UNIFIED FLYWEIGHT TITLE

Posted by Simguy on 4/19/2003, 9:19 am.

Before: Sly BSE lines their own pockets with this intra-stable title go, putting many a flyweight nose out of joint. Liu, Hayek, Mack and others squawking about the cue-jumping favouritism shown Shakira, but as Portman explains, “Shakira is still a viable contender in this division and any champion would have to reckon with her. She may have struggled lately, but she’ll put it all together for me—of that you can be certain.” Tension running high in house—similar to the ruinous Alba/Spears rivalry which seriously hurt both fighters for a time and led to the eventual dismissal of Jessica, but Shakira not mincing any words with the press. “Natalie makes my blood boil. The sight of her. The sound of her. I can’t stand that she is champion while I sit on the sidelines. After I am finishes with her, THEN we can be friends.” Portman in white sports bra, white high waist aerobics trunks, battle braid, white shoes and gloves. Shakira in dark brown leather bikini top w/fringe, tan leather bottoms,  Portman extends her gloves to touch up after instructions—haughty Colombian turns away leaving Portman red-faced.

During R1; Shak out very quickly, scooting inside Nat’s jab and banging that ribcage with Latina fury early, Portman up against the ropes and getting ransacked—classy brunette covering up, turning her torso to accept the  blows but her flanks are pinking uip nicely. Down the stretch, Nat tries to fight her way off the ropes, get Shak’s respect but blonde gets the better of a blistering trade. Portman nearly down off a blasting right to the temple—champ sags staring into the ropes, helpless to prevent Shak from clouting her face side to side with ringing punches at the bell, Shak piling on into overtime—ref hauls her struggling little body off Natalie—Portman shaky in her corner.

R2: Shak with another blockbuster right hand over Nat’s jab—Portman jerked a quarter turn starboard and she’s funky-at-the-knees as she tries to evade Shak’s lusty swings. Colombian very wild—Nat composed though hurt—champ starts to chip away. Portman getting her legs back with a series of tactical clinches, then getting her jab going, stepping lively in a clockwise rotation around her girl, Nattie P keeps her distance, scuffs an over-anxious Shakira up as Colombian loads up prematurely and can’t finish. Still Shak’s round—she’s building up a lead while Natalie’s just trying to survive the monster rushes.

R3: Portman boxing early, stepping left around her jab, patiently shining Shakira’s face up. Colombian never takes a backward step, moving her head in a low weave, sweeping over the top audacious lefts and rights as Portman leans away. Midway through, Nat misjudges distance and takes a CLOCKING right on the chops and PORTMAN SCOOTS TO HER BOOT! Natalie caught leaning away, gets up quick, but she’s rattled. ON COMES SHAKIRA! Shak stampeding Nat to the ropes—barrelling in with brawling left and rights—blonde just shelling brunette and SHAKIRA GETS HURT! Portman standing at the pocket, times a counter bright uppercut to the point od Shak’s chin and Colombian’s all wobbly butt! Nat with a nice spin moce reverses their positions, sending Shak face first into the ropes and she PILES on with heartless straight lefts and rights as blonde faces into blows. Bell sounds, NATALIE’S turn to pour it on late—she hammers away until ref intervenes, sending a message to her reeling foe, Shak takes another round, but make it 10-9 instead of 10-8 for Portman’s stubborn resistance.

R4: Portman keeps it up—Shak starting to unravel as the brunette’s educated jab find a groove. Portman stepping left, now comfortable with her distance, shocking Shak the stick as blonde tries and fails to get inside it.

R5: INSANE Colombian pressure! Natalie pointing her left shoulder, then her right as she backpedals, trying to slip the incoming, but Shakira simply overwhelms the champ. Portman with her back to the ropes once again, bent forward at the waist—she’s getting low, nudging Shak back with a shoulder in the waist, trying to squeeze counters in between Colombian’s free-swinging barrage, but Shakira won’t be denied. Shak landing hellacious clouts to Natalie’s glistening ribcage, trying desperately for stubby uppercuts to chin on the inside. Woozy Portman clinching, mouth open, eyelashes fluttering—she can’t sustain this kind of abuse.

R6: Shak walking her girl down, bobbing and weaving low, counting Portman’s jab with looping overhand rights, then simply outworking the champ on the inside, Nat sliding back, trying to maintain distance, but time and again, Latina juggernaut gets to the chest and starts scrubbing it up. Too many mouth on shoulder exchanges—Portman bravely hanging in there and trading, but is Shakira’s fight.

R7: Oh that classy Nattie P. Portman finally shows championship pedigree, turning the fight around with exquisite power boxing. First minute—stabbing, multiple jabs—Shak stacked up, steered and finally held at bay on the end of Portman stick. Second minute—slicing, keen right hands—diamond-cutter accuracy as Shakira’s chin is dented time and again. little blonde soaking up pinpoint bombs and freezing—she’s posing hurt behind her gloves, letting Nat lean into that front foot and jerk in meanspirited hooks behind the elbow. SHAK GOES DOWN! Shakira cringing on all fours, touched I the floating rib just bright—she takes a teary-eyed 8, Nat just circling, hurting and outing it on Shakira—blonde has no answers—she’s just turning, earmuffing up and suffering. Patient, methodical bombardment breaks Shak down until in the dying moments, proud Latina sputters to one knee, woozy from punishment. Natalie forcing eye contact: Shakira badly battered, bleeding from the nose. Scored 10-7 as Portman has Shak on the verge of submission.

R8: Natalie climbs right back on, heartlessly tearing it up on a hurting opponent. Straight one-twos through the middle, banging away on the Colombian’ swelling features. Shak mute with pain, leaning forward behind her gloves—Nat can mop up downstairs with reefing double hooks off that front foot, Portman stepping around, never letting Shak set her feet—it’s a brilliant, professional display of scientific whup-ass. Final moments again—sheer accumulation on Shak’s chin and body paying off—a drilling right finds the jaw, sends blonde staggering to the right and DOWN TO ONE KNEE. Shak in stunned amazement, left eye closing—she’s just taken 6 minutes of Natalie’s hardest punching and Colombian’s in ruins.

R9: SHAK FIGHTS BACK! Natalie getting greedy, tries to bang away flat footed and promptly gets rocked a pair of answering hooks to jaw from fiery Latina. Shak marching forward, fighting off Portman’s chest—Natalie content to let Shak get inside, see what Colombian has left. Natalie not taking as much punishment a she was earlier—she’ll turn her girl with a push behind the elbow, or pull down on Shak’s head to get around her—anything to alleviate pressure.

R10: Shak all banged up, face puffy with hurt, but she shows that trademark heart in bringing the fight to Portman. But Nat’s got all the answers—she’s tracking Shak the jab, using her legs to dissipate the pressure and when Shak slows down—Portman rings her up with straight right hands. Shak can’t close the distance—Natalie not taking any risks, boxing smart, getting enough touches to win the round and at the bell, she favours Shak  with a small, but very superior smile. Comes back a DRAW! Portman retains the belt.

(Note: Simguy quickly corrects this as 1 Pt. Decision  for Natalie Portman. The 10-7 Portman round breaking the stalemate).

After: Shak destitute, sobbing emotional tears in her corner as Natalie is presented with her belts. Portman achy in the ribs, but putting in one of her grittiest performances to date. Bludgeoned to the canvas, battered badly in the first minutes of this contest, behind on the cards, Natalie kept it together, started chipping at the Shakira lead and soon had the blonde reeling under a fearsome, sustained assault. 7^th and 8^th rounds were truly murderous, some of the most effective punching of Natalie’s career. Kudos for Shak for surviving it, but Portman took the fight from her in those thrilling moments. Natalie diplomatic as the press goads her to comment on Shak in post fight. “What do you me to say?” says the champ. “That fight should have answered all your questions.”

Reposted by Archer 11/20/09.