UNIFIED BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE

 Photo Courtesy BI Photo Labs

Posted by Simguy on 6/8/2002, 8:15 am.

Before: Hu vs Fishel for all the marbles—heart and will vs speed and skill. Dani can’t stop grinning at every photo-op, never backing down from Kelly, always smirking up at her—Fishel’s acting more the favourite than the sizable underdog she is. “Hey, I’m the champion,” explains Dani, “I’m not going to defer to Kelly, I’m not going to respect her. I’m going to get after her and beat her butt if she doesn’t have the fight of her life and that’s all there is to it.” Hu wants more kowtowing from the champ: “I might win every minute of this fight. I hope Dani’s thinking about that. I can carry her, or I can hurt her, and right now, I’m leaning towards the latter. For her to say that there’s a chance she could kick my butt is worse than outrageous—it’s unacceptable. You can’t even compare Dani Fishel to me,” Dani in sporty slick low ponytail, tighter racer back black sports bra, grey boy cut stretch cottons, white mitts and shoes—Kelly in low ponytail, red bra bikini style top with single scoop halter, black boy cut trunks, red gloves, white shoes,

During R1: Hard fought opening moments—Dani going right at Kelly, Hu sliding to her left along the perimeter of the ring, left hand low, right at her cheek, closed stance, Fishel moving her feet very well—never reaching, hands tight to her cheeks at all times as she scuttles in, dips at the waist, rips to the ribs, and keeps coming forward. Hu chipping and darting her jab off the hip, spinning off the ropes, stepping-in with that vicious hook up around the right temple, then pivoting sharp to the left. Blistering pace set early—Dani nodding defiantly at the bell as Hu turns haughtily on her heel.

R2: Dani scuttling forward, moving her upperbody very well, getting into position inside Hu’s stick and banging that hook tight to the body, Kelly giving ground, bouncing to the ropes, spinning artfully—but she’s grimacing and looking rushed as Fishel cuts off the ring. Fishel snapping her left hand off the target and back into position, but also jabbing as Hu retreats, throwing stubby right hands—more variety and looks than we’re used to from Dani—she hounds Kelly relentlessly for points this round.

R3: Hu rattled, continued to point that left shoulder at Dani, moving mostly to her left, but stepping out on occasion, taking a walk to the right out of range, flicking that jab off the hip to turn Fishel midring. Banging hook on the temple freezes Dani end of the first minute—another, and ANOTHER rocks Fishel—DANI’S CUT and stooping forward in stupor. Hu jumps to the right, hooking the left eye now, jumps to the left to bite the right fist off the left eye—Dani helpless, bending forward at the waist and taking as Kelly dabs and swats with elbows in ion tight punches. All Kelly Hu as she steps right and left, slicing and slashing away to the face of her stubborn foe—Dani all busted up, cut above the left eyes, bleeding from the nose and she smiles at the bell, thumping her chest to request more from the challenger.

R4: ON COMES DANI! Hu backed up against the ropes, leaning to her right, chin tucked behind her left shoulder, right hand up around her mouth as she pushes into Dani, then leans into the ropes, looking for quick counters with either hand. Fishel compact, steps right to fight off Kelly’s left shoulder and starts raking the challenger with tight hooks. Fishel bludgeoning away to belly and breasts and CHIN! Rocking Kelly into the strands, shouldering up rough after scoring, then turning over with a tight right hand to the head to send Asian sweat a-flying. Hu on her heels, poking back quick-stabbing straight right hands and choppy hooks, but Dani won’t be backed off. Fishel banging away for points as the crowd roars in approval—back and forth punishment puts an achy, hollow look in Kelly’s eyes at the bell.

R5: Kelly opening up the canvas—even her slick defence a little overwhelmed last round by Fishel’s urging attack—Hu keeping her back off the ropes this round. Kelly sharp in the first minute, spiking and pivoting, but some the second—Fishel swerving in low, feet nice beneath her, cuts off the ring, stubs the straight right into Kelly’s hip and TURNS on a clubbing hook off the face that ragdolls that challenger to the ropes. Fishel piling on—heartstopping right/left on the waist, crouch and EXPLOSIVE hook upstairs drapes Hu against the strands in stupor. Kelly clinching, badly hurt, shows tremendous poise in grabbing for time, then legging out the rest of the round as Fishel walks her down.

R6: get check Kelly—she’s hurt and shaky, but she takes over with that spitting jab pivoting around that tight hook, and has Fishel taking some vicious shots in the first minute. Dani’s head absorbing sensational abuse as she tries to get to Kelly’s chest—Hu timing the shorter woman exquisitely and making her pay a dreadful price this round. Down the stretch, Hu ranging right, suddenly reve4rses field, shocks Dani a perfectly lead right uppercut, steps right, hooks that left eye and has Fishel wobbly butt at the bell.

R7: Back to back shutouts for Hu as the constant tattooing finally starts to slow Fishel, Dani unable to sustain the crisp head movement—she’s getting banged 2,3,4 times as Kelly chops it up, then slides to the side—Hu punching fluidly, fists slicing out from her shoulders and biting wet into Dani’s sleepy face. Fishel trudging forward, occasionally getting Hus back to the ropes, by the brunette’s spinning off, minimizing the champ’s attack as Dani can’t get off.

R8: Kelly takes a blow and DANI catches her second wind! Fishel jabbing, stubbing straight right hands and launching herself into hooks, chases Kelly ropeside and sets up shop off the port side once again. Hu wide eyed, trying to dip and dodge, but Dani’s smart, digging and digging to the belly with that hook, curling the fist back into her chest on follow through, propping her with shoulder and forearm, then ripping into dusky flesh once more, Hu getting banged up, starting to break down, and she is ROCKED another concussive hook on the chin—Dani just squeaking it in past Kelly’s right, then immediately following up—bending left to pull in the overhand right against the challenger’s arrogant face. Hu forced to clinch, lumping up badly and sobbing from body shots. Fishel struggling to fight her way past Kelly’s arms at the bell, pressing and mauling Hu into the ropes.

R9: Kelly fading t her right, fading, then JUMPING in that tight lead right, bending the4 punch flush against Dani’s face and catching Fishel cold! Dani staggered, tilting out over her feet and a SENSATIONAL flurry of lefts and rights opens her anew! \Dani reeling to the ropes—Hu stepping with her and bouncing short, sharp shots across the bloodied face. UPPERCUT rocks Dani, sits her dazed into the strands—jolting left/rights bounce her listless skull as her mitts droop in useless protest. Hu just POUNDING away, throwing combinations, then palming Dani to get a little extra juice into those slashing right hands and the REF STEPS IN! Kelly Hu crying aloud as she jumps way—Dani bawling in protest but it’s OVER! TKO9 Kelly Hu.

After: Dani throwing an uncharacteristic tantrum in her corner as trainers try to calm her down but the DISAPPOINTMENT! Fishel EVEN UP with Hu on the cards after 8—having one of the best outings against the amazin’ Asian when it’s all taken away fro her, Angry words exchanged as Hu comes cover to taunt Dani—girls getting chest to chest and letting it all come out. “She just had the bets night of her life and couldn’t beat me,” says Hu in postfight, “I just used up the heart and soul of Dani Fishel—she’ll never be that good again. I told her I’d punish her, take her deep and that’s what I did. I could have stopped that fight any time I wanted,” Dani livid, trembling, wiping away tears as she addresses the cameras, “I just don’t know what to say. To stop that fight….yes, I was taking punches, I was hurt, but so was she and I wasn’t even CLOSE to going down! To me, they just gifted Kelly Hu the title belts—no WAY does she beat me out of them!

I will fight Kelly Hu right now, in the parking lot she wants to keep this going!”

Reposted by Archer 1/18/20.