Posted by Simguy on Tuesday, 18-Jan-2000 08:25:49

Before: Rimes at a crossroads, fighting for respect against the ever-improving Gorgeous one. On paper, George a little more experienced, a little better athletically, but bettors make her a huge favourite, showing the sort of disdain that motivates Leann to impress. “No way I’m a 10-1 dig,” mutters Leann in pre-fight. Rimes in light blue terrycloth adidas trunks, white sports bra, GG in teal sports bra, stretch shorts, ponytail.

During R1: Leann storms out of her corner with the usual sound and fury, but this time it’s more of the latter, as she catches G repeatedly on the chin with wide right hands. George backing straight up and a gorgeous left hook on the jaw drops the Gorgeous One to her back. GG up, wide-eyed and shocked, runs the rest of the round, trying to pick Leann up with the jab, but Rimes assault too wild, too fast. Rimes smearing George along the ropes at the end of the round, batting furiously at the blonde’s hips.

R2: George calms down, steps in to stick jabs at rimes, and a bludgeoning right on the temple drops GG to her hands and knees to open the round! George more seriously hurt this time, is shaky at 8, and Rimes wades into the trenches. Bitter trading with GG seated on the ropes, clouting Rimes face with short counter lefts and rights inside, while Leann pushes George’s hips back and slugs up underneath the rib cage with wicked uppercuts from either hand. All Leann down the stretch as she has G folding under pressure.

R3: Rimes stuns George to open the round with another blistering overhand right, and the blonde swoons backwards, hands low, to be nailed on the way out with a crashing left hook on the cheek. George reeling across the ring--ropes prevent her from going down but her legs are shot. Rimes bulling in with a shoulder tackle nearly puts both girls in press-row--but the bitter toe-to-toe  slugging on the ropes continues. Artless, war for survival, as George tries to get Leann off her, but Rimes too strong. Round ends as Leann scores a series of clubbing right hands along the ropes to send George face-first into the turnbuckles.

R4: Busted up George gets back to basics as Leann is clearly winded from an incredible opening stanza surge. G picking Leann up nicely with the jab, begins to hook it midway through the round, and is steering Rimes around the ring. Rimes loading up right hands, but she’s slower now, and George times it with a beautiful short right cross on the lips to leave Rimes hurt, and saved at the bell.

R5: Leann with a second wind, chases George to the ropes, and digs her head into the blonde’s chest, turning her shoulders into beefy shots between the hips. George grimacing, arms loose about Leann’s back, can’t do anything about the punishment, as she takes from bell to bell. Rimes pushing off her opponent’s limp body at the bell, pumps her fist as rhe crowd roars.

R6: George gets her footwork together, stepping left behind a smokescreen of double jabs, and Rimes gets wild, G beats Leann to the punch with her short right hand inside Rimes’ wide one, and Rimes goes wobbly butt, knees bending deep then locking as she teeters forward. George resets, then jerks a beautiful right uppercut/left hook to set Rimes head spinning, and Rimes rolls to her back. Leann desperately hurt, dazedly searches for her mouthpiece from her back as the count passes her by. Stunning KO6 Gorgeous George, who goes to help Leann up, the crushes her flat for a meanspirited pin as the referee gets outraged.

After: Heroic effort from Rimes her best ever in a losing cause. Crowd boos George’s pin celebration, but GG was wrecked by Leann’s fists and needed the payback, Rimes gets a “warrior” label from the press in the wake of this brutal slugfest, while George’s antics overshadow what amounts to one of her best efforts to date as well.

Reposted by Archer on 2/20/11.