Posted by Simguy on  Saturday. 07-Aug-1999 09:54:46

Before: Borrowing the time honored challenge match format from women’s tennis, Hamm and Reece look to do a dime at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas. Needless to say, it’s an extreme contrast in styles, with the winner likely being the smarter, tougher individual, Ham in red nylon jogging shorts, black jogbra, ponytail, Reece in gunmetal grey beach volleyball bikini, long ponytail.

During R1-4: Slow star for Hamm, as Reece jumps out 4 rounds to love behind an exquisite jab, and good-enough movement. Reese with the right hand taped to her cheek, is very expressive with the left, poking, slapping and sticking the jab, circling the left after punching in the space between fighters, palming Hamm’s head to keep her outside. On the soccer player’s few forays inside, Mia seems tentative, not letting her hands go and complacently accepting Reece’s clinch. Hamm easily cuts off the ring on the leggy volleyball star, but doesn’t do much hen she gets there. Reece oozing confidence going into the fifth as Hamm looks uncertain, scuffed up.

R5: Mia with pressure early, getting underneath the jab, and finally landing with authority to Reece’s extended rib cage. Hamm’s right round punch warms Gaby’s, body and Mia owns the first couple of minutes, but in the final segment, an unintentional elbow from Gaby stuns Mia, and the volleyballer steps back to crush the soccer star with a lunging right on the jaw, Mia takes the shot well, her thick legs soaking up the damage, but Gaby knows she can hurt Mia now. Reece with an insolent shoulder shove going back to her corner after the bell.

R6: All Gabby Reece as she wheels and deals, pounding open a cut with the staple-gun jab, as Hamm begins to circle the wagons, pivoting and allowing Reece to move inside. Hamm with little head movement, offers a tempting target as Reece begins to showb oat, dancing. Backhanding the jab to Hamm’s chest, then poking it to her mouth. Reece shooting the right hand occasionally, but missing over the top as Hamm still has her senses about her. Shutout Reece.

R7: Mia Hamm with her best round of the fight, bends low under Reece’s jab and comes back firing right hands to the rib cage. Reece hurt early, covers up, and Mia sets up inside, burrowing in under Gabby’s guard with her head, and plunging her fists into the v-ball star’s waist. Gaby buckling, sinks to the ropes, trying to pull Mia’s head down in clinches, but Hamm shucking Reece’s arms, ripping Frazier left hooks to the belly to leave Gabby gasping at the bell.

R8: Hammer and tongs as both women get in their licks. Gabby with the stick and move early, but Hamm getting inside at the halfway point to hammer two-fisted assaults against Reece’s hard body. In the final minute, Reece steps back, luring Hamm forward, and walks Mia into a spiking right hand on the cheek. Hamm is shunted to the side, reeling past Gabby to the ropes, and is literally saved by the bell as Gabby moves in.

R9: MAMA MIA!! Hamm suddenly turns on the juice, jumping in on Reece and welting the tall girl’s slender midsection with curling lefts and rights. Reece shocked, going glassy eyed, stumbles to the ropes. Reece drawing her elbows in as Mia pounds her flanks with batting lefts and rights. Gabby’s form begins to break as she spits out her mouthpiece, face twisted in agony, and Mia pours it on! Double thumping left hook in behind Reece’s elbow and GABBY GOES DOWN!! Gaby Reece stunned, on all fours, can’t beat the count as Mia shuts off the big girl with body shots—KO9.

After: Huge come-from-WAY-behind win for Mia Hamm as she pounds out victory at the 11^th hour. Reece devastated by the loss, coughs it up at the first sign of real pressure from Hamm. Good gritty performance by Hamm, who never quit in herself.

Reposted by Archer 10/24/09.