Posted by Simguy om 2/11/2006

Before: Spears coming off a crushing defeat to arch rival Jessica Alba - she may be hedging her bets sizewise with Liu, but Lucy every bit the one-shot KO puncher Alba might be. "I recognize the danger," Britney says, "but I'm not shying away from it. I don't think Lucy's the threat at 120 she is at 110, but she's a former champ and I can't take her lightly. One mistake against Lucy and I could definitely be in trouble." Calculated gamble for Liu and her trainer Janet Jones Gretzky - but then again, gambling comes naturally to this crew. "When you're the most-ducked fighter in boxing," Liu asserts, "you take a Britney-sized payday when you get it. I have no problem stepping up to take her out. A few extra pounds of fat isn't going to make the difference, believe me." Lucy in white bikini, slick low ponytail: Britney in punching pink bikini with V emblem strategically located.

During R1: Lucy deep crouch, knuckles at her ankles, weaving side to side - she lunges up against a Spears jab to detonate a leaping right uppercut off Spears' chin: circus is definitely back in town! Britney sent reeling, arms pinwheeling, legs churning - she hits ropes wide-eyed: Liu cackling, licking her lips. Moments later - Britney jabbing with fencer's stomps - Liu retreating, leaning juuust out of reach - she steps right while slinging a whip left cross from a southpaw stance: blistering shot off the mouth buckles Britney's knees. Midway through, Liu grinning, leaning forward flat footed, rotating her gloves: uncanny timing allows her to light Britney up a left hand in the mouth while Spears' jab misses, then a clocking right hand straight on the mouth as Britney's right sails. Spears wobbly butt, staggering sideways, shaking her head: extra pounds serving her well as she sops up some dynamic blockbusters in a shutout Liu first.

R2: Britney: nibbling her mitts, peering over her guard, keeping elbows in tight as she jabs, steps forward. Liu batting her right palm against Britney's jab to parry, dancing to right or left, lunging in the odd circus uppercut from her knees or sneaky lead right from closed stances. Handedness means nothing - Liu punching off either foot with power - leaping at Britney, twisting and gyrating - usually with hands at her sides - to slip Spears' punches. Poor Britney stunned down the stretch when Liu slips inside a Spears right and clouts her a swinging sidearm right upside the head: Spears reeling to her right hits ropes in a fog, covers up face-in-gloves at the bell. Liu purring through 2, reminding everyone of her Krusher heyday.

R3: Britney already pouchy-eyed, puffy cheeked and shiny - she fades to ropes, setting up elbows in, dukes up. Liu cooing to her foe, dancing on the spot then suddenly firing: Spears supple on her hips, weaving shots now, tight guard blocking most of the action ticketed for her chin. Liu pawing the jab, then slinging right uppercuts or looping overhand rights; tapping away one-twos against the front bars of Brit's guard: not much getting through. Liu the aggressor, but Britney's stopped the bleeding: she's digging in, making Lucy come to her, getting a better read on Liu's unpredictable style.

R4: Britney Charisma-like off the ropes - sitting in the pocket, legs braced wide, hands sometimes showing earmuff, sometimes riding low at her belly and breasts as she rolls punches with torso movement. Liu coaxed in close - by the middle minute she's grinding her forehead in on Britney's face, pushing at Britney's biceps - fighting against blonde's constant clinching. Spears warned for holding and hitting - doing a nice job of riding her left arm around Lucy's head, folding Asian face to Louisiana breasts for breaks. Choppy little pokes and swats - Spears dropping little pre-emptive lead rights onto Liu's face, then tieing up; tucking little hooks in behind the elbow, bending waaay over to the right side to slip receipts. Liu flushed, getting tagged: she's on top of Britney, working hard, but this isn't the acrobatic Asian's forte.

R5: Grinding, sweaty stuff in close as once again, Spears refuses Liu's invitation to join in gymnastics midring: Lucy coaxed into the trenches where it's muddy, sloppy and hot. Liu really pounding at Britney's gut: nice short stuffing lefts and rights - plenty of back and leg behind the shots - constantly working that paunch, bunching up the muscle. Spears frowning as she ties up, exhaling moist through pursed lips. Brit nagging Lucy with counters: a little right uppercut; a swatting hook; dipping side to side, then pulling either hand CHUP into Lucy's body. Liu busier and surprisingly effective inside - she's even treating herself to jug via a very effective side to side shoe-shine in close.
R6: Liu encouraged by her work last round, eager to climb back into the slop and struggle toe-to-toe. Liu's backside jiggling as she stamps for balance and position, pushing into Britney's plush chassis, palming the biceps. Both girls grinding tousle and face, breathing in one another's exhaust. Britney very nifty - burdening Liu with the left arm behind the head, right hand tieing up behind Liu's left elbow. Lucy working Britney's gut overtime - just hoisting mitts into meat, drawing breathy little whimpers and concerned frowns from the blonde. Britney chopping and swatting, holding and hitting - she's getting outworked, but Liu's lumping up, taking a lot of punishment, and breathing hard from dealing with Britney's mass.

R7: Liu back in there, mouth on shoulder with Britney while fists plunder pooch - job of work for Liu to yank her arms and head free of Britney's constant clinching. Spears absorbing tremendous punishment downstairs, but willing to sacrifice if it means she can keep getting these short, clouting counters. Britney spicing Lucy up with sneaky little pre-emptive rights off the ropes; dip n' dig uppercuts to the body very reminiscent of Jessica Alba's rangy licks. Spears right hand at her chest, left at tummy, dipping side to side to get supple rips. First tell tale sign of wobble in Lucy's trunks as she occasionally staggers back a step, gives her head a shake, then burrows back in. Liu carries the minutes, but she's an exhausted beauty slouching back to her stool: the weight of her foe, the grinding mouth-on-shoulder taking it's toll.

R8: Britney lolling against the ropes, hands up, palms out - she flinches, covers up, then tags Liu that sneaky, short right on the mouth, knocking back Lucy's head and startling her. Britney hooks Lucy, twisting to lay over on the right side, letting Liu's receipt sweep over top. Britney dips to the left, tucking her right fist thick n' juicy behind Liu's elbow: gasp of pain from Liu, tiny frown as she falls in, reaching behind Britney's back. Spears using her left arm to headlock Lucy, twisting her sideways, holding her for uppercuts. Liu looking ramshackle, mouth open, and most alarmingly: she's not punching. Liu just wading in, getting tagged and clipped, then allowing herself to be bundled up against the warm, wriggling torso of her foe. Spears taking chin, Spears clouting body - it's all adding up and LIU'S HURT! Lucy looking dead tired, stepping back as she bends forward, trying a slow torso roll: Britney one-step off the ropes and slinging a thick, brutal right hand CHUP! to Liu's waist, draws a gurgle of pain from her foe. Britney pushing into Lucy, stepping her back, then ripping her another thumping right in the body, behind the elbow. Brit with her hands at her thighs, starts pounding lefts across Liu's kidney's, evil rights up underneath - poor Lucy just awestruck, stooped forward and taking. LIU GOES DOWN! Lucy finally swoons to all fours, badly body-battered and IT'S OVER! KO8 in decisive fashion, Britney Spears! A livid Janet Jones Gretzky bangs the apron, shrieking "GET UP!!!" at her fallen fighter: Liu just cost JJ a fortune in prop bets.

After: Lucy trembling, unable to get off her haunches - she's drawn in and taken apart as Britney Spears works rope-a-dope to perfection. "It's something I adopted from Apartment Wrestling, believe it or not," Britney reveals in postfight. "When a veteran like Salma Hayek's in with a faster opponent, she'll often just set up on the bed and force the other girl to attack a defended position - bogging her down and frustrating her until she's too pooped to do anything else. I knew I was losing rounds, but once I had Lucy breathing hard, I knew I was "defending the bed" on her. And knocking her out is STILL a huge thrill for me, let me tell you!"