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4 September 2010 Shannon Miller vs Kim Zmeskal

Page history last edited by Archer844 13 years, 7 months ago

Retro Bout: 1998: Shannon Miller vs Kim Zmeskal

Posted by Singuy & Archer on 9/4/2010, 8:52 am

RETRO BOUT CA. 1998

FULL CONTACT GYMNASTICS TOUR

(Results by Simguy; Fight Write-Up by Archer)

Fans of 1990’s era full contact gymnastics have been thrilled with the release of a new DVD series highlighting some of the greatest gymnastics battles of this exciting era. Certainly this bout featuring two long-time rivals in what many consider their finest encounter is great introduction to the series.

For those unfamiliar with this period in American gymnastics, Kim Zmeskal a tiny
(4’9) powerhouse brawler of a fighter, 21 at the time of this fight, had been in competition with Shannon Miller (5’ 1) 20 in 1998 since the early 1990’s. When injuries kept Kim off the 1996 US Olympics gymnastics team, Shannon became one of the members of “The Magnificent 7” who brought home America’s team gold medal in gymnastics, and left Kim feeling seriously eclipsed. Now both were part of a “full contact gymnastics” tour which featured not only the usual gymnastics events, but more direct physical competition such as boxing. Kim had taken to this with enthusiasm though she seemed content to be the powerhouse boxer capable of knocking out opponents. Indeed, coming into this venue, she had already scored KO wins over “Magnificent 7” members Kerri Strug and Amanda Borden. Clearly, Kim was the one to beat and made no secret of the fact. “I want the fans to know what they missed because I wasn’t at Atlanta on that team.”

KIM ZMESKAL

SHANNON MILLER

For her part, Shannon Miller was cool and confident. “Look, I’ve beaten Kim in plenty of events. This is just one more. I’ve proved I’ve can win at boxing.” Indeed, she had, being one of the few young American gymnasts to win a decision over the formidable Russian veteran Svetlana Boginskaya, as well a hard-fought wins over Dominique Dawes, Amy Chow ad Jaycie Phelps, all former members of the 1996 team.. Kim’s power punching did not seem to intimidate her: “She may think she can steamroller me, but I’ve watched her fights, she’s not as overwhelming as she thinks. This fight is going to be another in a long of disappointments for when it comes to us.”

The site for this bout was Salt Lake City and the promoters had shrewdly arranged for University of Utah graduate and All American NCAA collegiate gymnast Aimee Trepanier to serve as referee. Wearing black volleyball short shorts and a referee’s black and white striped top, Ms. Trepanier’s many local fans gave her a warm greeting as she was introduced.

AIMEE TREPANIER

Then Kim Zmeskal made her entrance, wearing a royal blue leotard with a white scoop neckline. She looked powerful and sure of herself as she walked to the ring. Her hair pulled back in a tight bunt. (Which, in full contact tradition, featured. gymnastics mats arranged in a square with ring posts and ropes around them, the audience watching from the surrounding raised seating of the typical gymnastics arena). She and her corner men took up their positions at the ring.

Next came Shannon Miller in a red leotard with white trim. Not quite as muscular in legs as Kim, she nevertheless walked with a bouncing, easy stride, and she got warm applause from the crowd which clearly had not forgotten her Olympics triumphs. Her corner men trailed behind her looked every bite as cool and collected as their fighter. Like Kim, Shannons hair is pulled back in a bun.

Now both girls were in the ring, with Aimee giving them their final instructions. They wearing both wearing small gloves and knowledgeable observers commented there was likely to be a lot of damage to both of them if this went on very long. Then the bell range, the two fighters came out and the bout commenced.

R1: Sure enough, Shannon shows that bouncing style, moving on the outside around Kim, pumping the double jab, pivoting to either side, showing good footwork. Zmeskal tries to keep moving, bobbing and weaving, up/down, side to side. Not much in the way of an answering jab from Kim, who seems more interested in trying to hand something heavy on Miller, but mostly this has her eating Shan’s potshots and looking vexed. Neither girl is hurt by the bell, but it’s a Miller first round.

R2: Again, its mostly Shannon Miller in the second. She’s stepping around her jab, always looking to land an opportunistic right. Kim eats the rights, but keeps working to get insider, finally managing to do so in spots and scores some short, curling strokes to Miller’s ribcage.

R3: Miller shows still more of that smart, sharp, fast moving boxing. She keeps looking for angles to work, surprising Zmeskal with some of pops from unexpected directions. Kim continues to doggedly pursue Shan and finally succeeds in closing more often generating crowd pleasing toe-to-toe exchanges, scoring to Miller’s flanks until Miller is forced to step out of range to reorganize. Kim seen smiling grimly as they go back their corners. Shan’s frowning a bit, but not alarmed. Still, sharp-eyed fans think they see the first signs that the younger woman’s ribs are getting tender as Miller corner people cluster around her.

R4: Shannon’s starting to slow down now and Kim’s getting more quality time inside. This is Classic Kim Zmeskal: get in close and grind your girl up. More and more Zmeskal shots into those ribs and torso. Shannon grits her teeth and tries to jab back, but can’t keep Kim away for long. Kim Zmeskal wins her first round.

R5: Now Kim is in full-on pressure, crowding Shannon, crowding her, banging away with short, snappy muscular blows that are ringing the Miller ribcage. She keeps pushing Shan back to the ropes, but Miller is elusive, sliding to either side. She pushes at Kim as she slides, trying to turn, make her shift her feet and get her off balance. She is not to successful at this and Kim takes the round.

R6: Fight continues to rage on the inside. Kim is just looking to bump-and-slug, but Miller’s getting her sliding maneuver to work much better for her. She works little combinations to the body and head, she is particularly good at coming off the body with tasty little uppercuts (left and right) to the chin. Kim’s face starting to lump up, though Miller’s ribs are clearly bothering her as all those Zmeskal bodt punches may be adding up as the rounds progress.

R7: More of the same as Kim keeps determinedly boring inside, but while she’s getting the distance she wants, Miller’s getting increasingly cute. Shan continues to slide to either side, while Kim in behind either elbow with short, shrugging uppercuts, picking Kim up to the ribs. Then Shan attacks in a new direction launching a robust pummeling of nubby gymnast breasts that puts a startled Zmeskal on the defensive to end the round. Shannon smirking hardheartedly as Kim clutches her small rack with a how-could-you look glare.

R8: Kim not happy about that rack attack. She comes charging out, trying to bull her way forward to get in some counter tit punching. However, it’s a costly attempt as she eats uppercut after uppercut. Shannon can’t miss at this range, all she has to do is keep shrugging’em in tidy. Kim bangs back in spots, but she is getting busted up now. Her hair seems to be escaping its bun and start locks start curling down on her sweat drenched face. Her nose has gotten an uppercut or two along the way and is starting to swell. Increasingly, she is simply following Shannon around and answering, but its Miller who is initiating. Still, Kim does manage to drive Shan to the ropes at one point, but Miller sneaks an uppercut into Zmeskal’s nether regions, stalling the pursuit and regaining the initiative, though it also gets her a stern warning from referee Aimee Trepanier.

R9: Shannon’s circling her prey more freely now--electing to move in when she wants, disengaging to roam at will. She starts adding some crowd-rousing lunging circus shots from the thighs to rock the increasing battered Kim. Zmeskal not quitting, she’s a rugged girl who can take a lot but, but Shannon’s really tattooing her now, being all frisky-footed, working in out and around--starting to bank left hooks in behind Kim’s right elbow. Kim noticeably wincing now as those blows slam into her ribs.

R10: Shannon Miller closes the show via a shutout--circling and battering a now visibly discouraged and drooping, broken down Kim Zmeskal. Nothing too fancy, just sharp, crisp combinations, punching the head and body. Late in the round, Kim’s already swollen nose takes a straight right and a shudder runs down Zmeskal’s muscular legs as her butt wobbles and her knees buckle. Trickle of scarlet starts rolling out of the nostrils as Kim desperately covers up while Kim lashes away to the ribs drawing audible groanbs just before the bell rings. Winner by UD10 is Shannon Miller.

After: Kim has to be handed a towel by a corner man to her bleeding nose as she stands next to a grinning Shannon until the decision is announced. As referee Aimee Trapnjier raises Shannon’s arm in victory, Kim tries to remain stoic but bursts into tears and has to be led quickly from the ring by her attendants. (Reports of a broken nose and cracked ribs are not confirmed by the Zmeskal camp, but Kim is missing from the tour for a month). Shannon beams in delight and tells reporters: “I’ve beaten Kimmy before, but this was one of the best because it was so up close and personal”
Something that many full contact gymnasts second.

Still in the future was Shannon’s showdown with Dominique Moceanu, the youngest of “The Magnificent 7” who would not enter the world of full contact gymnastics until she turned 18 late in 1999. No word if the DVD the event is going to be released in the near future or exactly what other bouts might be forthcoming.

Archer