Posted by Simguy on 8/24/2007, 12:11 am.

Private beach—Spain—sand, no ring—approx 30 invited spectators

Geri in white bikini, small black work out gloves

Pene in yellow bikini, small black workout gloves

KO9 Halliwell

Anyone who had consigned Geri Halliwell to the celebrity scrap-heap of history had to dust off their expectations after this fight. Halliwell arrived in the full flower of unapologetic cougar-hood—with the abs of a 20 year-old and the strong, stocky limbs of the aggressive pressure fighter. Penelope fought hard and well in defending home soil, but she simply couldn’t cope with the relentless fury of the resurgent redhead on the day.

Cruz wisely attempted to extend on everything—keeping her jab long, leaning in the long right cross and working Geri’s body with a cranking left hook off the front (left) foot. The rangy, precision punching proved desperately effective—hurting Geri in the third, fourth and sixth rounds; busting her up and threatening to drop her—but the little redhead

Was made of sterner stuff. Time and again, Halliwell rallied and found her way back inside where she could maul the lightly built Spaniard almost at will.

As the fight went on, Geri’s will began to prevail always and everywhere. Pene’s legs began to tremble and her mouth was open from the 6^th round on—she was breaking down under British pressure. When Halliwell with stood the best leather Pene could shake her with, the sight of Geri’s rallies visibly rattled Cruz. Fighting flat footed on sand—the quick and elegant Cruz was hamstrung: unable to wheel away or box on the so-called “slugger’s surface”:--she was doomed to fight a series of toe-to-toe engagements over the final minutes which effectively cost her the fight. Battered repeatedly to her knees in the 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th rounds—Cruz could finally no longer answer—giving up the ghost on her haunches, hugging her ribcage, throbbing in well-beaten agony.

Reposted by Archer 8/12/09.