Boxing After Dark

Posted by Simguy 4/3/2002, 6:44 pm.

Before: “Believe it or not,” says a grinning Nia P in prefight, “I think this fight’s going to be the best night of Britney’s life. It’s the night the kid becomes a woman. Reminds me of the beatings I gave Janet Jackson on ‘Fame’—she got better because if me and I think Britney will too. Wait’ll she get my bill!” As the pressure if fighting a bantam dark horse legend wasn’t enough—stablemate Jessica Alba raising the bar through the roof with a demoralizing whack of Carmen Electra has Britney on the spot, “You never know what’s going on in the house,” says one savvy reporter. “If Spears get flattened maybe Jessica’s the boss at BSE.” Britney not doing a lot of talking—obviously very focused on what on paper could be her toughest test yet. Spears in her funky Pepsi two piece look, Nia more sedate in black Nike U back sports bra, black high cut aerobics bottoms, white shoes and gloves.

During R1: Athletic posing from both girls—Nia in an exaggerated closed martial arts stance, feet very wide apart, left shoulder pointed at Britney, body weight leaning onto the right leg away from Britney, right hand at the chest, left just off the hip—Spears also in a closed stance, hands stacked at her stomach—girls bouncing, flexing, testing each other’s reflexes. No meaningful contact, but Spears gambling a bit, jumping in lead rights, trying to land the calling card hook off the pivot. Peeps defenses it all but does a fair amount of backtracking and regrouping to forfeit the round.

R2: Britney flat footed, supple to her left, trying to turn Nia’s flank—Peeples, shifting, trying to get the jab working—distance and reflexes of both girls negating each other to some extent. Break comes late—Britney jumps in with the lead right, feet get square as Nia fades the move, then counters with that jolting little hook—all torso and hack behind the punch. Spears shook up. Continues to stumble forward, Nia stepping back lightly and biting the hook on the chin to put Spears wobbly butt at the bell. Peeps nodding at the good solid touch to take the round.

R3: Spears showing youthful resilience, shaking off the hammer and moving well—Peeples having more trouble leading than she did countering—Spears using her legs, liquid upper body moces to avoid serious damage. Britney making Nia come forward and picking the brunette up with backhand jabs, a nice little counter hook on her own and the surprising stop and go lead right. Final moments, Britney freezes Nia with the sneaky right from the hip—Peeps covers up to block, and Britney reaches over to spank kidney at the bell, Achy Nia arching and glaring, shaking her head “no” at the cheap shot.

R4: Nia pressing the action, not being more effective—Spears retreating in good order, has the brunette cooperating somewhat—Peeples getting swatted and cuffed as Spears brings punches up from her hips, follows through to either side and slips the receipts. Britney showing a nice knack of exploiting Nia’s complacency=--Spears can often stop her retreat and walk Peeples into a sneaky right hand uppercut to the belly. Or bending right off the face—Nia not hurt, but she’s giving away points with ineffective bullying.

R5: Peeples regroups, shows veteran poise with adjustments. Peeps with a great stubby jab starts to put it on Britney—in the chest, on the arms, touching and steering the blonde to cut off the ring. Nia gets her first moments with Britney at the ropes—prodding Spears with the right to set up vicious licking hooks to the ribcage and ear. Britney able to split off the perimeter. But she’s in rag-tag retreat this round as Peeple’s fists start to mind the mark. Final minute, Britney slides back, times Nia’s jab and stakes all on a crashing overhand right, beating Peeples to the punch and NIA IS HURT! Nia’s own right hand sails over the top as she nearly corkscrews to mat! Britney with a little push on the chest gets Peeples sleepwalking backward—Nia just staring, hands at her chest, as Brit steps with her, leaves the keft on Nia’s bra and pounds away with rights to the face, stepping Peeples to the ropes, Nia stupefied, gloves at her lips as Britney squares up: harsh, clubbing lefts and rights on either side of the jaw—Nia just SOAKING it up—Britney pulling Peeple’s guard down as she follows through witjh punches AND THE REF STEPS IN! Nia Peeples blubbering incoherently as the official stop sit—TKO5 Britney Spears!

After: To call it the Upset of the Year maybe doesn’t give Britney enough credit to begin with, but one look at Nia’s devastated expression tells the story of expectation here. Peeples recovers quickly, demands a rematch on camera: “Some things never change. Politics in the 8os. Politics in the 90s and now this!” Harsh words, but Britney took 4 rounds on the cards, took a good shot herself and poured it on when she got an opening—it’s tough to take it away from her. Jessica and Britney carouse during the ring celebration. Arms around shoulders—young guns playfully proclaim a new age at bantam: “Nia got old tonight. Carmen’s what? 30 something? Lucy Liu’s just about done. Danes, Dushku—step on up and get some. Who else can we call? Jamie—baby, Jamie Pressly come get some…” on and on—youthful exuberance—you get the picture. And Peeples gnashing her teeth in a lonely corner.

Reposted by Archer 7/17/13.