Posted by Simguy on Monday, 02-Aug-1999 18:03:53

Before” Private bout on set of “Ally McBeal”, begun as a joke as Portia suggested the much shorter Liu wouldn’t be able to stay with the blonde in a boxing match, Liu reportedly not anxious to take the fight at first, is goaded into it, and the result is indeed a considerable technical challenge for the aerobatic Asian. De Rossi considered taller, well-schooled, although not a knockout threat, could make this a long, dull affair with her jab. Liu with the sleek black ponytail, red 2 piece jockeys, Portia in teal volleyball speedos, with the long torso line and blonde ponytail.

During R1-2: Tactical opening shows the advantages and challenges presented by both women. Lou takes the first with a bizarre series of rushes, keeping her head well below the level of Portia’s waist, and countering with looping blows and a leaping delivery. De Rossi takes the second, pumping out a panicky jab which doesn’t hurt Lucy, but finds he and keeps her well outside.

R3: Portia content to stock and pivot, seems to control Liu early, but midway through the round, Liu times the jab, slipping underneath and uncoiling with a loping left that drops a stunned Portia to her backside. De Rossi up at 8, but clearly shaken, and Lucy forces her way in, taking Portia by the hips, jamming he into the corner, and HURLING right hands from the shoulder into the stomach of the blonde. De Rossi with her elbows in., soaks it up to the bell.

R4: Portia hurts Lucy this round, timing Liu’s timing of her jab to catch the Asian mid leap with a hard straight right. Rocked, Lucy staggers to the ropes, and it’s Portia’s turn to punish her foe. Liu more effective on defense, able to bend low, make Portia miss, and by the final minute, it is Liu scoring with opportunistic blows inside, and clouting wide blows to the blonde’s mouth.

R5: Portia using the jab brilliantly, puts a palm on Lucy’s forehead to shove Liu off balance early, and in the first minute, Portia spears down with a long right to the cheek of Lucy to hurt the Asian once again, Lucy reeling, drops her hands and is immediately victimized as Portia chases her to the ropes with a series of driving right hands. Lucy covering up, is picked apart by Portia, but de Rossi’s lack of power shows as Liu is able to recover. Portia standing tall over Liu, falls into the habit of chopping her punches from the waist, and Liu starts to hammer away at the blonde’s face in between Portia’s punches. A lopping left/right combination stuns de Rossi, putting her on her heels, and liou leaps in with a gorgeous overhand right, snapping  Portia’s head violently to one side and dropping the blonde for the second time in the fight, Blinking, Portia rises at 8 once again, but is clearly shocked at the lithe power of her smaller opponent.

R6,7: Portia clearly cowed, spends a round poking out the don’t-hurt-me jab, then covering up, keeping her elbows in, allowing Liu to shower her arms and body with banging lefts and rights.

R8: : De Rossi discovers a useful weapon--the left uppercut to accompany her downward slicing right hand. Portia connects repeatedly, but slaps the punches, always careful to cover up afterwards as Liu continues to leap in from awkward angles.

R9,10: Portia too defensive, fight just to survive, and the action grinds to a halt as Liu cant find de Rossi’s chin, A looping right hand on the temple late in the tenth sends Portia reeling, but she recuperates, frustrating Liu to the bell. Anticlimactic decision for Lucy who retains the initiative with her legs throughout the bout.

After: Portia a little sheepish with the prevent defense down the stretch, but Liu’s knockdowns were unexpected, and nasty surprises to the bigger blonde. Unable to stomach going out in her shield against Lucy, Portia stopped punching, took away Liu’s openings, and whined about the decision when it inevitably tumbled Lucy’s way. Lucky for Portia no cameras were present--that kind of effort can get you kicked off HBO in a hurry.

Reposted by Archer 8/24/10.