Posted by Simguy on 7/13/2002, 10:31 am,

Before: Shakira bulging with confidence, constantly talking in prefight about the “terrifying effect” of her punches on other flyweights—Liu doesn’t know whether to laugh or be outraged at the kid’s total confidence. “I’m thinking Shakira’s never actually seen one of my fights,” grins Liu. “If I had to go into my workshop, slap together a fighter to fit my needs PERFECTLY, it would come out looking exactly like Shakira, Well, okay, it would exactly like Dani Fishel, but then I’d slap a bad wig on her you’d get Shakira. God, am I going to tune this kid up.” Black push up, leopard print boy cut trunks, low ponytail Liu—blue/white scotch print bandeau bikini, ponytail Shakirta.

During R1: Liu puts on a show, She’s got her hands at her side, leaning away and slipping punches to draw Shakira forward, then jumping in to score with haymakers, Lucy with circus angles, coming in off Shak’s left sho9ulder, pumping double right uppercuts into the Colombian’s face—swatting sneaky left hooks off her thigh as Shakira reaches with punches—landing leaping lead uppercuts from her knees after making Shakira miss repeatedly over the top, Colombian all rung up, bleeding from nostrils and dazed at the bell—shutout lucy lou, who can’t wipe the smile of her face.

R2: Liu grinning, flat footed—she’ll back away, bat a  Shakira punch out of the air, slip the next one, pivot off to the side—it’s a party, Lucy taking what she wants when she wants it—all slinging single potshots encompassing Shakira’s belly, breasts and head. Down the stretch, Shakira finally gets Lucy with thudding body shots, forcing the fight’s first clinch as a surprised champion hangs on at the bell.

R3: Liu back in control with her legs, reflexes dictating the action. Liu making her girl miss wildly, often coming up behind Shakira, lovingly hugging her up around the waist for referee’s breaks, Blonde enraged at Liu’s antics—temper getting the temper of her and it’s playing into Lucy’s hands. At one point, Liu with her hands down, just bending at the waist, swaying her head in close to Shakira to get underneath punches—Lucy kissing either of Shakira’s hips and escaping with a maddening smoke as blonde completely loses her composure, Shakira crying hot tears of indignation at the bell, stamping her feet and demanding the referee do something about Lucy’s outrageous  taunting—Liu strutting back to her corner like a Siamese cat getting away with murder.

R4: Fight heats up as Shakira starts to find a place for her hook in behind Lucy’s right elbow—Liu responding with more serious punching, principally that right uppercut which she’s doubling up to the teeth. Down the stretch, Liu stepping right with a series of come-along hooks under Shakira’s chin, stops, reverses fields and CREAMS Shaki with a drifting right—Liu leaning in with shoulder on follow through, allowing the suddenly limp Shakira to drape herself forward in weak clinch. Liu stepping out, letting the blonde stagger forward—Lucy pivoting to the right and landing a heartless right outside-in uppercut that sends Shakira stumbling face first to the ropes and all but out at the bell.

R5: Shutout Lucy Liu. It’s getting ugly—Liu more serious now, really working on a badly beaten and wobbly butt blonde this round. Lucy jumping in with hooks and uppercuts, shoulderbutting her girl back, pursuing in a deep crouch—Shakira glassy-eyed, pushing out tired punches and taking ruinous punishment to her face in return, Brave Colombian ships a lot of leather this round, finishes on her feet, but she’s wandering—ALL busted up around the eyes.

R6: Lucy stalking, right hand at her chest, left hand at her side—she’s giving Shakira shoulder rolls, feints then stamping rights to the face and belly, walking the Colombian down,. Shakira taking the power better now—she’s getting rocked, but shaking it off, maintaining a high guard to protect herself better, down the stretch, Shaki with some offense, punching with Liu, nailing her own right hand to the chest inside Liu’s right roundhouse, catching Lucy’s cheek with the hook,

R7: Liu still stalking, but Shakira bolder, covering up to block and coming back hard to  the body with straight right hands and wide, batting hooks. Lucy using more of the ring now, backing out of the circle—she’s still in command, but Colombian resistance is stiffening.

R8: Lucy owns the first minute, circling, jumping in from all points on the compass, fitting her right hand hard to Shakira’s skull and torso, Midway through, undaunted Colombian stands her ground, times a Liu rush and jams a hard counter right hand to the mouth, catching Lucy jumping in. Liu shunted to her backside—she’s up quick, then delayed reaction kicks in as she pitches to her face once again, Shakira hopping with glee—Liu barely beating the count, looking shopworn at the ropes, final minute, Shakira in her glory—squared away and hammering Lucy with a torrent of clubbing lefts and rights. Liu covered up, sitting in the ropes and suffering as the blonde squirms in underneath, props the Asian up and batters her midriff to the bell. Pushing and glaring during the break as the ref gets involved.

R9: Shutout Shakira! Liu mouth breathing, dancing away from her foe but chases to the ropes as Colombian attacks in waves. Liu constantly forced to cover up, hunching forward as blonde leather smashes against her back and arms. Shakira stepping with her upright so as to dig into that vulnerable tummy. Liu grimacing, getting outworked—she’s tieing up, keeping her head in close to Shakira’s. Down the stretch, a weary Lucy Liu leans sideways into the ropes, crouching low, giving Shakira the left shoulder, then twisting into a curling right hand to the crotch that folds the blonde up in agony. Shakira given time to recover as Liu paces in a neutral corner, benefiting like a veteran from the break.

R10: Shakira on the rampage—she’s chasing Liu down in the corners, stubbing out straight right hands then twisting into hooks, beating Liu sullen with sheer output. Lucy with no choice—it’s slug or be beaten—she’s slipping and sliding, left hand across her body, right hand at her cheek, just nibbling right uppercuts and hooks in between Shakira’s constant swabbing. Hammer and tongs trade continues on after the bell—girls finally separated, but a SEETHING Shakira keeps trying to get at the champ. Liu struts way the UD10 victor to scattered boos from the crowd.

After: Shakira climbing the ropes and inciting riot from her fans, but Lucy won 7 rounds

Outright, many of them by shutout, hurting Shakira routinely in the early going—it’s a clears duke for the champ. Shakira taking the Lucy Liu power very well—stung early, the blonde would slowly get her act together and make a fight of it down the stretch. “I heard Lucy Liu was cheap,” says an angry Shakira in post fight, “but now I call her a coward as well. Nothing but magician’s tricks and hateful fouls—I destroy her the next time new meet!” Liu leaving the ring in a hurry, but comments from her locker room: “Kid needs to know when she’s being toyed with. I let up on her in the first because I saw her going out and that just didn’t suit me. I let up again in the fourth as she started going out and I thought, ‘come on kid, you gotta have more than that’. Basically, I’m not impressed. I did the punk the biggest favour of her life by granting her a title shot, but she didn’t deserve it, and I didn’t see anything that makes me think she’s earned another one.”

Reposted by Archer 8/22/09.