PHOTOS COURTESY BI PHOTO LAB 

Unified Flyweight Title

Posted by Simguy on 2/14/2004, 9:40 am.

Before: Claire glowing, self-assured with the press--she’s every inch the champ at this point, really growing into the role nicely. “I’m so glad this fight got made,” announces Danes. “Beating up Mish AND Salma will really cement me as the dominant figure in this division. Taming bullies is sweet and when you can turn them back as champion, it’s even sweeter--I’m really looking forward to this challenge.” Hayek keeping her cool--that discipline will be key in any confrontation with Danes. “We all know that Claire Danes would go to sleep if I hit her cleanly,” confides Salma, “but it’s a mistake to try. This will not be Michelle Williams swinging and being picked apart--I will bury Danes under punches, fight off her chest, smother her. If the knockout comes, it comes, but that is my intent. I will overwhelm Claire, break her down and give her no room to breathe. That is my plan.” Two confident beauties: somebody’s gotta have their bubble burst. Claire in red bra style bikini, black shoes. Salma Boxeadoras International battle dress (wet black leather sports bra; wet black leather mini-trunks with wet black leather mini-skirt and gold tassel fringe; and wet black leather boxing boots).

During R1: Danes opens as a southpaw, forcing adjustments on Salma’s feet as Claire rotates counterclockwise behind a spitting right jab. Claire leaning in close, dragging a thick left hand to the pit of Salma’s breadbasket, sliding back out with a forget-me-not right hook cuff atop the head--good slick stuff. Hayek dukes up, not liking it in the body much, trying to unpack the hook but it’s not that effective against Danes’ unorthodox look. Tactical round, Claire.

R2: Hayek stepping left getting her lead foot outside Claire’s. shooting the straight right hand into Danes’ chest and teeth--Claire disrupted as Salma uses textbook moves against the southpaw stance. Danes stepping back into orthodox at the midway point, but Salma’s got a good head of steam going at this point--she’s consistently able to jab her way inside and ply Danes’ right flank with classic, tearing Latina hooks. Tactical round, Salma.

R3: Danes slap n’ slippin’--showing the left jab, lead foot in a bucket as she pivots to her left, bending at the waist and just nibbling at Hayek midring. Salma turning, hooking off her jab but finding Claire an elusive target--Latina visibly frustrated as time and again, blonde wheels away from flush contact. Midway through, Danes with a nice looking hook in under the elbow off the front foot, shifts weight to her back foot to slap a hook across Salma’s chops, then drives in with a drilling hesitation right on the mouth! Hayek staggered by the poke, stomping back on her heels a few steps, eyes wide with respect. Claire works her girl to the ropes with jabs, then starts lathering to the gut, weaving her torso side to side, pulling in belly-swatting leather. Hayek gritting her teeth, digging in, she hooks her way out of trouble, clouting Claire about the chest and chin to back the blonde off and avoid the shutout. Round to Danes.

R4: Hayek forward with a stubby jab, scooting footwork to the side--she’s boxing the boxer a little bit, unsettling Claire. Salma edging in from angles, carrying her right hand into Claire’s tummy, hook-hooking her chest, dipping and clouting her chin--Danes taking shots, put ropeside under fire. Salma driving into blonde with head, shoulders, elbows and both dukes a-pumping--it’s a Tijuana alley brawl. Danes rolling a lot of punches to take the steam off ‘em, but she’s forced to lower head and heave punches into her foe to keep from being punched right out of the ring. Fans roaring as stubby, straight lefts and rights pour through Claire’s guard, pounding blunt off her face, sitting her back into the ropes. Furious two-way slugging after the bell--ref pulls a smoldering Latina off a trembling champion.

R5: Danes turns southpaw, lead right foot in a bucket., pivoting around it, dragging it as she slides back--champ has challenger turning and missing again as Claire re-establishes her game. Danes swiveling to her right, picking Salma up pretty outside-in right uppercuts, cuffing her right hooks on the ear, carrying the left hand straight and slinging to the chin or sidearm-thick to paunch. Hayek shellacked, regrouping, coming forward with her dukes up--she’s outclassed for points as Claire ups the ante once more.

R6: Hayek with some excruciating body shots--dipping side to side, tucking in tidy rights or lefts snug amidships--Claire’s face pale and clammy as she sinks to the ropes, sucking wind through pursed lips as Salma piles on. Hayek can’t be denied, shoving, bumping and mauling, pressing up on Claire, getting underneath and digging to the straining little tummy. Danes won’t be shutout, left hand low, she curls in sweet right uppercuts. Picking up Salma’s chin but not moving Latina back one inch. Roaring stanza goes Mexican--this thing’s tied after 6 with both beauties straining to impose their respective wills.

R7: Danes creating a little bit more distance, musing a long southpaw jab--early on she drives a ringing left hand straight through Salma’s guard, comes back a whippy wide right hook and has the challenger stepping in fence post holes. Danes smart as they come--goes right to that body with licking strokes, getting her torso behind shots, snapping her fists off Salma’s struggling belly and bringing ‘em back sharp. Hayek pulling herself together in the final minute, scoring blunt right hands to the head of Claire, rolling ‘em under to get doubled-up right uppercuts, but it’s a Claire Danes round to continue the pattern.

R8: First back to back round for either girl and it’s Claire’s. Danes able to maintain distance, leaning into lancing left hands straight up the middle to bash back Salma’s head, then roping Latina skull whipping right hooks. Claire keeping it limber, lashing Salma with slicing hooks and straight lefts from outside, going down-torso to lavish that belly--Hayek soaking up stroke this round as she falls off the pace. Salma busted up in her mouth, getting a pep talk in her corner--Claire finding rhythm, range and pace to her liking.

R9: Claire keeps it--working Salma from outside, keeping the fight midring. Hayek swelling up around the eyes, not as brazen getting to Claire’s chest--Danes able to step and pivot, keep her back clear of the ropes, patiently painting Salma from long distance. Hayek not shutout, but flustered--she’s getting boxed and can’t do anything about it at this point.

R10:: Claire sustains pace and execution, taking no chances, just boxing smart from the outside and circling the still-dangerous Latina. Salma routinely raked to the body slashing lefts and rights, lit up on her face by that driving left--none of it’s really hurting her or backing her up, but she’s definitely off balance, unable to solve the champion’s attack,. Claire pretty off the ropes, getting around Salma’s with cute sidesteps and spins, pushing Latina behind the elbows and steering her off balance--it’s classy round-winning short game. At the bell, Claire lifts her mitts and grins--Hayek grumpy, shoulders slouched as she returns to her corner. Comes back UD10 for the winner and STILL champ--classy Claire Danes.

After: Hayek and Danes locked in a see-saw dogfight through the first 6, girls taking turns dominating and dictating, then the champ steps up and sweeps the last 4 rounds to take this thing in decisive fashion. Pretty impressive--Claire boxing, but landing some respect-getters to keep the aggressive Latina at bay. “I broke her mentally,” says a grinning Claire. “She was on me like a pit bull in the first half, but it boiled down to which one of us could keep her composure, stay focused, which one of us would crack under the pressure, and Salma blinked. If you look at it. You’ll see I more than held my own on the inside where she needed to overwhelm me, but on the outside, I just pulled the strings on her and made her dance. I really cracked her in the seventh and I think that’s where things fell apart for her--she couldn’t bully me, she couldn’t outhit me, she couldn’t box me. She would never admit this, but I made Salma Hayek quit tonight with sheer consistency and professionalism. It’s a real eye-opened for her I’m sure.”

Reposted by Archer 8/5/12.