Posted by Simguy on Saturday, 15-Jan-2000 09:38:28

Before: Nice undercurrent of jealousy as fallen angel Liz can’t believe the hype surrounding her buxom opponent. Ali the best prospect to come of out the pageant circuit since Vanessa Williams. (Pageant boxing uses amateur rules, white scoring portion on the gloves, emphasizing points scoring rather than power), but Landry had pro scouts drooling with her heavy handed approach, putting the highest KO % in the history of the Miss America pageant. So Landry’s well-schooled, but Liz a tough test for anyone with a straight up. Orthodox boxing style, and Berkley a big strapping lass herself promises to take no, ahem, “guff” from Miss America in this one.

Liz in black string bikini, tight blonde curls. Ali in gold string bikini, brown curls.

During R1: Liz is warned for trying to pop Ali’s elbow in the first clinch of the fight, and the brunette is on her heels physically and mentally as Berkley proceeds to rough-house. Liz smearing the big brunette on the ropes, palming the girl’s face and pushing her over the top strand, slugging to the jugs, head butting - and Ali is clearly out of her depth. Liz nodding, gesturing as the crowd boos.

R2: Ali sets up to box, drilling in the Lynda Carter-like left to Liz’ face, but Berkley swarms in once again, disrupts Ali’s timing with clinching,. Holding and hitting, and midway through the round, clocks Landry a beautiful right hand on the cheek on the break. Landry goes wobbly butt, and Liz bodies up, bringing short lefts and rights from the hips to cudgel the belly and breasts of her opponent. Landy looks woozy, discouraged after 2 as Berkley sports that smug grin.

R3: Ali losing form, starts to brawl with Liz and the girls take dangerous risks with big right hands, pulling back just in the nck of time before getting countered as they shuffle around the ring. Down the stretch, Liz a looping right on the face stuns Ali, and the blonde follows up with a crashing left hook on the jaw, spinning Landry sideways and almost depositing her. Landry helpless, bends forward over the ropes as Berkley beats her at the bell - Ali in tears, Liz parading with fists high.

R4: All Liz Berkley as she starts to roll up on the kid. Working along the ropes, Liz steps with Ali, keeping her head on Landry’s chest, banging short lefts and rights to the flanks and leaning back into whistling uppercuts. Landry not good when she’s not coming forward, gets rocked back repeatedly, hands at her hips as Berkley slowly takes her apart. Landry looking puffy, shopworn about the eyes and cheeks.

R5: Liz with hands loose at her hips, stalks and slugs, turning her shoulders into pulverizing rights and lefts to the jugs and tummy, then looking to hold Ali about the shoulders for clubbing right uppercuts until a break. Ali also with her hands low, trades more effectively this round, but still seems tight - unable to match Liz punch for punch.

R6: More competitive round for Ali as the girls settle into a slogging rhythm, holding their gloves lows, leaning in before and after punching with their shoulders, staying close to the opponent. Clinches are getting longer, Liz's output begins to drop, letting Ali back into the fight. Still, it’s all Berkley down the stretch, as she turns into batting lefts and rights to harm Landry with chin music to the bell.

R7: Ali looking disheveled, but still clear-eyed, come forward for the first time in the fight, hands low, stepping into a firm jab to bang back Liz’s head and get her moving backwards. Ali refusing to accept clinches, punches her way out, and looks the stronger woman as she bulls Liz back with shoulders, and a spanking straight right in a downward arc to the sternum. Liz choking up, drops her first round.

R8: Shutout Ali Landry as she continues to bash right hands straight and down onto Liz’s body, coming back with short left hooks up under the breasts and onto the jaw of the blonde. Berkley battered out of one defensive stand after another, visits the corners for the time, covering up as Ali bangs away with clubbing strokes. Landry’s shots very loud spanking against Liz’ shoulders and hips—Berkley feeling the power.

R9: Ali stuffing in the crunching pageant jab, then capitalizes as Liz guards low with a right cross on the teeth and Berkley comes up lame. Liz swooning, as Ali steps to the right, reaches with the left and pitches in slicing right hands to turn Berkley’s head to the side. Liz sucking it up, clinches and manages to draw Ali inside, and the big girls wrestle, push for punching room as they brawl cheek to cheek.

R10: Ali all business, walks Liz down and goes to her body - Berkley cringing, turning away as Ali’s fists thump against ribcage. Landry moving well for a big woman, steps over to the right and rips a short right uppercut between the elbows to bang Liz’ head up from behind her gloves. BERKLEY IS HURT! Liz stumbling forward, and Ali coming in from the side leans into a crashing right poleax over the left shoulder of Berkley. Liz’s front leg comes off the canvas as she soaks up the shot, then the blonde spills to the canvas, rolling onto her back with a shattered expression on her face. And Liz B can’t get off her back! KO10 Ali Landry.

After: Landry admits to a heavy case of nerves early on, practically handing the fight to Liz after 6 one-sided rounds. Ali showed pageant pedigree in not submitting, and exposed Berkley’s cowardice - Liz quit in the face of Landry’s heart more than anything else. Ali with good offensive skills, looked hittable throughout, and fought stupid at times, but the kid’s got sock to be sure, and has the heart to paper over other shortcomings.