Posted by Monday, 12-Jun-2000 11:13:32

Before: Sam putting the Fox in Foxy Boxing, maybe the most popular British fighter ever and the throng at a packed Wembley Stadium seems to indicate that the appeal is still there. A little chunky, but Fix comes in after getting into great shape, only a pound or two over her fighting weight—hugs between the girls before instructions as the fight has almost an exhibition feel-good to it. Sam in red and white striped bikini, Dani in teal push up and grey aerobics briefs.

During R1: High action opener, hair flying, teeth bared as the girls go at it hammer and tongs. Here’s the difference: Dani’s much more measured, efficient, bobbing her head, coming forward and ripping her punches with solid leverage. Sam is wild, slapping her punches wide, backing off, using a hand on the top ropes ala Vinny Pazienza to change directions illegally and showboating as much as punching.

R2: Similar round as Fishel cuts off the ring, brings hooks out of the crouch to splatter up and down Sam’s right side while Fox slugs side to side, setting her breasts heaving and backside jiggling, but not doing much damage. Late in the round, Dani pops out of the crouch to land a hook flush on Sam’s jaw and the blonde rocks back on her heels, suddenly helpless. Dani reloading in the crouch, explodes with another hook to the same spot, draping Fox on the ropes and leaving her senseless at the bell, Big smile for Dani as she spins on her heel, all smiles as she bounces back to her corner.

R3: Sam Fox finally gets Dani’s attention, shoe shining her fists across Dani’s guard, but boxing Fishel’s ears enough to get her to back up. Fox bodying up takes Dani to the ropes, and it’s a flashback to the eighties, with Dani hands at her cheeks bobbing up and down while Sam works her waistline with swinging lefts and rights. Fox leading with her chest, pulling her punches around her body, bouncing her fists off Dani’s sides and Fishel is getting overwhelmed. Late in the round, Fox holding Dani’s head down with the left, gets out with curling rights to the eye and body, and dani goes wobbly butt! Fox finishing up with a flurry, has Fishel momentarily stunned seated and taking on the ropes as the ref jumps in after the bell.

R4,5: Dani spends a couple of rounds putting out the fire, reassuring the pressure, making sure she’s the boss as Fix begins to fight in spurts showboat with Pazienza head movement the rest of the time. After 5, Fishel is in control, finishing the rounds with Fox’ juicy butt on the ropes and working that soft gut with spanking blows from either hand. Sam starting to mouth breath, lumping up on the right side of her face as the early frenzied movement begins to slow.

R6: Fishel just walking her girl down now, palming up on Sam’s shoulders and chest to get Fox on her heels, stepping in with vicious hooks to the midsection, and finishing the round with Fix sagging on the ropes. Late in the round, Dani has Fox crumpled over and goes to the right side with half a dozen thudding hooks, dropping Sam to one kee with an exhausted cry at the bell.

R7: All Dani as she storms in, uses her forearms or shoulders to get a ood push, then pours into the space with that hook to the body—Sam just can’t take it. Ref watching closely as Fox slumps on the ropes—Dani banging at the hips and sides, leaning in with a shoulder, then trying to the go home hook on the jaw as Fox’s guard falls to her chest. Credit Sam with heart: she soaks up bombs that have made other girls quit. Fox swooning with the goes out on her feet but refuses to submit as Fishel absolutely punishes her to the bell. Fox assisted to her corner as her face lumps up horribly during the break.

R8,9,10: Fishel showing a little mercy? Fox languishes on the ropes, offering only sporadic little swipes in between Dani’s constant output, clinching for breaks, and looking ready to go on trembling legs as the ropes hold her up. Fishel on top, rolling her shoulders into body punching combinations, writhing against Sam’s plush body and never letting the blonde catch her breath. Still, Dani seems content to punish, but not finish her prey, beating Sam to the brink but never pushing her over. It goes as a hugely one sided decision for Dani Fishel, as Sam Fox staggers to the finish line.

After: Hugs all around as Dani consoles a badly battered Sam Fox in the immediate aftermath, but the next day’s Sun interview shows the Brit’s true colours. On the decision: “I thought I won. I was doing a lot of stuff on the inside, subtle stuff, that the judges couldn’t see. I was hurting Dani and she kept holding for breaks.” On Dani’s power: “Love taps. I kept asking her if that were all she had. She’s busy, I’ll give her that, but those are pop guns inside those mitts.” On the future: “I came out of retirement and went the distance with the best Yank in my class. I don’t know—I suppose if I trained and took things seriously this time, I could have a title in 3 or 4 fights.”

Reposted by Archer 9/15/09.