Originally posted Thursday. 5-Aug-1999 08:55:09 by Sim Guy

Before: Nobody can accuse Dani of being a protected prospect after this fight—Doherty exactly the kind of veteran boxer-puncher who could give Fishel trouble. Danielle reportedly told her management to make the fight, hoping to make a statement with an impressive win over one of boxing’s most venerable names. Doherty not amused by Dani’s youthful pre-fight exuberance, spits threats and nearly jumps Fishel during the weigh in.

 Grey cotton/spandex shorts and teal jogbra for Dani, Red Adidas terrycloth trunks and black jogbra for Shannen.

During R1: Dani takes the fight to Shannen, and the match has a definite Yvonne Trevino/Bridget Riley look with the loose swinging Doherty trying to time Dani coming in. Shannen finds Dani’s face with the left jab—Dani finds Shannen’s ribcage with the right hand, and down the stretch it is Fishel asserting herself as Doherty seeks to clinch inside.

R2: Dani continuing to press, but Shannen has her measured. Stepping back, Doherty is able to lean away from Fishel’s overhand right and beat Dani’s left look with a crushing counter right hand on the teeth. Fishel’s head snaps violently back, and she stumbles to all fours, badly hurt for the first time in her career. Fishel recovers well, managing to hem Shannen in against the ropes to the bell, but it’s a 10-8 round for Doherty.

R3,4: Girls trade rounds, Dani taking the third, Shannen the fourth as both get some things done. Dani effective when she gets past Shannen’s jab, working the body and head with short, chopping blows, and confusing Doherty with unpredictable punch selection. Shannen effective when the jab finds Dani’s face, and it does so often enough to leave Fishel’s left eye dangerously swollen after 4. All even after 4 as the girls fight safety first through the first half.

R5: Good round for Fishel. Slipping underneath the jab, Dani is able to rip hooks into Doherty’s belly, rendering the older girl breathless for the first time in the fight. Shannen clinching, waiting for the break, rather than punching, and Dani is able to move inside repeatedly, get off a couple of body shots, and control the action. Shutout Fishel as Doherty coasts.

R6: Shannen lifting a backhanded jab from her hip, right hand cocked like a cobra’s head at her side, but she can’t pull the trigger. Dani banks another round of pressure, swarming Shannen with clubbing blows to the breasts, belly and head. Doherty slowly getting overwhelmed by the youngster’s work rate, although not getting hurt in the exchanges.

R7: Shannen opens up and it costs her. Looping her punches, Shannen gets off balance and is wide open for Dani’s left hook which bounces hard off Doherty’s jaw to spin her sideways early in the round. Shannen hurt, reaches to clinch, but Dani’s having none of it. Churning her fists, Fishel beats a pattern on Doherty from her hips to her clavicle, stepping in and out to avoid Shannen’s grasp. Exhausted Doherty stumbly, takes 3 right hands on the jaw as she wobbles in a circle around Dani at the bell.

R8: Doherty’s legs look shot, and she wears a b###hy pout as she closes to open the round with a clinch. Evergreen Dani shoves her back,. And bobs in behind the chopping right and whipping left. Shannen gets it together midway through the round, stepping left and banging the jab off Fishel’s face, but in the final minute, Dani fights off Shannen’s chest, turning a tight left hook over in the older girl’s chin to take the round.

R9: Doherty on her toes spanks back Fishel’s face with the jab, but Dani undaunted. By the midway point, Fishel’s looping and chopping blows from all angles have Shannen backed into her corner. A right hand shaves past Shannen’s chin setting up the come-back left hook on the jaw, and Doherty is hurt! Shannen stunned and droopy-eyed, reaching pathetically for Dani as the little slugger opens up. Crowd goes wild as Dani twists that solid torso into ripping lefts and rights, bouncing Shannen’s head back and buckling her knees. SHANNEN GOES DOWN! Doherty takes a knee with seconds left in the round, barfely beating the count. Breathing heavily through the mouth, Shannen sags in the corner, giving up the body as Danmi welts her sides to the bell.

R10: Dani a little over-eager, walks into Shannen’s jab, and Doherty s able to harness the brunette, steering her, circling and banging back Fishel’s head with authority. Dani seems a little confused, rushing straight in, only to get rejected time and again by the sticking jab to the facve. In the final minute however, Fishel bobs in, swinging over the top with a curling right hand to time Shannen’s jab perfectly, clubbing the brunette to the canvas with the temple shot. Doherty’s confidence completely shot with the knockdown. Knows she’s lost the fight, and caves in the rest of the way, fading to the ropes to take her beating to the bell. Fishel eagerly obliges, hammering Shannen’s creamy sides and waistline with both hands until it’s time to go. Unanimous decision Dani Fishel.

After: Dani’s best performance to date, sees her wreck a former junior bantam champ with boundless energy and compact punching. Despite hurting Dani early, Shannen never got into a rhythm, never established her jab, and after a close first half, coughed up the final 6 rounds to lose a very convincing decision. Sky’s the limit very early in Fishel’s career, with the likes of Electra, Packard, Hayek and others beckoning.