Originally posted by Simguy on 6/1/2002, 6:40 am

Before: Nice boxer/puncher match up—Shakira a compact power puncher in the Lil Kim mode, hoping to duplicate the rap star’s success with bantam, pop at sub110. Portman looking sturdier than she used to, but still likely vulnerable to a good tap on the chin, can’t let up for a moment against the voluptuous Colombian. Good pre-fight tension as well with the fiery Latina promising carnage—Portman with her back up whenever shes referred to as a stepping stone. All comes to a head in the ring fight-night as Portman stands with hands on hips, rolling her eyes while Shakira does an extended belly dance sequence midring for the crowd. Nat in white sports bra, white hipster aerobics trunks, white shoes and gloves, hair braided, tied back in a battle bun—Shakira in belly dancing outfit black gossamer pantaloons, black bra with silver filigree.

During R1: Portman with the right cocked at her chin, elbow in, left spitting out jabs from chest, brunette a little upright and rigid but moving nicely to her left, fending Shakira off with timely, spiteful sticks. Nat using the ring, keeping Shak in the center, touching the blonde up for a surprising shutout. Shakira sent to her corner with a bloody nose courtesy Natalie’s pumping left.

R2: Return of serve shutout for an angered-up blonde. she walks through the Portman jab, banging away with wide swinging left and rights to either side of the waist—brunette bludgeoned to the ropes right where blonde wants her. Shakira shoving and slugging like she’s beating down a tourist in a Bogota alley—bracing with her left shoulder and elbow, snapping her fists off the ribs and chest of her foe—Portman covering her face and rolling with punches, but getting battered nonetheless. At the bell—Shakira bodying up and letting Natalie hear ir—boozy brunette back numb from punishment.

R3: Shakira with big first minute, brawling Natalie back into the ropes then harming the brunette with more free swinging haymakers to the ribs, reaching under Nat’s arms to chest the brunette into the strands, slamming away to the torso. Natalie tightening up the defence, chipping away in between the wide punches with little right and left uppercuts, finally succeeds in spinning off the ropes and getting back to midring. Middle minute all Portman as she gives ground, picks Shakira up with the jab, check hook, then drilling right hand as the blonde walks straight in. Down the stretch, Shakira’s pressure wins out—Portman jammed into a neutral corner and savagely worked over to the bell. Shakira once again puts her weight on Nat until referee intervention—blonde leaving her scent on a shaken brunette in a hard hitting third.

R4: Portman showing terrific composure—continues to execute her gameplan—keep her back off the ropes, work the jab, give Shakira lateral movement. Nat nice with that left hand, really shining up the blonde’s face with hammer-drop jab between the mitts. Portman stepping left around a firm hook on the jaw, stamping an accurate forward the entire round shows no respect, but she’s not getting off and she’s not protecting herself—Portman busting the popstar up in the nose once again after a series of scoring one-twos at the bell.

R5: Shak-attack  in the first minute as blonde tackles brunette to the ropes, pushes off and unleashes hell—Portman covered up, calm, rolling with the thunder, then spinning out as Shakira gets too wild. All Natalie the rest of the way—now sticking the jab hard to Shakira’s face, stopping the blonde in her tracks and leaving her vulnerable to straight punching patterns of rights and lefts to the head and chest. Best combination punching of Portman’s career—eyes are bright, legs strong as she pounds away on a confused, groggy Shakira at the bell.

R6: Portman jabbing Shakira back into her corner with a fencer’s stomp, then putting terrific combinations together to put the blonde wobbly butt, Shakira crossing her arms, stooping forward sleepy as punches criss cross against her sleepy face, stamp into her small breasts—Portman just standing up straight and jamming straight ripping lefts and rights as fast as she can. Shakira finally going to the clinch, walks Natalie back to midring for a break, but Portman takes over immediately. Nat jab, jab, jabbing, dropping the right cross, then turning over the little left uppercut—Shakira’s mouthpiece dribbling down her teeth as she reaches to clinch, but Portman’s not having it. Nat stepping back, letting Shakira stumble forward—Portman picks her up with a cruel left uppercut to the sternum, folding the blonde forward as Nat neatly steps to the left, drops the right hand over Shakira’s left shoulder to send her sputtering sideways to the ropes. Portman stepping in close, nudging Shakira back with her head and right fist, then RIPPING that left uppercut home once more to the solar plexus. Shakira crying out on pain, no longer defending herself and PORTMAN PILES ON! Natalie just pumping it in—punches don’t look destructive, but they’re all landing. Shakira just pushing back weakly and getting worked over and THE REF STEPS IN! Shakira blubbering protests gets stopped out at the ropes—TKO6  Natalie Portman.

After: Scribes fumble for their boxing almanacs, trying to discover if this is Natalie’s first win as a pro—it’s certainly her first stoppage, leaving a favoured and stronger blonde shaking uncontrollably in the ref’s arms. Shakira landing hard in the second and third, but never able to get Natalie with any truly dangerous power—Portman moving just enough, punching from the right distance, timing Shakira perfectly—Natalie finesses her girl for a career best performance. “All the experience I’ve had over the years—that was the difference” says a triumphant Natalie, “Every time I took a beating, I learned something, took something from the fight. Now, I’m a Mish Williams with discipline. I’m a Claire Danes with pop. I’m a Kelly Packard with youth. Everybody better take a good look at Shakira—there’s more where that came from!” Strong words—Portman backers probably hoping their girl can compete with the likes of Alyson Hannigan, Jennifer Love Hewitt et al FIRST before challenging division elites.

Reposted by Archer 8/3/09.