Posted by Simguy on Wednesday, 28-Apr-99 08:09:44

Before: In a bold initiative Utah State opens its gymnastics season with a promotional fight between two of the sports legends, now boxing full time. Svetlana, the silky smooth boxer is younger, but critics expect her chin to get tested by the still awesome punching Retton,. Mary Lou hasn’t changed since her Olympic salad days, and can still “slug the guts out of the best of ‘em.” Svetlana wears a lime one piece armless gymnastics leotard, Mary Lou in a pastel print armless leotard.

R1-4: Despite shutting Mary Lou out in the second, Svetlana is hard pressed during these opening stanzas. The plan was to box, but Retton’s quick feet and amazing upper body movement make the task harder than  it looks on paper. Mary Lou gets inside and throws blinding combinations at Svetlana’s body, always looking to set up that ripping left hook. Boginskaya doing too much holding, and laying in with Mary lou--her corner begs her to use more movement and get outside.

R5: Mary Lou continues to dominate, slipping easily inside, and once there, hammering away without far of reprisal. Svetlana’s face looks bitchy with pain as Mary Lou batters her around the ring. Early Retton hooks seem to freeze Svetlana’s legs, and she lays in with Retton, exchanging slogging hooks insider, Mary Lou flashes that famous smile this round as she really turn it on. With seconds left in the round, she jams a sudden shoulder into Svetlana, then turns into a crushing right hooks that nearly drops the Russian. Saved by the bell, Boginskaya wobbles back to her corner.

R6,7: Mary Lou’s torrid pace catches up with her, and Svetlana gets outside to do her thing consistently for the first time in the fight. Svetlana easily steers Mary Lou with the jab, alternately stinging and pawing or probing with the punch to keep Retton occupied. The money punch is the right uppercut, and Svetlana sets it up Buster Douglas style backhanding the left jab a few times before unfurling it.

R8: Boginskaya continues her comeback in a big way. Retton bores in, bobbing up and down, and Svetlana cracks her with a perfect short left hook to the ear. AND RETTON GOES DOWN!!! Mary Lou wobbles to her hands and knees as Svetlana snaps off one of the most perfect hooks you’ll ever see, timing it just right as Mary reached back with her right. Retton gets up, but she’s shaky-legged parody of the killer who began this fight, and Svetlana takes her with long jabs, and pounding lead rights down the middle.

R9,10: The unexpected power from Boginskaya makes the fight easy. Mary Lou comes forward sluggishly, with one of her early head movement, and as a result, Svetlana is able to target her face for destruction. Boginskaya legs it out over the final two, circling effortlessly, surprising Mary Lou with long potshots, and keeping her outside with the uppercut. After a long delay, Svetlana is awarded a unanimous decision, and mary lou sits dejected in her corner as the Russian eaves to her fans.

After: Shocking knockdown the only wrinkle in an otherwise by-the-numbers fight. Svetlana absorbed the early charge by Mary Lou in good shape and boxed her down the stretch. Retton obviously disheartened with the knockdown, and blames herself for the loss, giving very little credit to the Russian in the process.

Reposted by Archer 8/13/10.