Posted by Simguy on 9/29.2001, 4:42 pm.

Before: Former champ Becky D at one time would have entered the favourite against Dana, but the auburn haired veteran's been busy over the last 3 years while Becky's sat idle - Demornay in shape as always, but pundits anticipate a pretty big rust factor. Girls possess almost identical ability to show a variety of looks in the ring - hard to handicap the action. Delany in navy velvet bra and panties, silver trim, Demornay in pink push up, black panties.

During R1: Standard patient boxing early, women probing with jabs, circling clockwise, nobody too anxious to take risks. Demornay slightly busier, coming forward with her jab while Delany backs off - colour the round blonde.

R2: Same methodical pace - both women in shape but deliberately conserving legs for later use. Demornay's jab starts to dominate and midway through, she suckers Delany with a feint left, turning into a clocking right that has Double D stunned. Come-back hook bounces off temple and Delany goes wobbly butt - Demornay opening up to drive Dana to the ropes. Delany regains form in the final minute, covering up, countering off the block with little hooks inside Becky's punches as Demornay wisely refuses to press the issue.

R3: Delany changing up, hooking blonde belly off the jab and driving in with bashing short right hands that have Becky in retreat. Demornay keeping her back off the ropes, but she's backpedalling and the Delany body work obviously having some effect as Demornay winces upon impact. DD on the board, girls look like they might get into it after the bell as the ref jumps in.

R4: Action continues it's slow boil - Demornay now raising the tempo, stepping in close to bash away with clubbing lefts and rights as Delany is forced to the ropes. Becky D answering back to the body with retaliatory hooks across the belly, using her elbow to nudge Dana back and seeking chin with scorching right crosses. Dana with her right hand at her cheek, left hand low giving little shoulder rolls, but not pulling the trigger on counter opportunities this round.

R5: Dana continues the tit for tat shutouts - walking Demornay back with clipping lefts and rights across the chin in close - Becky's back bites rope as the blonde digs in. Double D putting her punches together in vintage fashion - combinations to the body and head, stepping to the side to bust Demornay up from angles, and winning the strength contests by clinching and jamming Becky back any time the blonde tries to fight her way off the strands. At the bell, Demornay's stooped forward, looking shopworn as Dana doubles up hooks underneath.

R6: Dana starts to push Becky downhill this round. Delany's jab is boss - Demornay getting touched up and flustered as she leans back, thinks she's out of range only to get bang-banged by daring right/left combinations. Dana's handspeed seems to continually catch Becky by surprise - auburn will repeatedly catch blonde with a shocking hook on the lips, then score two or three more times before Demornay can get out of the way. Also effective, the consistent body work - Dana keeping it short and tough downstairs, biting her fists into the meat of Becky's belly, always bringing her punches back sharp to the ready position. Final minute, Delany has Demornay suffering on the ropes, seemingly tapping the body and head at will and Becky nearly takes a knee at the ropes - badly wobbled at the bell from the sharp punching.

R7: Delany bulldozing to her third straight shutout, really bullying and working Becky over along the ropes. Demornay sullen, defending herself but unable to get off - she listlessly slides to her right as Dana steps with her, continues to beat away to the body and head with quick, crisp combinations. Midway through, Dana brings the crowd to it's feet with a multi punch burst between and around Demornay's gloves, bouncing the blonde's head back and forth with a sensational flurry, spilling Becky sideways to a corner. Patient follow up - Demornay's hurt, but still showing defensive form - Delany jams in with her left shoulder, swats right hands to the head, digs left hands to the waist at the bell.

R8: Delany gets Becky stumbling forward with a series of gouging left hooks up underneath the elbows - gut shot blonde almost sprawling to her face as she careens forward across the ring. Becky showing signs of life as she comes off the ropes brawling, opening up recklessly but effectively to bang away at jaw, forcing Delany back to mid ring. Blistering exchanges down the stretch and Dana puts down the rebellion, again walking Becky back with clipping lefts and rights across the mouth - Demornay demoralized at the bell as Dana beats her to the ropes once again.

R9: Dangerous exchange lights up the opening moments - women at power punching range, firing hooks and right hands at the same time - Demornay beats Dana to a hook and DOWN GOES DELANY! Dana dazed, sinking slowly to her knees, shaking her head as she takes 8 - Becky taking deep breaths in a neutral corner comes out brazen in a late bid for stoppage. Dana covered up tight, rolling with punches - she is mercilessly flogged up against the ropes as Becky puts her back into it. Nothing fancy - Demornay grimacing with the effort of hammering away left and right against the huddled up auburn. Becky runs out of zip in the last minute, but she keep her body on, pushing and pressing Dana into the ropes at the bell.

R10: Chins are tested midring as both girls hook off the jab, often tapping each other simultaneously, sending identical spasms down one another's backsides. Groggy action starts to get sloppy - Demornay tiring down the stretch as Dana scores hooks to tummy - all Delany down the stretch as she punches shoulder to shoulder with Demornay, digging the left into blonde sternum, chopping the right over Becky's shoulder to bust up that left eye. Suspense at the bell - both girls know it's close, comes back UD10 Dana Delany.

After: Becky D crestfallen - hurts her to see Delany smile, lift her fists and strut after a hard working, no frills struggle. Becky's still got a little something, but she got badly outworked in the middle rounds and didn't really have the legs to hold her ground when Dana committed to pushing her back. Delany a forgotten woman at bantam, openly talking about a Carpenter or Richards bout next - she looked good tonight, but THAT good?

Thanks to Apollo for this repost.

Archer 10/20/09