Posted by Simguy on 10/10/2003, 6:39 am.

Before: Romanov in with the hardest one-shot puncher of her career, great opportunity for Stephanie to claim legitimacy at Beyonce’s expense. Romanov’s shown a more complete toolbox than Knowles, but Beyonce’s one dimension is a fearsome one—Stephanie’s going to have to live up to her own bulling just to got he distance, much less win the match. Beyonce in green halter bikini top, yellow full coverage bikini bottoms—Stephanie in navy bra and panties, white lace trim.

During R1: Beyonce striding forward into murderous KO blows, crouching on follow through, looking to wallop away with the opposite hand. Romanov not even trying to hold her ground chased from one side of the ring to the other—she’s shameless about clinching or running to run the clock. Knowles gobbling points via the shutout, but Romanov escaping serious injury—she won’t win rounds this way, but she may be able to survive. Beyonce badk to her corner already mouthbreathing.

R2: Knowles reckless on the attack once again—Romanov digging in just a bit more as she looks to fight in spots. Stephanie retreating, then stopping, leaning in to trade—elbows in, hands up, she’s keeping the shots short and crisp, beating Beyonce to punches as the girls exchange. Stephanie riding her forearms onto Beyonce’s shoulders, then slugging—going to the gut one/two, covering up and rolling with Knowles’ right, then clipping Beyonce’s chin a little right/left uppercut, covering up and dipping under the receipt. Slowly but surely, Romanov’s stop and go assaults bring the Beyonce freight train to a crawl—Knowles wading forward, shipping body blows as Stephanie walks her into punishment late.

R3: Beyonce undaunted, sailing into Stephanie with wild right hands and leaping hooks—openings are there, but Knowles doing a nice job of putting punches together—Stephanie’s never comfortable standing in the pocket to time a hard counter. Romanov being back up—Knowles emboldened—down the stretch, B misses a right, steps forward with the punch and heaves a wide left roundhouse from the southpaw stance: STEPHANIE’S ROCKED! Romanov clipped moving straight back and she’s ramshackle at the ropes, covering up on stiff legs as Knowles wades in. Beyonce belting away at the hips and flanks—Stephanie soaking it up—she finally locks Beyonce up head and arm to hang on to the bell.

R4: Beyonce visibly slowing—torrid pace taking its toll on the jiggly popstar. As Knowles’ volume drops—Stephanie’s able to sharpshoot more—using her height, sticking and circling Beyonce, dropping right crosses with authority. Knowles showing complete disdain as she walks in, loads up and pitches, missing and catching more often than not.

R5,6: Stephanie exerting control, circling patiently now, able t work at her won pace a Beyonce follows, but isn’t able to get that insane pressure. Romanov bunting her guard up against Knowles, then getting off short: spanking belly shots, jagged uppercuts, thumping ribwork—good steady assortment of power punches has Knowles walking forward through quicksand, slowly absorbing a shellacking.

R7: Romanov feeling it now, thinks she has Beyonce broken down—Step squares away and starts taking it to her girl. Knowles getting cracked clean on her face, jolted in the body—she’s buckling, but standing her ground and slamming right back. Entertaining slugfest evolves—Romanov working out of the tight guard, throwing in tightly clipped twos, Beyonce wide with either hand, following through with a shoulder into Steph’s chest—anything to get the taller girl moving backward. Down the stretch, Romanov executed her turn at the ropes, jabbing at Beyonce while wheeling left and STEPHANIE GOES DOWN! Rocketing right hand out of nowhere from Beyonce—she steps in, hauls in over Steph’s stick and Romanov’s all a-quiver, downed at the ropes. Stephanie up at 8 and saved by the bell—eyes are glassy, legs rubbery as Knowles grins it up.

R8: Steph trying to run but her legs aren’t back—after a minute Knowles presses her to the ropes and starts to work Romanov over in earnest. Beyonce crowding in, getting her head between Steph’s mitts, getting thick to the midsection, then jerking uppercuts up in tight to scare Romanov back. Gut check time for Stephanie—she’s getting hit, she’s getting hurt, she can’t finesse her way out of this—she’s got to soak up punishment and gut it out. Knowles putting in hard minutes on her girl, beating Romanov heartlessly in the ribs—Steph makes it to the bell, staggers away shabby.

R9: Punch and clutch from Romanov—smartly done, Knowles walking in, usually beaten to the punch as Steph jams I the right cross, then gloms on for the break. When Steph doesn’t want to fight, she’s circling outside behind her jab, using the ring—Knowles not cutting off the canvas, keeps waiting for Romanov to present her chin.

R10: Beyonce with booming body punches in the opening minute—Steph taking them covered up, then sloughed off to the side on shaky legs, but Romanov weathers the storm. By the second minute—Steph’s got that hard stick on Beyonce’s available face again, tracking Knowles effortlessly as the singer wades in. Down the stretch, fatigue, Romanov’s consistent body work has Knowles worn down: Beyonce’s able to get inside, she’s reaching around her girl’s waist, looking to clinch! Steph outworking her foe to the bell, punching, clinching, turning and walking Beyonce around., Comes back UD10 by a single point: Stephanie Romanov!

After: Knowles sullen, all shined up and gingerly hugging battered ribs after the decision—actually a good fight for her despite the loss as she kept hounding Romanov even when the quick stop didn’t happen. But Romanov carves out an impressive duke—giving ground in good order when Beyonce was too strong, touching Knowles in the body to weaken her, wicking that power away, then picking spots to bust Beyonce up and fight her when Knowles’ energy waned. Romanov the best outsider to shake up the country club since Jenny O’Dell.

Reposted by Archer 12/12/09.