(Thanks to FightFan for this repost)

Posted by simguy on 7/8/2001, 10:00 am


Before: Dangerous fight for both women, with little immediate reward - girls just wanna have fun. Harsh truth for Hu, Lucy's one of the few fighters she can make any money with - Lucy a name fighter who will fight Kelly at the drop of a hat when others are asking astronomical figures to get in with Hu. More on the line for Lucy with Eliza threatening to 'evaluate' her performance tonight - Liu shrugs off the pressure: "Dushku's going to do what she's going to do. The way she's been looking, I'd expect her to fight Natalie Portman before she ever gets back in the ring with me. I prefer top competition at all times to stay sharp - but that's just me." Lucy in black push up, leopard print boy cut trunks, slick ponytail, black leather push up style bikini for Kelly, slick ponytail.

During R1: Liu out aggressively - she starts and stops, rushing in then hanging back, feinting the bejesus out of Kelly, then pounding a flagrant right hand to the thigh, leaning away, dropping back in low with a right hand on the thigh, then launching herself off the deck to cash in chin with that sweeping left uppercut. Hu sent reeling to the ropes moments into the round, but recovers well enough to spin off, jab her way into open space. Rest of the round cat and mouse - Lucy stalking, hands down when she's well outside, lunging in on Hu, Kelly trying to time her with that left shoulder pointed at Lucy, right hand coiled.

R2: Hu in her closed stance, jabbing from her hip, leaning away from Lucy and moving her head well to slip Liu's overhands. Liu supple from the waist up - she'll occasionally gamble and find herself too far in, but she's able to bend back on her hips, swivelling away from Hu's licking right mitt as cat and mouse becomes cobra/mongoose. Nobody harmed, but Liu's unorthodox style and weird reflexes make it seem like she's dictating.

R3: Liu inching closer - she'll backhand her jab from her stomach to Hu's trunks and tummy, then suddenly jump in a hook and jam in a right hand while falling in to clutch. Hu closing up her stance even more to protect her crotch while complaining to the ref, but she can't throw right hands from this posture - all defence from Hu as she slips and bobs, using her shoulder to pick off Lucy's right hand. Down the stretch, Liu sweeps a decoy right to get Hu bending forward, then claps home a stunning left on the teeth that just squeaks by Hu's protective right. Kelly hurt, form falls apart and barbarians storm the gates - Liu jumping in with a thick left uppercut to the belly, then a looping right from in close to send Hu stumbling into the ropes again. Bell sounds before Lucy can consolidate, but Hu is cut bad over the left eye, and doesn't look like she knows where she is. Naturally, they let it go on.

R4: Liu in control. She uses that little backhand to the crotch just to make Hu flinch - it rarely connects, but it keeps Kelly from opening up enough to throw back. Liu circling left and right, jumping in with crazy punches, often staying in close and bending almost to the canvas to see if she can land a second or third punch as Hu covers up. Hu actually doing a good job of protecting herself as much of Liu's leather skids off guard or misses altogether, but Lucy's the boss through 4.

R5: Kelly finally gets offensive - spiking Liu effectively with counter right hands from the closed stance as Lucy rushes in - Liu forced to circle and re-evaluate as Hu becomes the stalker. Liu hopping to her left, just dangling her left hand out to feel for Kelly - Hu hoping to step and bang over the rangefinder when Lucy suddenly changes direction and walks Hu onto a vicious slicing right hand on the teeth - just edging over Kelly's protective left shoulder. HU GOES DOWN! Kelly spanked to her butt - shakes her head, gets up too quickly and promptly flounders into the ropes. After 8 - Liu comes on with malice - leaning in to twitch a heavy left mitt into Kelly's ribs, leaning away as Hu shoots back, then swaying in close with a looping right hand to that busted up eye at the bell. All Lucy Liu through 5 - when was the last time Kelly Hu dropped 5 rounds straight?

R6: Shutout Lucy Liu. Kelly's starting to look sullen, punished. Liu's circling, then dropping in out of the sky with circus punches, crouching in close and often picking up tummy or jaw with second and third swats as Hu starts to break down. Liu unhittable this round - she's got the timing down - she leans away and pivots with her hands down - Hu missing and more often than not paying as Liu lands heavy straight arm counters from either side.

R7: Lucy at play - she can come in with hands down, use her upperbody magic to evade Hu's panicky punches, tempt Hu into traps with an apparently wide open face, only to dip, slide to the side and slam home a counter as Kelly's features start to swell badly this round. Midway through, Liu in close, down low, sways side to side to evade half a dozen chopping Hu offerings, then she jumps left to drop a right on that busted up eye, hops left to hook Hu's jaw and Kelly stumbles back on her heels in deep swoon once again. All Lucy Liu to the bell - backhanded crotch jabs drawing sobs from Hu, warnings from the ref, and setting up monster overhand rights as Liu falls in close, closing the savaged right eye of Kelly Hu at the bell.

R8: Liu's shot a lot of leather at Hu and the natural bantam is still there - Kelly gets a second wind, Liu starts to blow a little this round. Kelly making firm contact as Lucy's head movement starts to slow, lead right hands surprising Liu and putting her awkwardly on her heels. Midway through, lucy trying for the leaping left uppercut - Kelly intercepts with her jab, pivots to her left and drops the straight right hand on Liu's ear from the side and LIU IS HURT! Lucy straightening up, hands down - she desperately bobs side to side, rolling her shoulders as she retreats straight back under a hail of lefts and rights from Kelly. Liu shamelessly running the rest of the way - Hu can't catch her, but she's the clear aggressor as a result.

R9: Lucy bounding around the perimeter of the ring - she has no intention of fighting - sticking her chin out, taunting and smiling at Hu - but no punches as grim faced Kelly tries to cut the ring down and force decisive action. Hu gets a shutout, but hardly touches Lucy who is blatantly running the clock in prevent defense mode.

R10: Another shutout Kelly Hu - and boos from the audience as Lucy Liu stays well outside, hopping, bounding - changing directions, occasionally jumping in to clinch for breaks. Hu angry, can't land anything serious as it takes 2 to tango - Liu drinking in her opponent's frustration even as she gives away the round. Hu dropping her hands in disgust in the final moments, standing still as Lucy runs around her - Liu laughing as she knows she's got it in the bag. Comes back UD10 Lucy Liu.

After: Brilliant performance from Liu - an unpopular finish, but she threw the kitchen sink at Kelly through the first seven, couldn't get her foe out of there and backed off to take a smart duke to the bank. Hu savagely beaten about the face - evidence of Liu's early good work - Kelly tries to accuse Liu of running, but her punished features belie the tale. Liu still having problems carrying her punch into the higher weights, but she can do plenty of damage when she moves and hits like she did tonight.


Sim Guy

ff