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30 October 2015 LeeLee Sobieski vs Mandy Moore

Page history last edited by Vassago 8 years, 5 months ago

OFFICIAL "HALLOWEEN" SSB PPV

Posted by Lookout! Boxing on October 30, 2015, 6:02 pm

LeeLee Sobieski vs Mandy Moore (Site: Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, PA)
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

Lots of buzz around this one from the day it was signed. Moore, a three-time champion who's in the top ten and looking for another shot at the straps taking on the much-maligned Sobieski, in what's being billed as the latter's swansong. Heaven knows where the psychology is on this one, but Moore's all business in the run up. "Despite what's been said about her, she's good. You don't beat girls like Diaz and Kajlich if you aren't. But, I'm better. And, my job is to block out all the noise and go prove it."

"No pressure on me," says a smiling Leelee. "Tomorrow is what tomorrow is, no matter what happens tonight. So, I'm just going to go out there and have fun. What happens, happens."

Moore dressed as Rapunzel, long, flowing blonde wig covering her dark hair. Sobieski buys in to the prison theme. She's in stripes and a hat, lugging a fake ball and chain to the ring.

ROUND ONE:

Moore to the long poke early. Mandy rangy, and has good snap on the jab. Sobieski also likes to work at range, of course, and has a heavy left of her own, but, it's Mandy who's getting hers established, getting some good hooks and rights working off it. Leelee not quite fighting counter, but she's spending her time responding, while Mandy's not quite dictating, not quite controlling, but she's acting, not reacting. Footwork is good on both sides, of course, as both of the tall beauties are athletic and move well. Neither of these are the plodding, heavy-hitting type of welter, though both can hit plenty well. They move the hands and feet, box extremely well, especially for this weight, and don't usually get drawn into brawling, and that's the case here. What's going on in the first looks like something you'd see between athletic lights, and, while both fighters have their moments, again, it's Mandy who's getting more work done. Moore claims the round and leads 10-9 out of the gate.

ROUND TWO:

Now Leelee gets the left going. That heavy Front Street jab that can stop a fighter cold, even move her back half a step. When that lands, it complicates things for the girl it lands on. Because it sets her up for follows, leaves her hanging out on the end of punches, someplace she doesn't want to be. The key is to get the hands up, move, slip or roll with the inevitable right-hand follow, and counter. You don't want to stay there. Doing that is a recipe for disaster. This, Mandy knows. Because, not only is she a 50-fight veteran despite being only 31, having been in the ring with top welters like Righetti, Regan, Freeman, Theron, Nolin, and just about anybody who's been anybody in the division since 2004, she's already dealt with the Front Street jab in the person of Brooklyn Decker, who she stopped in nine, basically sending her on her way out of the division. Moore knows what to do, and she does it. She doesn't get caught out there. She gets off herself, creating nice, two-way exchanges, leading to a good, back and forth round. But, it's Leelee who's getting more done in this stanza, and, when the smoke clears, she's claimed the round and evened the fight at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Sobieski back to the left. Leelee getting in rhythm now in the third. Fight plan beginning to work very well. She's throwing Mandy onto the defensive, landing solid right hands. But, again, Moore's a veteran, not only athletic and hard-hitting, but slick. She slips a right hand takes a step forward and ROCKS Sobieski with a right of her own! Leelee's wobbled and Mandy goes to work. It's sound, perfectly-run stuff. Short flurries that back Leelee up. Jabs to snap back the head and set up rights. Slowly, she works her opponent to the ropes and goes to work, staying at range, keeping her pinned with volley after volley of heavy shot. Tactically brilliant stuff. No question of that. And, about two and a half minutes in, she shakes Sobieski again with a straight right hand. Leelee stumbles along the ropes and Moore pours on the fire. The referee is poised to leap between the fighters, but the blonde hangs on desperately and makes it to the bell. It's Mandy wide, and with a 29-28 lead after three.

ROUND FOUR:

Brunette thinking finish, coming forward on Sobieski behind her own left hand. But, the blonde immediately stabilizes her front. Stops the offensive cold. Moore too smart to force this. Goes back to ranged warfare, working her left hand, dropping rights behind it. Sobieski responds in kind, and we're right back to where we were in the first two rounds. It's good stuff, really. Good stuff from both fighters. The kinds of things, again, that athletic welters can do. Meaning, few fighters in the entire world. They can move. They can box. They can hit. And, they do all of those things extremely well for the three minutes that make up round four. There are little things, too, slide steps, a quick pull back of a head to let a punch whiz by a chin, a hook to the body to set up a straight right hand. And, those jabs. Everything off those long, accurate jabs. Good, entertaining stuff for three minutes, and, at the bell, it's Moore, close. 39-37.

ROUND FIVE:

When two fighters want to fight at range, want to extend on their punches, use every bit of the length that a 5'10" frame gives you, then, you'll get what you're seeing now. Gun platform stuff. Long range artillery. A naval battle, as both sides range in with the gunnery, then, finding the range, sending salvo after salvo at the opposing fleet. It's all calculated well. Every punch sets up the next punch on both sides. And, the movement has gotten better as the fight's gone on. There's no dancing, mind. Just good footwork, as both fighters try to line up their respective guns, while fouling the aim of their respective opponents. But, all that art doesn't take away from the fact that these are heavy guns firing, and, when the shells hit the target, they have their effect. Neither fighter is hurt, mind, but both take punishment, as accurate fire ramps up in the latter stages of the round, ending in a terrific exchange that sends sweat flying and gets the cheers of the crowd in their temporary seating echoing off the concrete walls of the old prison. It's close again, this time to Sobieski.

ROUND SIX:

More good stuff at long range. And, while you might think that extra distance serves to lessen the impact of the punches both fighters are landing, you'd be wrong. Because, while at short distances, you can work hooks and uppies and get plenty of power, and, at middle distances, you can use the shoulder whirl to generate some of the same, at long range, that's where the straight punches work best. Where a fighter can extend, and generate power from the foot all the way up the leg, through the torso, along the arm and into the fist. The whole body working to generate force that lands, you hope, on the chin of the opponent. And, that's exactly where one such right hand, expertly delivered, coming off a solid left jab, DOES land about two minutes into the sixth. It lands on the chin of Mandy Moore, and the brunette wobbles and nearly goes down. It's a testament to those sturdy legs that she's able to remain standing at all. She does. But, not for long. Sobieski unleashes a brutal barrage immediately, landing several hard punches, the last, another straight right, sends Moore crashing to her back. Mandy stays there for but a count of five, somehow managing to sit up at that point. She then rolls to her hands and knees, but can not push back to her feet. She's still on all fours when the count reaches ten and the cheers echo off the walls of the old prison. It's over. And you're winner by KO6 in farewell fashion is Leelee Sobieski!

AFTER:

Sobieski pumped, as you might imagine. She'll never quiet the haters, but, she's thrown a rock or two into their Hallowe'en treat bags, and done it in front of a home, Philly crowd. "Wow. That was fun! I want to thank Mandy for giving me this fight. And, I want to wish her good luck. And, not just Mandy. Bridget Regan. Amanda Righetti. Moon Bloodgood. Cassidy Freeman. And all the rest of the welters. My five years here have been fantastic, and this is a great way to cap them off, a big win against a great opponent in my home town!"