Posted by simguy on 1/7/2005, 8:23 pm
(Thanks to FightFan for this repost)
Before: Denise announcing herself as a full fledged lightweight - nobody steps in slim against Cat Bell if they can help it. D upbeat, confident in prefight. "You hear things," says Richards. "Cat's not taking it to the body as well as she used to, Cat's been dropped in sparring her last few camps - you know. I still think she's cream, but I definitely don't feel I'm overmatched here. I'll give Cat Bell all she wants and then some." Bell respectful as always, brushes aside the gym-gossip. "Girls talk - what're you going to do? All respect to Denise - she's a good, tough fighter, but I actually DO think she's overmatched against me. Physically and technically, I'm the better woman - but that doesn't win the fight for you. I still have to go in there and put the work in. I know Denise doesn't lie down for anybody, so I have to be prepared to take it to her." Denise in tan western motif bikini, blonde hair - Cat in electric blue bikini.
During R1: Textbook, methodical Cat, working behind the jab. Richards kept at arm's length, lifting her guard high to block stick - Bell mixing it up to the chest, but deliberately trying to touch up Denise's eyes early. Second minute - body shots from Cat - great swinging rights flat and loud on tummy, follow up clouting hooks on ear - thudding power loosening Denise up. Final minute payoff - Richards on her heels, now eating jabs flush on her mouth as body shots bring her guard down: clean right hand on the chin sits Denise down at the ropes. Workmanlike stuff - no strutting from Cat as she jogs to the neutral corner - Denise up, brushing off her backside, pursing her lips in disappointment - she nods OK to the ref as he issues the 8.
R2: Denise dukes up, rigid defensive posture, concerned eyes - Bell's power, distance management decisive factors early. Catherine patient, right hand at her cheek - she steps in the jab long to belly, snaps it up top, swivel-pivoting left, keeping the fight mid-ring. Bell showing the right, but using it primarily to get the jagged left uppercut off her front foot - splitting Denise's guard and jamming her chin. Bell looping rights to hip, or tucking them in juicy to gut - typical systematic punishment from the multi-time former champ. Richards proving tough late, landing her first scoring blows of the fight: batting lefts and rights to the flanks as Bell covers up.
R3: Shutout Cat: stepping left, popping jabs, patiently breaking Denise down, dictating terms to her. Cat looking to fight outside - edging in close to park right hands on Denise's ribs or stomach, but restablishing at arm's length. Bell using the left occasionally to pull down D's head, spin her off balance - Cat drawing some warnings for 'manhandling'. Denise creeping forward, guard at her temples, bending forward - Cat adds the grim left hook to the body to the menu, leaning in on front foot and digging in hard behind D's elbow.
R4: Denise spitting jabs out of her high guard - not landing them, but it's messing up Cat's jab and a firm right hand on the chin puts Bell's back to the ropes in early action. Effective pressure Denise - she knuckles up on Bell's shoulders, digs lefts to the body, leans in with her head and elbows to push up on Bell - Cat can't unpin herself. Swarming, clawing stuff from Denise - keeping her body on the taller woman, pushing and punching, working Bell's ribs and midriff, but occasionally clubbing at the ears out wide. Bell stifled, worked over - surprising shutout Denise Richards puts a much needed bounce in her step after 4.
R5: Same again - Bell getting hustled to the ropes where she stands tall, dukes at her temples, elbows in - Richards crowding, pushing, mauling, then punching hamhanded to hips, ribs, tits and ears. Richards showing legit ferocity in there - pushing off then DIGGING multiple left hooks with snarling lips, right hand held high as she cranks away; grunting as she hauls tomohawk rights onto Cat's ear or upperback - Bell twisting and bobbing slightly with the incoming. Back to back shutouts Richards - Bell well protected, but clearly didn't envision spending 6 minutes on her back like this against the smaller vixen. Richards pumped, upbeat, proving she belongs through 5.
R6: Cat POUNDING her jab between Denise's mitts, spanking face with authority, busting Richards up. Bell dropping in rights to the chin and mop-up hooks in the ribs, then pulling down on Richards' head, spinning her, pushing her off - rough veteran stuff from intense Cat. Denise being shelled and bullied, but stubborn - wading through shellack to lick tasty to Bell's flanks, working up-torso to clout jug. Hammer and tongs, Bell taking a tremendous toll and dictating, but Richards competing every step of the way.
R7: Hard one-twos drive Richards to ropes - Cat steely eyed, stepping in with the shots, imposing herself. D butt-in-strands, hands at her temples, bending forward - Cat nibbling a short fish-hook left uppercut, matching it with a scraping right uppy, standing tall, looking D over. Cat just tapping, touching, then leaning in close to slam a SAVAGE hook in behind the elbow. DOWN GOES RICHARDS! Denise in agony, rolling to her back, writhing, feet pushing at canvas as she hugs herself. Ruined Denise can't get off her back - vicious KO7 to the body, Cat Bell.
After: Slow mo replay: D stooped forward - Cat leaning in, right hand gently atop Richard's head, left slinging thick to the ribs, perfectly placed - textbook Bernard Hopkins style execution. Richards recovering and appreciating Bell's artistry - veteran girls shake hands, chat a bit midring amidst the throng, talking it over. "I tried to get up, I really did," Denise assures her fans in postfight. "She just caught me with a perfect body shot - I couldn't shake it off. To me - Cat Bell's still the best out there - seeing her up close, there's no way she's lost a step."
Sim Guy
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