SOUTH BEACH BOXING

Posted by Simguy on 2/15/2005

Before: PPV worthy bout happening in boxing's 'other' mecca: Miami's South Beach.

"It's just a different flavour," says local fave Eva Mendes in prefight. "I'll fight on HBO, but I'm not an 'HBO' fighter - you know? Vivica and I are a hot, hot match up - Miami really responds to a fight like this - the fans get it and that's why I love fighting here."

Fox always a menacing presence - typical chip on her shoulder when it comes to boxing politics. "You know, for years, if your name wasn't Halle Berry, you couldn't get the big boys to look at you. I'm a main event fighter in Miami and I like that. I'd take less money to fight an Eva Mendes in a meaningful scrap off-PPV rather than being buried in a deep undercard on HBO anytime. To me - Mendes/Fox is the best fight in the country, no matter what anybody says."

Fox in leopard print bikini, teak arm band, gold belly chain, slick low ponytail - Mendes in dark chocolate bikini, brass ring connections jug and hip, slick low ponytail. Elf-cut short leopard print boxing shoes for Viv - elf-cut short chocolate felt boxing shoes for Eva.

During R1: Eva showing an Erik Morales stance - right hand high around the temple, left lower, forward and bouncing in the air - she'll drag her back foot as she attacks, drag the front foot as she fades or slides to the side. Fox with a more supple, crouching, flat footed style, right at her cheek, left low, pointing the left shoulder at Mendes, bending at the knees and waist to stay low. Eva getting a taste of Viv's power early - Fox trading rights, back with a lashing hook out of the crouch to torque Mendes' head around - Eva sent staggering back on her heels wide-eyed, shocked.

R2: Eva's turn - jabbing while bouncing in and out - she gets to Vivica with a rush of chopping overhand rights and rising left uppercuts to drive Fox ropeside. Mendes operating at close range - knuckling Vivica's shoulders, hook-hooking her behind the elbow, sliding back a half step to get the licking left uppercut, then forward again with a crunching short right to put Fox sideways, face-in-gloves at the ropes. Mendes squaring away, going to the body with a steady stream of rip-licking hooks, elbowing Fox upright and clubbing away up top with short rights.

R3: Good tough, disciplined two way. Eva sliding in dukes at temples, trying to get close, dip the left shoulder and clip Viv's chin the left uppercut. Fox bending at the waist - easing her left shoulder into Mendes body and pivoting to the right around it - she's got Mendes turning a little, following and responding. Fox strapping away licking left hooks to Mendes' golden ribs, scoring with a rising jab off the hip to Eva's lips, and bending into the odd looping overhand right to Mendes ear.

R4: Rugged two way continues. Mendes maintaining the high, tight guard, edging close, dipping and deploying sticking left hooks, uppercuts against offending ribs, jug and chin. Fox getting hit hard, taking a good shot but her output's dropping - she's starting to get backed up, showing a leggier look as she hops along the perimeter to ease Eva's pressure.

R5: Good scouring round of work, Eva Mendes. Mendes more or less upright, chopping her jab at Fox, walking Viv down. Eva keeping the right at her temple as she digs hooks to waist, rakes her left uppercuts and uses the left elbow to shove Vivica around - good brawny stuff from the Latina. Fox defensively sound, blocking a lot of the head shots, but suffering to her body as Mendes lays down the law bell to bell. Breezy confidence on Mendes face en route to her corner: she's starting to feel it.

R6: Viv breaks up the party, fighting Mendes to a standstill midring, then slowly taking the round with consistent late effort. Mendes upright, working in the vertical plane with chopping rights and rising lefts - Fox tending to work in the horizontal plane with sweeping, slinging hooks, looping right hands. Fox sliding/pivoting to the right, using her left shoulder as the hinge-point on Eva's body. Vivica utilizing better upperbody movement - she's able to stand right in front of Mendes and make her miss, then cash in on available Mendes ribs, tits and chin.

R7: Vivica stuns Mendes an early looping right on the ear - follows up with another and another to drive Eva ropeside. Fox brazen, dropping her left to her side as she strides in, then bends to get another crashing right upside the head, catching Eva's ear as Mendes covers up. Fox' fists asking some hard questions: licking, meanspirited hooks gutting Mendes along the waist, looping right hands clapping on the ear - Fox leaning in with her head, pulling the shots into Eva with slinging power. Down the stretch, vicious rights and lefts to the waist and flank have Mendes stooping forward gutshot: Viv snarling, turns her left shoulder and snags rack a series of hardhearted little swiping lefts. Eva groaning, manages a desperate clinch, riding out the clock on trembling legs.

R8: Eva back with disciplined boxing: the high right hand, the stiff, step-in jab and hooks-off-the-jab. Fox fading, sliding, bending low to ease her shoulder into Eva's hips then pivoting round her. Latina making the fight for 2 minutes when she walks into a looping right on the jaw, followed up with a slinging left/right clout on the chin that has Mendes tottering on her heels. Vivica takes over on hurting Eva - wading in with rich, thick, strapping rights and lefts to the ribs as Mendes tilts forward while stepping back in trouble. Viv helping herself late - left hand riding on Eva's upperback while hoisting rights rip at tender guts, helpless jugs to the bell.

R9: Mendes showing tremendous resilience, shakes off sock, outboxes Vivica bell to bell. Jab starting to really lump Fox' beautiful face up - Mendes stabbing it in, knocking back Vivica's face, startling her. Hooks to ear and flank still crisp, snappy - Fox cringing slightly after impact, giving Eva that split second advantage she needs to keep the initiative. Mendes right hand the only thing not working terrifically well - Fox' natural shoulder-roll and upperbody bobbing taking most of the sting off the punch.

R10: Viv silky smooth, flat footed - she jabs to Eva's body, then rolls away from Eva's left, slips low under Eva's right while inching back a half step - Fox walking Eva into a perfect, clanging counter left hook clap on the jaw. MENDES GOES DOWN! Eva switched off at the knees, sprawls prettily to her back, thumbs at her eyebrows, face contorted in agony - Fox shouting angry taunts, pounding her chest and carrying on - ref delays the count to escort raging Vivica to a neutral corner. Mendes able to fight her way up off the carpet, but she's damaged goods nodding 'yes' to the ref in obvious difficulty. ON COMES VIVICA...AND EVA'S SLUGGING BACK! Torrid two way lick and lash - girls just twisting into slobberknocker lefts and rights - Eva beating Viv to punches and backing Fox to midring. FOX'S LEGS GIVE A SHIMMY! Viv suddenly ramshackle, crouches forward dukes at temples - Eva responds with a hearty shellacking of her foe's flanks - great ripping rights and lefts while leaning forward for leverage. Fight staggers to ropes - Mendes on top, slugging, Fox cowering - Eva mouth open as she pins her ears back and pours herself at a wilting Vivica to the bell. Heroic effort off the canvas converts a 10-8 tenth Vivica to 10-9, but it's too little too late. UD10 Viv Fox in a South Beach clambake.

After: Fox pounding and finessing her way past the highly touted Mendes, leaving Eva rattled, demoralized and doubting after a bruising dime. "Pound for pound," says Vivica, "I'm the baddest woman in boxing. You know the fight I want? Debbe Dunning. I want to be the one to retire that old skank once and for all. That's the kind of fight that can put Vivica A. Fox on the map."