Posted by Simguy on 5/9/2003, 7:12 am.

Before: Shakira wants a showcase—management brings in Hannigan to oblige—leading Mish Williams to snip in BLONDE! magazine that Shak’s being “babied” by BSE. “They’ve made a huge mistake with Shakira and now they’re trying to paper it over with stumblebums and no-hoper opponents,” alleges the outspoken ex-champ. “I’ve see it a million times in this game,” Hannigan not a physical threat, but it’s a confidence builder, a showcase for Shak just to get that swagger back. “IO think it’s a very winnable fight for me says Alyson—always looking to sell that extra ticket. Alyson in wide red bandeau top, half-hipster bottoms, Shak in pretty ponytail, baby blue bandeau bikini with white ruffle across the cleavage.

During R1: Shak with monster pressure early—blonde buzzsaw sailing into red with free-swinging malice, but Hannigan’s poised. Aly standing in the pocket, dukes at her temples—she’s blocking shots on her wrists, countering with little contact uppercuts from either hand, just absorbing Latina fury and diffusing it. By the midway point, Hannigan in a nice block-and-counter rhythm, stepping back, bouncing tight punches off Shak’s face and end of second minute: SHAK STEPS INTO) A RIGHT HAND! Aly timing it beautifully, beating Shak to the punch and little blonde goes wobbly butt, suddenly lost at sea. Alyson over to offense, right hand at cheek, eyes bright, left pumping out workmanlike jabs as she rotates clockwise, Shak on her heels, all  squared up, hunched over, arms crossed at her chest—she faces into Alyson’s jabs and straight right hands as Hannigan paints her up pretty at the bell.

R2,3: Hannigan employing risky strategy—standing in the pocket, letting Shak get off, but countering off the block like an old pro. Shak baring her teeth and winging wide—first minute is always hers, but Alyson starts to pick the blonde part, getting the clean touches as punches club back and forth. Hannigan loving it to Shakira’s face, scrubbing firm combinations off it—Hannigan stepping left and loving it outside with her jab—Hannigan loving it to the body as Shak leans forward bewildered, exposing her rightside ribs to pesky hooks.

R4: Shakira finally on the board. Nothing different from Shak—straight ahead pressure, body punching setting up the head, but Alyson’s not executing as brilliantly, coming back to earth. Girls trade hooks and it’s Hannigan who gets moved back—red head scuffing up in tough trade through 4.

R5: Hannigan stepping back, then waiting in the weeds, block, block up top, then countering hook, right hand off the face—Shak stops dead in her tracks, confused. Hannigan stepping right, popping her jab off Shak’s mouth, hooking Shak’s right eyes and TURNING on a sizzling right as Shak steps into hurt AGAIN! Shak in disarray, glove4s up her temples, but no head movement—busy Alyson with the right tight to her cheek gets after Colombian body with pik-pak-pek left hooks and uppercuts. Alyson just touching Shak with lefts, lifting up her chin, scooting to the right—red-head gets back in the driver’s seat as Shak stamps her foot in frustration at the bell.

R6: Shak determined to destroy Alyson this round, but Hannigan roars across the ring, pre-empting the blonde and surprising her with an all out assault! Alyson bending side to side, lighting Shak up with hard left and rights off the face—blonde stacked up in her corner, not punching back and SHAK GOES DOWN! Furious flurry ends with a postcard right uppercut pop on the chin—Aly sliding back in good form as Shak crumbles to all fours. Shakira up blubbering—she TOTALLY loses her composure, sinking into the ropes and letting the weaker girl get big. Alyson Hannigan completes the shutout with a workmanlike romp—hands up, knees bent—she’s going to Shak’s body. she’s dropping hooks and right hands on the face, lighting it up to the bell with blue-collar enthusiasm.

R7; Night and day! Shak enraged, bolts across the canvas, rocks Aly a jamming right hand lead and it’s blonde on redhead in Hannigan’s corner. Shak palming up tough on Aly’s shoulders, HEAVING in glorious rights to the body, swiveling her hips into hooks to chin. Hannigan covering up gloves at temples, grimacing as she is clobbered to her left along the ropes. Shak keeping up a constant, clubbing lather—Alyson’s only respite coming from clinches as she stalls for referee’s breaks. Shak stomping back to her corner, finally seems to have it together.

R8: Shak with a big right hand to the cheek—has Alyson momentarily stunned, weight on her right foot—big Colombian hook sends red stomping back on her heels to the ropes. Another luscious bell to bell romp for Shakira—jamming her head in between Alyson’s gloves, wearing out Alyson’s trembling tummy—it’s vintage work from the blonde. Extra punching after the bell as Shak won’t stop gnawing at her prey.

R9: More Shak—Alyson breaking down, looking forlorn as she sags into the ropes covers up and takes a beating. Shak snarling, palming Alyson’s shoulders, reaching right hands down the side to get in behind Hannigan’s protective elbow. Shak working up underneath with scrounging uppercuts, straightening Ali up and exposing that hurting midriff to more Latina. Bell to bell once again—Hannigan fading, Shakira growing stronger.

R10: Hannigan moving, offering a tepid, don’t-hurt-me jab, but she doesn’t have enough left to keep Shakira off her, Shak piling on, bodying Alyson to the ropes, fighting off her chest to beat that tummy like it’s done something wrong. Shak in her element, using her shoulders and extended elbows to prop the wilting redhead up. but Hannigan won’t punk –Alyson maintaining her guard, protecting her chin—she finishes up shaky, but makes it to the bell as Shak pours on late abuse once again. Come back one point duke LYSON HANNIGAN!

After: UPSET! Welcome to the twilight zone—Shakira: meet Gabrielle Carteris (upset Dani Fishel in similar fashion years ago). Hannigan feted in the ring, hoisted onto shoulders of her non-name cornermen, what a fight for the unheralded, unsung redhead. Shakira throwing a mini tantrum in her corner—trying to shout away the first slump of her meteoric career, “They brought me in to get beat up,” beams Alyson in postfight, “but I wouldn’t cooperate. Seemed like her only plan was to punk me out and when that didn’t happen—she fell apart. Her body punching got to me late, but I knew she was tired too—she just didn’t have enough left to get me. Sucks to be Shakira, doesn’t ?”

(Kudos to Tractorpull—easily the gutsiest, shrewdest call they’ve ever made)/

Reposted by Archer 11/28/09.