UNIFIED MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE

Posted by Simguy on 12/30/2000, 1:12 pm.

Before; Crawford not known for risk taking, but she can’t claim to have flattened the division without beating Peta, and Wilson’s only going to get better if she’s not dealt with now. Peta very dynamic for a big woman--it’s the speed that Cindy’s got to worry about as much as anything else. Wilson in black nike two piece aerobics look, Cindy in grey stretch cotton sports bra, navy stretch shorts, messy ponytail.

During R1, 2: Cindy using all her tactical wiles, fighting safety first in tense early action. Crawford slapping, then spearing the jab, constantly circling, jumping in to clinch--she steers Peta effectively, dropping the odd right hand, then extending both hands to push off, preventing Wilson’s counter. Peta getting outboxed, bit not discouraged, keeps the pressure on with her legs, constantly cutting the ring down, chopping punches from her high guard, occasionally testing the water with lunging hook as Crawford wheels away, Both rounds to Cindy--she’s got Peta playing chess

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R3: Peta finally getting to Cindy’s chin with a sharp right hand over the brunette’s jab00Crawford double clutching and Wilson putting a biting left/right on the model’s face to send Cindy reeling. Crawford on her bicycle, hands full extended as she runs--Peta stalking after her can’t quite put the finishing touches on a hurt champion. Cindy righting the ship late, licks a nice hook up into Peta ‘s chest and drops the right hand on the mouth without effect as Wilson walks through the punishment--round to Peta.

R4: Cindy stepping into her jab finally stop Wilson’s advance--Crawford’s knuckles spanking full onto Peta’s face in the fist minute to give the brunette breathing room. Cindy c has Peta backing up for the first time, and midway through, Crawford leans into a harpooning right off the jab that catches Wilson stepping straight back--PETA GOES DOWN! Wilson scooting to her butt as Crawford hops to a neutral corner--Peta more angry than hurt, bounces right up, impatiently waits as her gloves are cleaned, then tears into the champ.. Cindy hounded to the ropes, covers up and takes a beating to her arms and sides as Wilson shakes of the knockdown but can’t recoup the points--round big to Cindy.

R5: Peta fired up, hounds Crawford around the perimeter and collapses the brunette;s defense. Girls leaning into dangerous punches and Wilson skids a looping right hand across Crawford’s brow to put the champ in trouble. Cindy faltering to the ropes, eyes glassy, lifts her mitts to her eyebrows and goes into rope-a-dope mode--just standing there, turning with Peta’s punches, letting the blonde get off and hopefully taking some of the blonde’s boundless energy. Wilson working methodically, pushing up oin Cindy, pulling at the brunettes arms, ripping left/right to the solid waist as Crawford takes bell to bell. Crawford getting a lecture in her corner--Peta cant be duped with that stuff at the ropes.

R6: Cindy back on her toes--she’s most successful when she’s outside, using lateral movement and reach to minimize Peta’s opportunities Wilson stalking,. Taking chances to land and she’s getting nicked, picked up nice by Crawford’s educated left hand. Crawford ,moving to her right, suddenly stops, leans into a short right hand on the button that catches Peta moving in--Wilson’s knees buckle--she dips, then covers up as Crawford spanks oiut a 3 punch salvo and gets out of Dodge. Cindy able to potshot, hit and run the rest of the way--doesn’t follow up--blonde gets her legs back by the end of the round.

R7: Girls trade right hands and CINDY GETS STAGGERED! Crawford staggering away with a sad, hurt expression as Peta walks her down. Crawford wobbles to a seat on the non the ropes and digs in--toe to toe war breaks out as the crowd eats it up. Peta squared up, pressing in on Cindy, putting a forearm in on the champ before digging to the waist, coming off the body with chopping wide blows from either side. Crawford bobbing her head, fitting her short counter shots in between Peta’s blows--both women male solid contact this round as faces are spanked--Crawford can’t fight her way off the ropes, Peta can’t break Cindy down in tight 2-way action.

R8: Peta mowing Cindy down in the first minute--Wilson shattering 2 punch bursts are battering the brunette along the ropes., Midway through, Crawford timing the blonde rocks away, then bounces in with a short right hand on the chin and PETA IS HURT! Wilson stumbling to her right, draping face first over the ropes for a moment and Crawford goes to the rib cage with wide swinging right hands. Crawford beating Peta ip on the ropes, fighting big for the first time--shoving and slugging the challenger, nailing Peta with beefy right uppercuts, wide left hands on the ear. Wilson all wide-eyed and wobbly butt at the bell gets a taste this round and looks good to go as she sloughs to her corner.

R9: Wilson digs down, going shoulder to shoulder with Crawford as the champ rolls the dice. Girls hunkering in, hands held across bellies as they lean big against one another, trying to walk the opponent back--smarting licks trade back and forth--punches short and clipped as girls try to keep a shoulder on the foe. Peta pounds it out of Cindy toe to toe--champ failing to hurt Wilson, instead finds herself soaking up big time hurt to the body and head--at the end of 9 both women are looking ragged, shiny-faced--Crawford taking a slim lead into the ninth.

R10: Cindy goes into prevent mode--dancing, backhanding a defensive jab and keeping her distance as Peta turns, bobs with fists at her temples, looking for an opening. Crawford running the clock like a pro, pulls away from a desperate Wilson right hand at the midway point and gets CLOCKED A BIG LEFT HAND! Cindy dazed, hands at her stomach dribbles to the ropes--Peta rushing in. Wilson going to the body with ripping lefts and rights has Crawford leaning forward to clinch--blonde CHURNING punches inside, working up the torso to bang lefts and rights off the chin--CRAWFORD SWOONING, standing straight up and going numb as fists crash off her face AND THE REF JUMPS IN! Cindy vibrating, cradled in the ref’s arms stares dimly into the crowd as Peta bounds around the ring. TKO10 for the winner and NEW middleweight champ Peta Wilson!

After: Crawford’s reign of terror wraps up early, put to the sword by brash young Peta in a tremendous back and forth slugfest. Wilson down on the cards going into the final stanza, kept her poise, continued to collapse in on Crawford and finally got to Cindy’s chin with fight stopping force to pull off the upset. Cindy’s grand plans up in smoke, another big name victim in one of the most disastrous weekends on record for blue chip stars. Worse yet for HBO--Wilson ion contract with Sky Broadcasting--middleweights who want their shot might have to travel to Australia to get it.

Reposted by Archer 12/31/12.