Posted by Simguy on Sunday, 10-Oct-1999 14:46:38

Before: Fight follows on the heels of Hu’s public statements that tom is past her prime and should retire. Kiana looking for Asian bragging rights, rises to the challenge. Kelly a balanced, dangerous fighter, but hasn’t been successful stepping up against top ten fighters, needs to make good on her boasts to avoid that second tier label. Kiana in black sports bra, silver bikini bottoms, Hu in royal blue string bikini.

During R1: Kiana jumping right on Kelly early, opens with a crushing barrage of Hearns right hands on Hu’s chin, and Kelly crashes to her back seconds into the round. Kelly beats the count, but she’s wobbly--Kiana loading  up out of a wide stance to sweeping loping lefts and rights to the girl’s ribcage and head as Hu is buffeted from one foot to the other at the bell.

R2: Kiana riverts to boxing, long legs stepping nimbly around the still hurting Hu, lifting the jab from the hip to jam into Kelly’s face, and pounding with straight right hands to the center of Kelly’s chest.

R3: Tom with the low left hand, right hand cocked, continues to lift jabs into Hu’s mouth, and a crashing over hand right sends Kelly reeling to the ropes in the first minute. Tom squaring ip, REEFS left hooks to Hu’s belly from outside, but Kelly with a desperation counter right stuns Tom midway through the round. Kiana’s torso slides on her hips, and she nearly goes down, but recovers on shaky legs to stick and move to the bell.

R4: Kelly able to consolidate, forcing her way past Tom’s jab and pounding curling one-twos off the Polynesian’s flat abs, Tom standing, legs trembling, fists at her cheeks, is hunched over and hurting from Hu’s determined body work.

R5: Tom steering Hu with the jab, keeps Kelly well outside most of the round, pivoting and turning as she keeps the fight in the middle of the round. Crowd boos as Tom uses finesse to get her legs back.

R6: Kelly cutting off the ring, uses a short, twirling left hook to the ear to club kKiana into a defensive posture, then sets up on Tom’s chest to work over her midsection with short shots inside. Shutout Kelly Hu as her smooth combinations take Tom apart, left/rights skid across Kiana‘s eyes to the bell..

R7: Tom shows her pedigree, answering Hu’s hard working shutout with one of her own. Steering Kelly with the jab, Kiana goes to work on Hu’s eyes, repaying the damage done by Kelly’s uppercuts with banging straight punches from either hand. Both Asian girls cheeks are swollen, eyes nearly closed from heartless attention to the vulnerable areas.

R8: Kiana reaching to touch Kelly with ther right, RIPS left hooks with a snapping motion into Hu’s gut, doubling the girl over in pain. Kelly unable to shake off the digging body shots, gives up another shutout as Kiana works off the hooks to land booming right hands on the jaw. Stepping into the right in the final minute, Tom has Kelly hanging on for dear life at the bell.

R9: Kiana cautious, surprised to see Hu take her best punches, fights behind the jab this round to frustrate Kelly. Hu stumbling forward, wants Kiana’s body, but just can’t get there--and the memory of those killer right hands keeps Hu from rushing in.

R10: Kelly knows she’s behind on points, and brings the fight to Kiana, walking through the jab to counter with beefy left hooks to the sports bra, Tom takes the bait and stands to slug, and both Asian beauties exchange withering hooks to the chest and chin at close range, crowd ion its feet as both girls get rocked, and in the final minute, Tom misses tired-looking right cross and gets caught a sweet left counter-hook on the chin. KIANA IS HURT! Tom with a blank expression, wanders sideways with her hands at her ribs, and hu steps with her, cranking left hooks to bang Kiana’s head flat against her shoulder. Kiana sinking to the ropes, holds her hands at her cheeks as Hu mercilessly tans her midsection with biting lefts and rights to the bell. Decision comes back unanimous duke Kiana Tom as Hu shakes her head during the announcement.

After: Animosity continues after the fight as the usually gracious Tom dismisses Tom as an “easy” fight. Kelly coming up short once again against the big name--gave Tom some anxious moments to be sure. Kiana calls out Tia Carrere for ultimate Asian bragging rights during post fight press conference.

Reposted by Archer 2/26/11.