116lb Title Bout

Posted by Simguy on Sunday, 08-Aug-1999 19:39:30

Thanks to FightFan for this repost


Before: Posters for the fight read "They're real..and they're SPECTACULAR" giving both women credit where credit is due. Teri riding a wave of popularity and ego after her destruction of Dani Fishel, makes this fight with Halliwell despite Geri's decent performance in a losing effort vs. O'Connor. Geri a credible opponent, but most pundits feel she's tailor made for Hatcher, who promises her fans another spectacular KO. Red Nike athletic bikini for Teri, blue for Geri, both girls coming into the fight with hair wetted down.

During R1: Stare down brings cheers from the crowd as Teri goes chest to chest with that little smile on her face in a bid to intimidate Geri. Hatcher comes out strong: left forearm resting lightly across her belly, right fist just under her chin - the idea being to twist her body into lashing left hooks, and banging right hands. Geri with her gloves high, crouching forward, looks to dig to the body. Train wreck right hand lands early for Hatcher as she busts Geri up to open the round, and batters the blonde around the ring with the swinging left, slicing right. Meanspirited moment late in the round, with Geri on the ropes - Teri rips left hooks and bends into right hands to Halliwell's breasts, drawing cries of protest from the blonde and cheers from the crowd. Shutout Teri as she struts to her corner with fists in the air.

R2: Geri with pay back, initiates a torrid exchange at center ring, both women hooking senselessly to the breasts, and it is Hatcher who can't take it, backing away with a grimace of pain on her face. Halliwell weaving forward, churning hooks to the Teri's right side and banging the brunette to the ropes. Hammer and tongs along the ropes to the corner as Teri tries to loop uppercuts and hooks, while Geri shoves her back, and bangs to the body and head with short lefts and rights.

R3: Hatcher backs off the brawling, boxing for the first time in the fight, holding Geri at bay with a still left jab from the hip.

R4: Halliwell bodies up on Teri, forcing the fight inside, and puts mileage on Hatcher's skimpy legs with pounding one-twos to the gut. Geri with the right uppercut to the breasts, continues to make it personal.

R5: Geri grinds out another close round, forcing Teri to fight at close range, and not allowing Hatcher to extend on her punches. Halliwell digging the left hook in behind Hatcher's elbow,
has Teri holding on at several points this round.

R6: Teri backs Geri off with a lead right uppercut, then gets the stick and move going again to dictate the round. Midway through the round, with the girls stepping deliberately around one another, merely pawing with left hands, Teri lunges over the top with that right, banging Geri square on the cheek, and lifting the blonde's lead foot off the canvas. Teri swinging away, whipping the left and slinging the right, tears Geri apart, hammering the blonde on the ropes. Halliwell soaks it up to the bell, right eye beginning to close.

R7: Teri Hatcher slowly starting to control the fight, steers Geri with the jab, retreating to walk Halliwell into right hands. Teri potshots from outside, getting Geri to cover up, then steps into that cranking left hook to the gut as she moves left around the opponent. Geri's punch output plummets, as she looks discouraged, taking punches, and reacting late.

R8: Brawling Hatcher returns, banging right hands and lashing left hooks early to cut Geri in the mouth. Halliwell stunned, stands with her arms crossed in front of her face as Hatcher takes her apart. Gets worse as the round grinds on, with Halliwell’s legs trembling from soaking up that Hatcher right hand. Teri with a cruel smile as she bends her lithe body into crashing right hands, clearly thrilled to see the effect on her dazed opponent as Geri's head rocks back and forth upon impact. Halliwell refuses to go down, but heads back to her corner a different woman than she was at the start of the fight.

R9: Hatcher goes back to boxing, frankly amazed to see Geri continue. Teri working the eye with that jab, bouncing to the left, snapping off the punch and backhanding it with an unpredictable rhythm. Geri puffy eyed, sad looking, continues to plod forward, slowly getting dismantled as Teri racks up the points.

R10: Don't blink. Hatcher comes out loading up the right, touching Geri's bruised forehead with a measuring left before launching into the Hatcher Express (right hand). Teri misses over the top as Halliwell slips left, and comes back with a Frazier/Ali left hook on the button. Hatcher's head spins, hands drop as she swoons to her back. Hatcher all but out, desperately gets to her feet, but she's finished. Geri plows into her, battering Teri helpless with swinging lefts and rights, and Hatcher tumbles to the canvas again, this time to stay. Hatcher on her back, head lifting dreamily off the canvas as her limbs betray her, coughs up the KO 10 to a jubilant Geri Halliwell.

After: Speculation is that Halliwell will soon vacate the 116 belt again to fight at a more comfortable 120, but for now, Geri can't wipe the smile off her face. Not the first time Hatcher has overestimated herself and stepped up in weight to get smoked. Disappointing follow up to her fight of the year candidate with Fishel, leaves HBO shaking their heads and cursing their luck.


Sim Guy

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