Posted by simguy on 12/17/2004

Before: Tough fight for a couple of well traveled veterans. Hayek still a feared flyweight name but looking her age at times this year - losing to young Jennifer Love Hewitt a real wake up call. Liu on skid row in FCBA terms - laid out and utterly exposed by Pressly last time out - simply the last incident in a long, painful decline for the former pound for pound queen of boxing. "Hayek was one of the architects of Liu's demise," notes one Celebrity Ring scholar. "Lucy hasn't made the adjustments to persistent body punching and good distance management - both of which she'll get plenty of from a fighter like Salma. Winner can really redeem herself at the other's expense, but for Liu, it's really back to the wall time. She just can't afford another KO defeat right now." Hayek in red After the Sunset bikini - Liu in black push up, leopard print boy cut trunks, slick low ponytail.

During R1: Liu hands low, feet wide, stepping around flat footed, then bopping outside, turning to point either shoulder at Salma while backing up - the typical sinewy posturing. Hayek orthodox - elbows in, dukes up, scooting footwork around a spitting, rugged little stick. Liu jumping in a couple times but clearly gunshy - she's basically ranging the perimeter, feinting, showboating. Salma all business, cutting off the ring, jabbing to fixate Liu, straight right hand to get her guard up, mopping up ribs that shivering gancha hook downstairs. Liu on the run - Hayek the clear aggressor in a Latina first.

R2: More of the same except Hayek more efficient, cutting off the ring, jabbing Liu to ropes and ringing her up along both flanks with bang-bang splatter punching. Liu spinning out of trouble, but suffering a series of punishing beatings at different points along the ropes - Lucy legging away from trouble rather than punching with Hayek, prompting some taunting late from come-forward Mex. Salma pumping her fist en route to her corner, eyes fierce: she's landing to Asian body at a fight-winning pace.

R3: Hayek increasingly aggressive, spitting the jab, stamping out the straight right, cashing in body shot hooks. Liu grimacing, trying to deke Salma along the ropes, changing directions and loping to open space - Hayek in hot pursuit. Midway through, Hayek hounding Liu to a corner - Lucy ducks insanely low under Salma's bashing one-two - Asian up out of the crouch, carrying in close and cleaving that Statue of Liberty uppercut clean though Hayek's chin! Salma head straight back, arms out wide - couple of staggering stomps backward and HAYEK GOES DOWN! Thin trickle of blood out the right corner of Hayek's mouth as she skids to a stop on her back and it's OVER! KO3 in SPECTACULAR fashion - Lucy Liu!

After: Liu ROARING in victory, bellowing at Hayek's deeply slumbering frame until bundled away by the ref - been a long time since Lucy's caught someone with one of her KO circus punches - pent up frustration coming out as Liu emotes in the ring. Hayek disregarding the Liu-beating playbook by coming forward - Lucy able to walk Salma into one of those freakish looking but devastating uppercuts.