Posted by Simguy on 10/4/2003, 10:32 am.

Before: Showdown of sorts--Liu’s been pushing for a Cuthbert fight for some time--Jones finally relenting as Lucy looks a little worn down after months of heavy slogging at bantam, but both fighters come in with questions. Cuthbert absorbing the worst beating of her career against Eliza Dushku--insists she learned from the experience, but Liu sees it differently. “I wanted to get to Elisha before someone else could ruin her and I’m one fight too late,” says Liu in preflight. “I’ll get some satisfaction from mopping up the dregs, but you can’t tell me Elisha’s ever going to be the same girl after a fight like that.” Liu with her own problems--fighting well at bantam, but noticeably slower, being pulled out of her unorthodox circus style and forced to slug in the trenches, she’s dangerous but not dominant at the weight, “I don’t know why Janet held me back from Lucy for so long,” says Elisha, “I’ve seen all her moves, I’m bigger and stronger and I’m totally ready for her.” Elisha in white bikini, Lucy in red.

During R1,2,3: Cuthbert obviously well prepared for Lucy, puts in a Liu-beating boxing clinic in these rounds. Job 1: pumping the jab, break up Lucy’s timing on the lunges, prevent her from leaping in from long range with those crazy trick punches. Job 2: circle away, make Liu come forward--most of Liu’s dramatic early round Kos come from girls stepping-to her and magnifying her power--Cuthbert stays away, timing Liu, picking her up with the jab and firm counters. Job 3: work the body--Elisha sliding back from liu, dragging her front foot, stepping to the side and pumping hard right hands to the midsection as Liu leaps in, By the third round, Liu’s flat footed, hands up, MUCH slower--she’s stalking, looking to body up and work as Cuthbert dictates style to the ex-champ.

R4: Liu shows that improved inside form, standing her ground and working ‘Lishy toe to toe. Nice clouting give and take--girls standing in forehead to forehead, or shoulder to shoulder, clapping and chopping at each other’s faces and tummies, bumping and turning each other miring. Liu doubling up a nasty left hook, stroking it under Lishy’s right elbow, then swatting jaw. Cuthbert waiting to get off, but she’s thumping strong to the midriff when she gets her spots. Busy round to Liu.

R5: More toe to toe--this time Elisha wants it more. Cuthbert patiently bashing away at Lucy’s midsection--brawny rights and lefts, head to head to Liu, backing her up. Lucy grunting, hands at her cheeks--Cuthbert’s heavy mitts finally getting to Liu and shutting her down to some extent, Second half of the round, Liu’s back to the ropes--she’s sullen, alternating hand position from her cheeks to right hand at her chin, left across her body, rolling and twisting her torso as Cuthbert applies a pounding. Elisha workmanlike--extending the left elbow, then snapping off hard combos of hooks and clubbing right hands, keeping Liu pinned to the ropes and soaking up punishment. Cuthbert romps bell to bell and gives with a happy yelp, grinning at a flustered Lucy. Liu responds with a meanspirited after-the-bell smoking right hand to the crotch--ref jumps in as Cuthbert folds up--Janet jumps in--all hell breaks loose.

R6: Hard hearted Liu gets on her girl, backing her up with clawing hooks in tonight, then working on Cuthbert in her own corner. ‘Lishy digging in, gritting her teeth and answering--she’s under fire, but hanging in there, fighting back in spots, Liu tearing it up with slicing, stroking combinations--touching up the body, finishing on the jaw, bumping and pushing Cuthbert back to reset her. Cuthbert hands at her cheeks, answering with jagged uppercuts off her temples as she tries to bob, time Liu for encounters--intense give and take with Janet directly below, screaming instructions. Glares all around at the bell--ref jumping in quick to push a seething bell back.

R7,8: Critical rounds with the fight hanging in the balance and both girls struggling to impose their will. Identical flow--hard hitting back and forth, both girls pounding the body with two-fisted flurries, then looking to clean up chin with hooks. Both punching then bumping in close, trying to get the other girl to give ground--fight traverses the ring as vixens swap leather. Cuthbert separates herself late both rounds with clever punch selection, allowing Liu to come forward, then ringing her up tuff the right uppercut. Elisha sliding back, dragging her front foot, getting the uppie to the chin, then swinging to the left--she’s got Liu staring into hurt, falling behind after 8.

R9: Identical stuff--brutal give and take--girls laying in cheek by jowl, shoulders and arms writhing for control when their not punching, but neither girl interested in clinching. Down the stretch, Cuthbert bangs to the waist, gives Lucy a little left shoulder bump, slides back and NAILS Liu the right uppercut. Elisha pivoting sweetly to her left, suddenly realizes that LIU IS HURT and piles on! Cuthbert with a merciless walk-in barrage of clubbing lefts and rights drives Lucy ropeside--Liu stunned behind her gloves, stooping forward to ride out the storm. Cuthbert arching her back, standing up into short, brutal uppercuts, going at Lucy’s chest and chin with pumping lefts and rights, banging away at the drooping guard. Liu taking like a trooper, butt and thighs a-wobbling, but she stands in for a pasting at the bell. Cuthbert looking over the damage: Liu’s eyes swelling up proper, face blank with hurt--no question blonde’s pulling away late.

R10: Elisha coming for her girl, hungry to clean up and close the show--Liu stubborn, standing her ground, too proud to run. it’s hammer and tongs--Cuthbert no longer fearing sudden Liu retribution--Lucy covered up tight, taking brutal to her ribs and tummy, then firing back in snappy bursts, carving off her punches short enough to connect with healthy forearms and elbows inside. Strapping exchanges back and forth, but down the stretch,  it’s Elisha’s heavier hands, bigger frame stepping Liu back and finally forcing her to the ropes. Lucy glum, shipping hurt--she’s not punching back as Cuthbert squares away. All Elisha--marauding to Lucy’s tanned, taut little tummy, getting thick to the robs behind either elbow, rotating her shoulders to pick Liu’s chest up heavy with curling blows, cashing in chin the hook up top. Liu crossing her arms, taking shabby at the bell as Cuthbert tunes her up for a wide UD10.

After: Becoming a familiar sight: Lucy Liu swollen-0eyed, battered, standing hands on hips, wondering what went wrong after another bantamweight beat down. Cuthbert bubbly, getting hugged and petted in her corner--great comeback fight for the blonde after the demoralizing title fight. Liu drawn out of her game early by classic box-and-counter, taking it inside where she had some success, but this fight was decided in the middle rounds as Lucy tried to get big on Cuthbert and just couldn’t manage it. When Elisha finally got to Liu, hurting her badly in the 9th, both women knew who had won, making the 10th a formality. Liu looks like she can hold her own on the inside with big banties, but hasn’t proven she can win the way--she’s got to go back to the wild, unconventional gambling style that made her one of the most feared names in this business. Smaller comp wouldn’t hurt either.

Reposted by Archer 6/19/11.