UNIFIED WELTERWEIGHT TITLE

Posted by simguy 6-4-04

Thanks to Ginny for this repost.

"I'm thrilled to be facing Katherine," says fresh-faced Nik. "Heigl's such a big puncher, she can erase you at any time in a fight - I'm really looking forward to the challenge. I think I'm the best athlete in the division and Heigl's the perfect proving ground - I can't wait to discourage her!" Kate H viewing Visser as a vulnerable first-time champ who doesn't know what it takes to hold onto what she's won. "Nikki's not ready for me," says the confident veteran. "In fact, she's not really ready to be wearing those belts. I don't see a champion when I look at Visser - I see someone who doesn't understand what she's gotten herself into and it's going to be a rude awakening when we hook up." Visser in white leather bikini, heavy western stitching, white boxing boots - Katherine in royal blue hipster bottoms with thin white belt, blue halter top, white polo collar, white boxing boots ponytail.

Rd 1: Visser boxing, managing the threat in front of her. Sharp, banging stick, Nikki wants range. Nikki using her legs, roaming left as she jabs, stepping out to walk right: Nikki wants the fight at mid-ring. Heigl stepping to spots, crouching to load up...then not getting off - pre-empted as Visser touches and goes. Heigl not shut out - getting to Nik's midriff with some reaching right hands - Nikki busier, more effective, dictating style in the first.

Rd 2: Nikki more dominant, really putting it together this round. Jab pounding away - Heigl crossing her arms and leaning forward like she's pushing her way through a heavy wind - Visser sticking, driving in with long right hands, then sidestepping round Heigl's right flank. Nikki extending on punches, getting her range - midway through she's stops, pops a jab/right cross, then hangs around on that front foot to pick Kathy up the left uppercut. Heigl wobbly butt - Nikki sidesteps with a saucy hand at Kath's hip, getting and angle and landing a stout right/left against the pudge of Heigl's underbelly. Shutout Visser - Heigl shipping a great shot thus far - worrisome lack of offense from the challenger through 2.

Rd 3: Visser spreading Kathy out the jab - end of minute one, champ leans into a spearing right on the jaw that brings the crowd roaring to it's feet. Heigl tip-toeing forward, all numb and tingly from the shot - Visser grinning, bouncing back, elects to stay out of range for some reason. Nikki circling at the hop - Heigl able to shake off the effects and actually be the aggressor rest of the way. Kathy stalking, unpacking her utilitarian jab to find the range, muscling in a steady diet of pounding rights to the ribcage as Visser runs out the clock. Nik's round off that gaudy right hand poke early, but she squanders a golden opportunity to get a dangerous puncher out of there.

Rd 4: Heigl making her best contact yet with Visser's ribcage - great banging flat right hands in snug beneath the heart - but Nikki's legs bail her out. Visser able to keep her distance, avoid backing into the ropes, steering Katherine mid-ring with that jackhammer jab. Heigl starting to appreciate Nikki's goods: Visser so leggy and mobile, scrubbing ropey combinations off the jab, conscientious about hooking Heigl's midsection each and every round - Katherine's busting up after 4 high octane rounds of Visser punching.

Rd 5: Heigl finally gets her way - doubling up the jab to locate Nik, reaching under Visser's arms and muscling her to the ropes. Visser covering up and laying inside - Heigl able to explode to the hips and flanks, really shaking Nikki as she hunkers down. Heigl trying the uppercut, mostly deflected, but it's keeping Nikki from getting off in return. Bruising shove and slug from the challenger - good thumping mileage put on a nimble champ this round.

Rd 6: Heigl picking up where she left off - hounding NIk to the ropes, then staying on her with sultry pressure. Katherine's arms wrestling and tugging on Nik's pulling down the guard. Katherine's fists digging in short, drumming the ribcage and breasts, licking round the sides - Nikki grimacing for the first time as Heigl digs in with hardhearted intentions. Final minute - Visser covering up and gently bouncing off the ropes, rolling and turning her torso - she lights Kathy up HUGE a tidy right counter-uppercut! Heigl stunned, frozen with her mitts at her temples - Nikki clouts her a wide right hand on the ear, picks her up another right uppy as Katherine falters forward. Visser sidestepping, pushing Heigl to the ropes and NIKKI UNLEASHES! Torrid two-fisted slash erupts, shredding the Heigl defense and pounding away at all things Katherine. Heigl showing a valiant heart - tucking body shots and smashing right/lefts off her face shake her legs, but can't put her down. Ref tackles a seething Visser back at the bell - champ steals the round with sizzling late fury.

Rd 7: Visser up tempo, now taking it to Katherine with tireless legs, accurate combinations. Heigl crouching and coiling to throw, but time and again Nik beats her to the punch, aborting Katherine's efforts. This is really startling stuff - Visser stepping right, maybe showing the jab or leaning in with a lead right hand, scrubbing the right forearm back across Katherine's puffy face, turning into a tight left hook on the eye, bending down to let Kath walk into the left shoulder, then using it to ease the challenger back outside. Heigl in a walking trance - stepping forward, getting lathered, then muscled back. By the final minute - Visser's scorching Heigl with meaningful punches, and brazenly pushing the stronger woman back - Kathy's curvy legs not holding ground anymore: they're jiggley with hurt. Final moments, Nikki stepping back in good order, sliding lefts and rights across Kathy's face and bulging breasts - Heigl walking into withering fire, sinks to a woozy knee as the crowd groans in sympathy at the bell.

Rd 8: Visser with a devastating left uppercut off the jab, fades to her back foot to evade a swiping Heigl left, then rocks back in to pound the right onto Heigl's chin, unhinging the buxom beauty's legs. Heigl open mouthed, badly busted up at this point - she can't get out the way that jab, she's reacting late to the right hand, and she's not even seeing the follow-on left hooks and uppies. Pure stubborness sees Heigl get to Visser's ribcage with some violent right hands, but again - Nik's legs, steady output carrying the rounds. Nikki upbeat in her corner, bright eyed, taking on water - but corner wants her to capitalize when she has Katherine staggered, "Don't play with this bitch," say they.

Rd 9: Visser standing around in front of Katherine more this round, laying in and wrestling with her - Kathy still too strong to be outfought from this posture. Heigl fighting off Visser's chest, backing her to ropes, settling into a methodical push n' punch rhythm. Visser soaking it up in her ribs, clinching after Heigl shoves in that short right beneath the left breast - champ showing some savvy in tieing Heigl up on the inside.

Rd 10: Visser coasts behind her jab, staying well clear of her curvy challenger. Nik's legs negating Katherine as they have all night long - Heigl just can't get into position, can't get leverage and can't put punches together. Visser putting some finishing touches to Kathy's face with that impressive stick - jabbers at welterweight taking notice of how that punch controlled Heigl tonight. Goes to the cards, comes back a comfy UD10 Nikki Visser!

After: Visser a-glow - novelty hasn't worn off - blonde perhaps not fully comprehending the magnitude of what she's done. "I wanted to box," chirps Nik, "but I had to get her respect, and I did - to her head AND to her body. I hurt Katherine Heigl almost every round - she wanted to bring it, but she was just too broken down, and that allowed me to do whatever I wanted with her." Heigl taking a merciless bombardment, looked ready to go at points - champ making a rookie mistake in not pushing for the stoppage. "She punches OK," mumbles a punished, demoralized Heigl in postfight, "nothing special. She's not the body puncher she thinks she is, but she's got great wheels and a terrific jab. She's a good fighter - I underestimated her. I think she could outbox Ali Landry - she's just not the inside fighter Landry is."