Unified Welterweight Title Bout

Posted by simguy on 2/15/2002, 7:14 am

Before: Two of the best boxing minds in the game square off to determine welter supremacy. Girls couldn't be more evenly matched - tall, strong, good defensively - Jones given more credit for her punching power, but Crawford has been setting down more on punches as she gets older. Cindy coming off a devastating demolition of Gena Lee, looks like prime Cindy C in camp - Jones beating up highly regarded Krista Allen in her comeback debut - it's too close to call. Hard working ponytails and no nonsense outfits - black sports bra, black stretch pants to the ankle, white shoes and gloves Cindy, pale blue sports bra, navy stretch pants to the ankle, white shoes and gloves Janet.

During R1,2: Tactical action early - girls rotating deliberately clockwise, working off the jab, sticking to the middle of the ring and fighting outside by mutual consent. Mirror image boxing for the most part - both girls looking to fit in hooks to the liver, right hands to the chin off the jab, both getting cute with sidesteps after punching, turning the opponent with a pretty hand at the hip. Both girls keeping their hands up, employing blocking defenses for the most part, connect percentage relatively low these rounds. Difference is Crawford's body punching more authoritative and she's occasionally stepping in to shoulder Janet back - blonde giving ground more often, brunette the clear aggressor takes both rounds.

R3: Crawford licking at Janet's waist with harsh right/lefts early, but Jones standing in the pocket starts to find Cindy's chin with right hand counters in a brisk first minute. Crawford steps out to regroup - Janet steps with her, jabbing CC to the ropes and NAILING the champ with a lancing right cross on the side of the jaw - DOWN GOES CINDY! Crawford dazed, falters to all fours and looks a dazzled beauty as she swoons up at 8. All Janet J the rest of the way - textbook left/rights beefy to the body, coming up the middle with alternating uppercuts as Crawford bobs and weaves hurt at the ropes.

R4: Janet takes over the initiative, now backing a groggy Cindy up with the jab and tagging her over Crawford's left mitt with zesty right hands. Cindy retreating around the ring, goes to the tactical clinch to slow the blonde, ref issuing breaks, Janet walking her girl down. Down the stretch, Crawford with a closed stance, pointing her left shoulder at Janet, seemingly shaken - blonde walks straight in intent on landing right hands and gets beaten to the punch as CC torques into a slashing right on the teeth. JONES IS HURT! Janet nearly taking a knee, covers up and is victimized by lashing strokes to her sides, Crawford trying to beat down the defense for some hard right hands to the head in close. Jones sputtering to the ropes at the bell - she's woozy, staring as Cindy steals a blonde round.

R5: Crawford takes back the night - hounding a wobbly butt Janet Jones around the ring, brunette jab dominating the space between the fighters and steering the opponent to the corners. Jones gunshy - retreating and covering up, taking a beating up and down her flanks, then stepping away to dig in somewhere else. Solid hound-and-pound from Crawford who walks her girl down and beats her up all over the ring.

R6: Cindy putting jabs and right hands together in pretty shoeshining licks, drives Janet to the ropes early and has the blonde bobbing side to side to slip the incoming. Middle minute, Crawford sloppy, missing while standing right in front of Jones - Janet makes her pay. Jones punching with Cindy, clipping the chin a hook off Crawford's errant right, clipping chin again with a sweet right uppercut to beat Cindy's hook and CRAWFORD GOES WOBBLY BUTT! Cindy swoons in to clinch - Jones bundles her up under the arms and bodies her into the ropes. Crawford's face blank, eyes glassy - she sits ropeside with a flimsy defense as Jones rips heartlessly to the waistline with monster hooks, palming up her right hand on Cindy's shoulder to reset the leverage. Crawford badly rattled, hurt on her stool as Jones imposes her will this round.

R7: Cindy looking to box, but Jones now decisively winning most of the sharp, two way exchanges. Crawford fighting in spots, but covering up and stooping forward all too often - Janet's able to spank body with biting lefts and rights, snapping the punches back to her chest on follow through. Cindy looking glum, discouraged at the bell as Jones pulls even on the cards.

R8: Jones taking it to Crawford, making the brunette fight all around the ring. Cindy resorting to clinches whenever possible - Ref issuing quick breaks, Jones walking the brunette down - no question the blonde is making the fight. Crawford avoiding further hurt with this kind of thing, but judges can't give her the round.

R9: More survival stuff from Cindy - she's fighting like she doesn't want to get knocked out - Janet aggressively stepping to her, walking her down, setting down on ripping body shots until Crawford inevitably ties up. Cindy's still punching in spots, but she's not committing on anything, and she's given up trying to jab with Janet.

R10: Demonstrative shutout Janet Jones - Crawford's will, if not her body gives way this round. Jones spearing the jab, breaking the brunette down and scoring with crashing rights over the left shoulder as Cindy steps back. Crawford achy-faced, grimacing, looking always to clinch but Jones won't have it, crouching when Cindy reaches for her and banging the brunette with hard counter-uppercuts on the inside. Cindy languishes to the ropes in the final minute, covering up, bending forward at the waist - Janet punishes the brunette's flanks and underbelly with those sensational Vernon Forrest style hooks - Crawford beaten senseless at the bell. Comes back UD10 for the winner and NEW welter champion, Janet Jones Gretzky!

After: All even after 7, Jones breaks the stalemate with relentless determination, "I had to make this fight about heart, guts, and willpower," explains Janet, "Cindy's a better boxer than I thought - I just wasn't getting enough done being cute with her. This championship is a total vindication of my style and ability, and it proves that a lot of what's being said about me is pure hogwash. As far as Theron and the Krusher organization goes, I haven't been the one to sling mud thus far, but I think it's clear that they were holding ME back, not the other way around."

Thanks to Apollo for this repost.

Archer 10/19/09.