(Thanks to Fight Fan for this repost)

Posted by Sim Guy on Thursday, 27-Jan-2000 08:25:49


Before: Cynical Australian Open organizers arrange this bout for Kournakova to keep her in front of the crowd after an early exit from the draw. Anna not complaining, itching for revenge for early humiliations at the hands of Kiana, but experts from both sports wonder if her tennis shortcomings might have something to do with too much fighting on the side. Crowd swells on fight day as fight is held at center court. Anna in long braid, orange Adidas track crop top, black spandex shorts, Kiana in red spandex shorts, black sports bra, Ponytail with forelocks.

During R1: Lanky-bodies step to one another and begin unfurling heavy jabs, looking set up payoff right hands. Kiana going to Anna's midsection with spearing rights, while Anna a little lighter on her feet, giving Tom angles, and picking her up around the eyes with a bent-arm hook to scoop the points in a well-boxed first.

R2: Kiana continues to zero in on the tanned tummy of her teen opponent, banging away with straight rights, then smiling as Anna begins to wilt. Tom coming forward now, stuffing the jab into Anna's face from long range, then bending into the body shot rights to grind on the blonde this round.

R3: Kiana engages Anna toe to toe as the lanky boxers turn Hearns-like sluggers this round. Whip-action lefts and crashing right hands from the shoulder flow back and forth, and KIANA IS HURT! Tom's legs go rubbery as she is clipped over and over in fierce exchanges that go Anna's way. Kiana won't back down, and Anna starts to force the Hawaiian beauty back, clubbing the right hand down into Kiana's heroic sports bra for fun, and NAILING that hook to the right side of Kiana's head. By the midway point, Kiana is on her heels, hurt, refusing to clinch, but her arm weakly push punches while Anna continues to snap hard blows in vicious side to side jerks. Both girls miss chopping right hands, but Anna resets her feet, twists her torso into a tight, slicing hook that smashes horizontally through Kiana's jawline, finishing up at Anna's hip. Tom's own hook follows through lifelessly as she wobbles over at the waist, then pitches straight back to crash to the mat out cold. Kiana beautifully stretched out under the hot Aussie sun while Anna K celebrates a stunning upset KO3 over and around her downed opponent.

After: Kiana got old in this fight, getting beat up in the brawling exchanges that used to be her trademark. Anna stronger, bigger than she was last year just too much for the luscious Asian, leaving Kiana on her back for a sensational upset. Anna not gracious in victory, comments on Kiana's slow reflexes, shoddy technique, and lack of snap on her punches, calling Tom a shot fighter and basically suggesting that she, Kournakova, is responsible for retiring the legend, despite no announcement from Tom or her spokespeople.



Sim Guy