Posted by simguy on 7/12/2007, 5:43 pm

Before: "This is an important fight for Lacey," notes one Celebrity Ring columnist. "She's facing a slick, quick, crafty boxer - exactly the kind of girl she'll be meeting in big fights down the road at flyweight. And let's not miss this point: Lacey's progressed from BEING the 'opponent' to actively LOOKING for opponents - girls who will test her skills and aid her development. All of which assumes that promoters think Lacey HAS a future - she's actually being moved in a thoughtful, rational sort of way with this fight." Richardson in pink lace bra and boy cut panties - small white work out gloves; white aerobics shoes/socks. Lacey in white lace bra and panties, small white work out gloves; white aerobics shoes/socks.

During R1: Fight finds it's pattern early. Lacey the aggressor - dukes at temples, strong-steppin' forward, jamming jab setting up hard, clubbing rights and lefts. Salli the counter-puncher - left shoulder pointed at Lacey - Richardson's chin tucked behind left shoulder as she wheels and pivots, bobbing at the waist. Chabert missing the majority of her punches, but landing some choice right hand roundhouses against her foe's ribcage: Salli throwing less, but landing nearly all - especially deadly little right hands thrown from a screened position after Lacey's missed her own right. Salli negotiating with her jab - sticking it pesky to belly breasts and face, pivoting around it, using the ring. Richardson takes a close round late with a darting right hand counter straight up the middle - punching back Lacey's face with authority off a Chabert miss.

R2: Lacey jabbing stubby to locate Sallie - Chabert able to bang out a combo against Salli's tummy, ribs, ears to shake Richardson's legs early. Salli frowning, clinches for a break, then looks to scamper - freely giving away a minute as she bops about the ring to clear her head. Down the stretch, Salli lures Lacey forward - forcing Chabert to march through jabs - then scoring on Lacey with those sneaky straight right pokes off the slip-and-roll.

R3: Salli with a nice, gouging pair of hooks off her front foot, nips in under Lacey's right elbow to hurt the kid early. Salli stepping right while smoke-screening her jab, then she's in with a hard right cross chin-toggler, followed by another firm hook in Lacey's paunch. Chabert blinking, crouching hurt behind her mitts, taking a moment to absorb Salli's bite. Midway through, Richardson's legs in total control - she circles right, feints, rifles in a straight-slanting right down into Lacey's body: while Chabert's confused - Salli reloads, slams in an identical right before scooting out of range. In and out, all around - Salli putting on a light-hitting clinic in stick and move boxing that takes Chabert's breath away - figuratively and literally.

R4: Lacey consistently outclassed, beaten to punches - but you can't question her heart or stubbornness. Chabert refusing to take a backward step - simple commitment to pressure forcing Richardson to fight at a very high tempo, burning a lot of leg energy just keeping her distance. Salli light on her toes - getting off brisk, then pushing Lacey lightly while sidestepping 'round her: Richardson treating Chabert like a sparring partner at times. Chabert not shut out - when she can hound Salli to ropes, there's usually a heavy body blow or two to be had before Richardson spins away. Round to Salli: she's starting to bury the kid on all cards.

R5: You want to learn how to slip under a punch? You want to learn how to roll a punch with your front shoulder and answer back quick a right hand counter? You want to learn footwork, timing and preemptive jabbing? Watch Salli Richardson picking Lacey Chabert apart here. Chabert essentially unhurt (although the screened, straight right counters that land DO put her back on her heels momentarily), always coming forward - but she's being nibbled and vexed to distraction here. Lacey hitting what she can, when she can - which means hard, clubbing blows against her older foe's taut torso.

R6: Lacey stubbing jabbing - not landing it, but at least she's got initiative as Richardson's forced to bob and weave. Chabert able to step in early and land a thudding 10 punch burst to Salli's toned waistline. Gorgeous, sudden barbarism - Lacey gritting her teeth, keeping elbows in, head lowered as she suddenly hammers away: Richardson momentarily paralyzed as she tilts forward into the blows, gloves at her temples. When Lacey's done, Salli's hurt - she turns away groaning, walking away from Chabert rather than attempting an immediate answer. Lacey over to effective offence, walking Salli down and battering her: Chabert gruesomely insistent as she bounces her fists off Salli's shiny flanks, back, tummy and chest. Richardson gasping, resorts to clawing counter-attacks against Lacey's breasts, trying to punk the kid backwards: Chabert's not having it, answering with fury to the older woman's chassis. Bell: Chabert nostrils flaring, pulls back as Salli's slumping into the ropes, sobbing for breath.

R7: Salli trying to work the ring, but Lacey's taken the older girl's legs away with that crunching 6th round body assault. Lacey able to get on her girl now, engaging at close range, beating Richardson without mercy to her ribcage. Salli faltering - stumbling as she tries to wheel away: she can't escape Lacey's barrages now. Midway through - Salli retreating with a worried expression, goes to one knee at the apron as Lacey's closing in - just to buy time. Richardson regroups, but her problems remain: Lacey able to close, bang, force her girl to ropes and really pour on. Richardson dukes at temples, lips parted - she's hunched forward sadly, butt in ropes, shuddering as Lacey beats her with impunity now. Chabert squared away, jugs a-jumping as she bats away to flank, or rotates shoulders to churn away to belly and breast underneath. Salli wilting, wilting, not answering back - ref finally moves in as fight becomes a one-sided beatdown, Lacey to Salli. TKO7 Chabert, leaves Salli shaking in the referee's arms.

After: Impressive win for Lacey - boxing insiders recognizing it as her most complete, most mature performance since handing Kristen Bell a loss some time ago. "Determination beats class," curvy little slugger says, looking up at the post-fight interviewer. "I'm never going to be the boxer Salli Richardson is - she's absolutely beautiful to watch when she's working - but I'm too strong at this weight to be bamboozled. I just step to you and step to you, hitting you in the body, breaking you down, and sooner or later - you quit. I feel very good against anybody my height, or any of these so-called 'gamines'." When asked if she would like to welcome Hayden Panettiere back to the FCBA, Lacey grins into the camera: "Yes please."