-8 round for he challenger to start.

R2: Boxing sets the table--girls rotating clockwise, working behind stubby jabs, and Anderson beats a tune on Delany’s face this round. Gillian working with crisp punches in clusters, has Dana blundering into punishment and midway through the round, Anderson staggers the champ with a short one/two on the face, dips a shoulder and clocks chin with go-home left hook that puts wobble in Dana’s trunks. Delany folding to the ropes, turns her left shoulder towards Anderson and counters effectively while hurt--slipping and rolling to set up right uppercuts from her closed stance--avoids the shutout as Gillian is foiled at the bell.

R3: Form holds--midring, working outside, Anderson outboxes Delany. Gillian steering, positioning her girl with the jab, stepping over to either side to potshot a hook or right hand--it’s sweet stuff. Final minute sees the girls get brawny, bodying up to finish strong, and it’s Dana once again getting tough in the trenches, scrubbing Anderson’s gut and rejecting the challenger’s shutout bid at the bell.

R4: Girls boxing midring, both with high guards, but it’s Gillian pumping out the stick from her temple, squeaking it in between Delany’s gloves as Dana seems sluggish. Gillian just working one-twos up the middle, stepping to her left and DANA GOES DOWN! Delany scooting to her butt off a routine jab/right hand on her face, shakes her head--Gillian’s getting to her. Double D gets to her feet, turns counter puncher and lures Anderson to the ropes, Even slugging the rest of the way as  Gillian brazenly wades in, shoulders up--Delany bending at the waist, dipping down to shoulder Anderson’s hips back--then coming up with hooks to prevent the challenger from rolling up points. Once again, Delany’s work inside prevents a shutout, but that’s all she’s doing--Anderson steaming to a big lead through 4 with a couple of knockdowns.

R5: Dana’s waited 5 rounds to land the sweeping right hand counter over Gillian’s overconfident jab, clapping eye with a shattering impact and sending the challenger staggering sideways in shock. Delany stepping to her wounded quarry, hooking tummy at the ropes to double Gillian up, then curling uppercuts off the body to rock back that face--Anderson in BIG trouble. Delany commit’s the reserves, leaning in on Gillian and letting her hands go--bashing face with splattering lefts and rights--Anderson going out on her feet and it’s OVER! Ref jumps in to cradle Gillian as Dana leaps away in triumph. KO5 Dana Delany.

After: Sudden, jarring turn-around leaves a shell-shocked Gillian Anderson wondering what hit her as Delany creates an Archie Moore-like moment. Signs of Anderson’s good work evident on Dana’s punished face, but Delany staying composed, building  the KO from the first minute--champ gambling on a stoppage strategy all along given her difficulty boxing Anderson in the past. Dana treats Gillian to a walk of shame, guiding Anderson around the ring with her right arm around the girl’s compact waist. Gillian with hair in her eyes, looking disheveled, bitter at the cruel reversal of fortune, don’t look now, but Delany’s one of boxing’s battle-tested champions, having defending her title from some pretty decent comp in the last couple of outings.

Reposted by Archer 11/15/10