Posted by Simguy on 1/30/2004, 7:29 am.

Before: Knightley the underdog, but you’d never know it--effervescent youngster champing at the bit to match wits and skills with ex-champ Hu, who pundits argue, is struggling for the first time in her career. “Kelly hasn’t been the same since Jennifer Connelly took her apart,” notes one bantam division news hawk. “Not saying she doesn’t deserved to be favored here, but Knightley’s spirit is exactly the sort of thing that’s giving Kelly trouble--if Hu is down in herself and Kelly comes out strong anything could happen.” Kelly in black leather bra style bikini, slick low ponytail, looking a little thick tonight, some controversy over her weight as she’s definitely the bigger girl, but making 120 on her second attempt, Keira in navy pheasant top, pale blue strings laced up the front, bare midriff, navy boy-cut trunks w/pale blue laces up the front. Knightley banging down hard on Kelly’s gloves after instructions, smiling broadly: Kelly fuming.

During R1: Kelly in close stance, left shoulder pointed at Keira, right hand under the chin, left hand low--Knightley steps right, slings a clubbing right that Kelly ducks away from, but Keira sticks with it. Knightley hacking gangly rights to Kelly’s ears as Hu tries to duck and step away from it--Hu sent scattering, legs momentarily buckled--she’s forced to skip along the perimeter to regain her bearings. Rest of the way very tactical. Keira right hand chest high, left hand at her waist, lots of shoulder feints, torso dips and head movement. Both women gliding back to fade pressure from the other, dragging the lead foot, both stepping out and walking to either side, well out of range, not a lot of contact as snipers jockey prettily for position.

R2: Boxing purists loving it--donnybrook fans a little restless: girls putting on a boxing clinic. Legs on show in spots--neither girl shy about dancing away to reset or create an angle, but both are adept at going flat footed, trusting supple torso moves to keep them safe in the pocket. Girls often stand in front of each other feinting and twitching, bending down, leaning onto the back foot, twisting to parry blows, trying to trap and counter-trap one another. Keira a little bandier-armed in her delivery--she steps in and slings the hook, or comes over the top with ba tight overhand right off the spitting jab. Hun using the up-jab off the hip, leaning away from Keira while slipping punches, then trying to stab back with that jolting, screened straight right, mopping up the lean-away hook. Keira holding her own, but Hu was born to fight this way: points to Kelly.

R3: More of it. Some stepping, nimble footwork in spots, some flat footed slick torso boxing, girls trying to work in and out, both trying to put combinations together, but defense still reigning supreme. Keira putting her hook to good use more often downstairs--licking and lashing at Hu’s ribs and tummy--Kelly starting to notice the strokes and overcompensate for them. Down the stretch, Knightley with a nice slashing hook amidships, then bending in with the tidy overhand right catches Kelly flush under the left eye and HU IS HURT! Kelly sputtering into the ropes, blinking, shaking her head--Knightley hops forward, slender arms slicing away, elbows in as she shortens up the strokes--it’s a festive beat down at the bell. Hu shook up--Keira bright and shiny--Knightley’s getting to Hu through 3.

R4: Shutout Keira Knightley. Hu going completely defensive--had her bell rung, needs time to regroup--she skirts the perimeter making spin moves at the ropes, bounce-moves in the corner, sidestepping and running from her opponent. Knightley doesn’t do a lot of damage but she looks good coming forward, aggressively seeking pitched battle, mocking Kelly when she doesn’t get it.

R5: Hu’s legs are back, eyes are flat with annoyance--she takes it to Keira like a master craftswoman this round. Hu attempting, pivoting to her left, snapping that up-jab off her hip hip and bouncing Keira’s pretty face back. Kel jabbing to the body then getting a quick biting hook as she pivots 90 degrees clockwise--Keira taking clean, clouting blows hard for the first time tonight. All adds up--final moments--Knightley starting to look shopworn, unable to find Kelly, getting tagged. Hu jabs to tummy, ducks and jabs to tummy, ducks, gets Keira to react and HOOKS HER JAW! Keira’s legs go wonky, stepping funky--Hu on her with a series of hopping, slash-hooks--Keira just taking on her face as she staggers back into the ropes. Knightley covers up--Hu feasts on pale ribs, baring her teeth as she tucks trembling Brit--ref has to break this thing up after the bell as Kelly won’t stop.

R6: Credit Keira Knightley--she takes the best of Hu, keeps her composure, gets back to boxing midring. Feint, move, counter-move, twitchy reflexes--girls brushing each other with punches, neither able to really land with authority this round. Hard to get the better of Hu in this kind of fight: corner reminds Keira to go body on Kelly to start her sequences.

R7: Kelly dictating early, spotting her jab belly and head, making her pretty pivots, but Knightley’s poised, defending it well. Second minute--Keira jabs, slashes a right up top that misses, then slings that slicing hook downstairs--she’s got a Hu bending, defending. Knightley steps right, exposing Kelly’s left side--she’s got Hu bending, defending. Knightley steps right, exposing Kelly’s left side--pitches a HARD right sidearm roundhouse to the kidney, straightening Kelly up in pain. Slashing left hook catches Kelly on the mouth and HU COMES UNDONE! Hu staggering sideways, bending and slipping as Keira comes forward with slashing lefts and rights in circular arcs--Hu hit’s the ropes--Keira tearing it up with gusto! Final minute--Kelly slipping and rolling at the ropes, starts making Keira miss, starts fitting in short stamping counter rights to the chin and that tight, tight left hook upside the head and KEIRA’S SHOOK! Knightley staggering back open-mouthed--Hu jumping off the strands with a lead right--bangs back Keira’s face and gets her backpedaling. Hu with lead rights straight up the middle, turning her hips to sling home the hook--she shellacks her opponent the length of the ring to drive Keira ropeside, Hu tidying up late, raking the body and head with that snapping, compact delivery--Keira’s busted up, Kelly’s trembling, crowd’s on its feet after 7!

R8: Keira won’t punk! Knightley still spititng that long jab, occupying Hu, stepping right and pounding that sweeping right to the exposed back to her foe, slashing and clawing hooks at Hu’s rightside ribs--Kelly wearing down, face taut as she retreats around the ring, settling into the ropes at the midway point, Keira cautious, but unrelenting, jabbing Kelly bat the ropes, touching her tummy, touching her face, slapping at her, then bending in with screaming, overhand rights, raking Hu hooks before stepping outside to reset, I n and out, Keira nibbling and mauling--Hu grimacing, left hand across her gut, right hand at her cheek, trying to slip the incoming. Final moments, Keira with an overhand right--Kelly slips it--Keira twisting her hips and slinging in the come-back hook and HU CATCHES IT IN HER TEETH! Hu stunned, leaning back on the ropes and Keira SLAMS home that right hand flush on the face SPILLING KELLY TO THE CANVAS! Hu on all fours, nose bloodied, eyes wide and staring--she beats the count as Keira tears around the ring with airplane arms, soccer style celebration.

R9: HU ANSSWERS! All night long it’s been Keira showing guts, coming back after Kelly spots, now Hu shows what she’s made of. First minute, Kelly repeatedly buckles Keira’s knees with snap-hooks off the belly jab, pivoting to the left, turning Keira, whittling away at her. Second minute--Hu does some work downstairs, turning into that straight, stabbing right hand to the solar plexus that once demoralized Eliza Dushku--Keira going pale, staggering back as she soaks up these dagger-thrusts. Final minute a swarming, non-stop slash-attack along the ropes--Keira sliding mute to her right, hands up--Kelly stepping with and tearing away--rights and lefts upside the head, hard to the ribs, gorgeous, shearing arcs and KEIRA GOES DOWN! Knightley finally beaten to her knees, body trembling, mouth bloodied, Hu pushed back by the ref: her eyes never leave Keira’s carcass as she presses against the man’s hand at the bell.

R10: Close fight, both beauties have asked and answered--they meet midring, get flat footed and supple-torsoed, slicing and slipping, dipping and twisting in classy, yet toe to toe action, Glancing connects, grazing close-calls along chins, about the temples as tension mounts. Neck and neck down the stretch--Kelly misses a right hand, both girls try for hooks and HU’S FINDS THE MARK! Kelly tugging on Keira’s chin a tasty hook, head snap Brit and Knightley sputters into the ropes ramshackle! ON COMES KELLY! Months of frustration pouring out the Asian beauty as she piles on--letting her hands go in tearing bursts up and down Keira’s bony frame. Knightley covered up, leaning back and forth, shipping shellack, but she won’t go down. Bell sounds--ref tackles Kelly away--comes back UD10 Kelly Hu.

After: Terrific fight does wonders for both women. Knightley wins round, drops Kelly and earns some hard-won credibility from doubters who openly questioned Keira’s ability to compete at the highest levels. Hu finally shows fortitude, will to win--she came off the canvas to basically break Keira in the 9^th like a veteran ex-champ and pound for pound mainstay should. Both girls frazzled by punishment and their own efforts--a hard, yet classy dime, something of a rarity in the brawling FCBA.

Reposted by Archer 4/9/12.