SPORTS ILLUSTRATED TITLE

Posted by Simguy on Monday, 19-Jul-1999 20:08

Before: Former SI champ faces current strap holder as two of the best fighting models in history suit up. Elle Mac one of the strongest models ever, and no slouch in the power department, but Tyra with that one-punch right hand KO power makes every fight an adventure. Elle in terrific shape, claims age not a factor, Tyra in leopard print string bikini, Elle in black string bikini, Ring/bleachers, beach setting outdoor fight.

During R1-2: Elle takes the first, Tyra the second in very close fought, tactical opening rounds. Both girls using the jab, Tyra lifting it off her hip, Elle stabbing out from the shoulder, but neither looking to put punches together early.

R3: Tyra beginning to whip a lanky left hook off the jab to Elle’s ear, bats the blonde around a little this round to gain some separation, Elle unhurt, still preoccupied with defending Tyra’s right.

R4: Chess match opens up as Elle, inviting left hooks, suddenly catches Tyra in mid punch with a quick left hook of her own. Banks does the funky chicken as she is hurt by Elle’s counter, and the blonde steps to the right, harming Tyra to the ribs with that spearing right hand, coming back up top with lanky boots. Tyra with that famous bitchy look of hurt is backpedaling, pushing her punches and running as Elle walks her down.

R5: Elle wants Tyra’s tummy and takes it with jolting left hooks outside,. Tyra all hunched over, lets Elle work on her with right uppercuts between the mitts and cutting left hook to the ear. Tyra stumbling forward, walks into good work from Elle all around long as the blonde ex-champ starts to put a whopping together.

R6: Elle starts to Tyra’s slender stomach again, but Banks reads it well and counters with a harpoon right on the button to stun the blonde early. Now Elle reels, trying to find her legs as Tyra lobs long distance potshots at the blonde’s vulnerable head. Elle sucks it up, starts to circle left and actually outboxes Tyra the rest of the way as the nubile brunette gets right hand happy. Elle clinching and tying Tyra’s arms, frustrates Banks and slows the tempo. Mac steals the round.

R7: All Elle MacPherson as she out hustles, out punches and outthinks Tyra Banks this round. Banks hates being held, and that’s the first thing Elle does, using her strength to walk Tyra to the ropes. Elle at medium distance bangs to the body, bringing Tyra’s arms in and making her defensive. Welting away at the brunette’s flanks, Elle is able to land some sharp one-twos to the face, as Tyra covers up and leans back on the ropes with concern on her face, Shutout Elle.

R8: Tyra answers with a gutty effort this round, trading lanky hooks to the body bwith the blonde. Midway through the round, Tyra comes over the top with a crushing right to the cheek as Elle turns away, and MacPherson us hurt. Staggering and leaning back, Elle is nailed again by a right hand and collapses to the canvas as Banks lifts her mitts. Mac beats the count, but Tyra has her hurting and it’s Bankjs to the bell, punishing Elle with one-twos and backing her up around the ring.

R9: Tyra Banks continues to apply pressure, beating Elle to the punch, throwing a sneaky lead right and coming back with a wide left hand to rock the blonde onto one foot ion multiple occasions. Elle looking puffy faced isn’t slipping the banks jab any longer, and tyra is judging distance perfectly, stepping and nailing Elle with the whole arsenal. In the final minute, the crowd gasps as Tyra leans into another lunging right to the head as Elle leans back, draping the blonde on the ropes and leaving her helpless. Banks to the bell, left hook straying into Elle’s trunks, and a cruel right elbow accompanying many right hands of the legal variety. Elle shaken as she straggles back to her corner.

R10: OH TYRA! Banks with her hands at her side, walks to Elle and surprises her with a striding lead right to the face, driving Elle’s upper body back at a harsh angle. MacPherson reels to the ropes, avoiding the knockdown, but Tyra is on her. Banks with lashing wide blows to the body and looping right hands to the head, beats Elle without mercy for the 3 long minutes of this round. Only MacPherson’s superlative constitution sees her through it as she slides along the ropes, hands cupping her face in a desperate attempt to weather the storm. Tyra mugs Elle to the bell, her third consecutive shutout round and bodies up chest to shoulder on the blonde, forcing the ref to intercede. The decision comes back a draw--Banks retains the SI title with a brilliant charge down the stretch.

After: Taken as a whole, a very good fight for both women. Elle faded badly in the championship rounds, but she never fully recovered from Tyra’s crushing right hands in the 8th, and did well to finish at all. Banks was outboxed over the first 2/3 of the bout, and was herself subjected to harsh treatment in the 4th and 7th. An unusually tough bout, and a credit to the models, who are too often criticized for not being able to go the distance, or take a punch.

Reposted by Archer 8/23/10.