UNIFIED MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE

Posted by simguy 1-31-04 (Thanks to Simguy for this repost)

Hunter/Loken a bit of a surprise given Rachel's first round wipe out against Wilson, but both girls quick to dismiss that result. "This is middleweight boxing," says Kris, "girls get caught, girls go out - I don't think one lucky punch from Wilson changes the fact that Hunter's the best contender out there. I've already mopped the floor with Torrie - I want to beat every single big girl name out there, make each and every one of them GROAN under my dominance. Hunter needs her beating just like the rest of them." Fact that Hunter had to accept about half the purse she WOULD have had coming in with a big Wilson win under her belt might be another contributing factor to the bout. "I'd be happy to make Wilson my first defense," says Rachel. "Just to wipe that stain off my record. Everyone knows she couldn't do that to me again in a million years." Rachel in pale blue bikini, loop connections, Loken in white battle bikini.

Rd 1: Midring, gunboat poses, both girls pounding out telephone pole jabs, keeping right hands high, slowly rotating clockwise. Kris more nimble, looser limbed - she'll step out and walk around occasionally, just to change distance, keep Rachel from setting down. Tactical look-see - Loken in control, steering the opponent, seeing what might be available.

Rd 2: Rachel jabbing to Loken's chest, hurling in hamfisted right hands then bodying up - Aussie using strength in the clinch to test Loken's legs, walking the champ into the ropes, roughing her up with cheap forearms across the lips and neck, tousle rubs. Punching pretty sporadic, both girls trying to land right hands before the lock up or dig to the body while walking the other backwards. Mostly grinding, wrestling work along the ropes, big girls trying to establish arm and leg strength, get position and keep the other's back to the ropes. Rachel getting the better of it - she's one of the strongest girls Loken's hooked up with.

Rd 3: Kris gets some respect, spreading Rache out with jabs, then greasing her chin a fine, shearing right cross - Hunter slightly wobbly butt, covers up and Loken takes over. Kris methodical, getting in close, palms on her girl's shoulders, then dipping side to side to stuff home thick lefts and rights behind the elbows, bending Hunter's sturdy frame. Loken walking and bumping Rachel to the ropes, bodying up at intervals to make her feel the weight. Loken thick n' ropy with punches, hauling 'em around in thudding arcs, bashing at Hunter's brawny shoulders and biceps, clubbing her about the ears, hammering the flanks. Hunter covered up, protecting chin and face, but giving away everything else - Loken able to dish up a methodical, very deliberate beat down bell to bell.

Rd 4: Kris in charge. Midring, she's won the battle of jabs - Hunter keeping hers at home to keep her guard intact, covering up to block. Kris able to set up humming right hands, trying to pound them between Rachel's mitts, then come back to the body with gorgeous swinging hooks - fist landing flat and loud against proud supermodel midriff. Rachel upright, not moving her head much - she's stoically shipping the beating, blocking a lot of it, but not answering back. Loken gets to Hunter midway through with a tidy right uppercut in close, then contents herself downstairs, bullying Hunter's tummy, pounding her arms to deaden them for the later rounds.

Rd 5: Rachel re-issuing the jab, pounding back Kristanna's startled face - champ getting moved off point, losing initiative for the first time. Hunter fighting well from long range, driving in right hands straight down to the gut or hard at Loken's guard, forcing the champ into steady retreat. Down the stretch, Kris fades to the ropes, hands up - she makes a nice move to slip a crashing Rachel right, spins out to get around Hunter - Rachel turns to her right and never sees the hook that smashes FULL onto her jaw. Hunter put shabby in a heartbeat - legs bending, then toppling her wide-eyed into the ropes - Loken extending the left to measure then POURING in the right hand. Hunter bending woozy to her right, accepting ruinous punishment as Loken clubs away - champ runs out of time as bell rings - ref bodies her back as Rachel swoons out on her feet. Loken proud of herself - she erases Hunter's best round with furious late power.

Rd 6: Kris doing it all. Lightweight-type footwork in the first minute really undresses Hunter - Rachel just turning, frowning, guard up as Loken eases around her. Kris reading Hunter's punches well, fading back with Aussie rights, then leaning in with blunt right hand counters - discouraging Hunter's jab with screaming rights over top or sneaky little hooks inside it. Rachel really only able to work when she can get her body on Loken - Hunter working out of the wrap in spots, plugging Kristanna's sturdy gut with thick right hands until the ref's breaks.

Rd7: Good stuff from Rachel - she's jabbing, falling in with a big right hand and immediately bodying up - Loken can't use her skills with Rachel writhing on top of her. Fight stumbles to the ropes, Hunter able to get her head on Loken, palm her arms back, wage war to the ribcage and tummy. Kris struggling to right herself, get a little breathing room - claustrophobic fighting with Hunter getting right snug inside Loken's trunks. Down the stretch, girls hunkered down shoulder to shoulder, pumping up underneath with rights and lefts - both start to straighten, work up-torso, both try to cash in chin with hooks AND HUNTER STAGGERS BACK HURT! Rachel outworking Loken all round long, but stung late once again - ON COMES KRISTANNA! Kris stalking wounded prey, crouching forward as Hunter wilts back, extending a pawing jab to brush that drowsy face then BLISTERING Rachel a piling right hand as Hunter topples backwards. Concussive blast draws a shout of shock from the audience - Hunter careening now - half turned around - she hits the ropes and collapses in a ruined pile of ex-supermodel, destitute at the apron. Loken grinning, jogging to a neutral corner - she reclines majestically, arms along the top strands as Hunter is counted out on her side. KO7 Kristanna Loken.

After: Loken really clamping down, now ruling with an iron fist as no middleweight has ever done before. Hunter big and strong, but not as nimble as the champ - Kris able to fight big, then fight quick to unsettle and demoralize her challenger. Hunter won a lot of minutes but couldn't win rounds as Loken consistently upended Rachel Rallies, stunning her late to take the points. All for nought anyway - truly impressive defense ratifies Loken's position as one of it not the dominant champ in the game today