“UPCOMING CARD: A UNIQUE EVENT”

Posted by “Boston Globe Sports Desk” on Friday, 19-Nov-1999 19:25:58

The Celebrity Female boxing world is buzzing big time with the approach of Blood Feud 99. Rivalries, bad blood, trash talk, and the like are frequent components of boxing matches, but the level of animosity surrounding upcoming card is unlike any that has been seen in a long time. Long time analyst and prognosticator Sim Guymonvich said he can’t recall this level of animosity permeating an entire card. “Unusually one or two fights on a card might carry a personal aspect, but never have I seen an entire card based on bad blood like this. Given the circumstances, it’s understandable, but I’ve never seen it to this level before, that I can recall.”

The root of the animosity was the simultaneous attacks on Gina Gershon and Dani Fishel after a card in Columbus in October. The action was alleged instigated by a tabloid journalist in retaliation for the filing of a lawsuit, but the participants had personal issues already. Two of the players, Charisma Carpenter and Gina Gershon have already met in the ting, with Carpenter defeating title holder Gershon in their match.

Blood Feud 99 takes this hostility to a whole new level however. The other attack victim,, Dani Fishel has vowed revenge on Alyssa Milano, the main protagonist of the attack on Fishel, Milano has vowed to “finish (Fishel) for good, this time.” Their original bad blood stems from two title defenses Milano won over Fishel, in which the champ used questionable tactics to retain her belt, but the dressing room attack has pushed it beyond limit. “Fishel is a worthless, whiny good two-shoes who needs to be put away for good,” Milano has been quoted as saying. “That night in Columbus was just a preview--a warmup. She Won’t leave the ring under her own power, if she leaves at all--I guarantee it. I own her. I know it and she knows it, and soon everyone’s gonna know it.” Fishel counters, “She can talk all she wants. She always has. But what she did that night was unforgivable. She’s nothing but a coward who embarrasses the whole FCBA every time she leaves her hole in the ground. Every stitch I took that night has her name on it, and I intend to make her pay for each one, and then some.”

The enmity has spread beyond those two, however, Fishel’s good friend Shania Twain has challenged Holly Marie Combs, another participant in the triple teaming of Fishel. Combs has retorted that she’s going to “clean the floor” with Twain, “Friends stick by each other,” Twain has been quoted, “especially when they’re cheap-shotted like Dani was. That attack was a coward’s act, Combs played a part ion that, and can’t be allowed to get away with it. We’ve always been there for each other, and I know Dani would do the same thing for me if it were the other way around. Combs has responded by saying, “I’m not afraid of Twain, She’s just a stupid Canadian hick, I’ve got more talent in my fingernail than she’ll ever think of having. She’s a glass-jawed used-to-be, I’m glad we attacked her buddy, so I can get a piece of her. Don’t blink, this won’t take long.”

The third participant in that attack, Shannen Doherty, will be fighting another friend of Fishel, Lucy Liu. Lucy and Dani worked together on a charity card to benefit victims of the Taiwan earthquakes, Doherty has been contemptuous of Liu for accepting the match, “Liu’s a loser. Her choice in friends is pretty (expletive) too, if you ask me. What kind of friend asks another to get her butt kicked in the ring by someone as good as me? I thought breaking Fishface in two was enough, but now I get to do it to Loser Liu, too. Lucy’s stupid for taking me on, and I’m gonna show her just HOW stupid she is. I’ve been wanting to humiliate the cocky (expletive) for a while now--this just gift-wraps for me, You may as well not show up Liu, ‘cause if you do, you’ll regret it.” Liu responded, “Talk is cheap Doherty. I’ve beaten your kind over and over again. You’re a choke artist as a coward. I’ve been looking for you for a ling time, but you keep ducking me. I was thrilled to get Dani’s call. She out herself ion the line for the fund against Kiana. I respect that. And now she’s given me the chance to shut Dough-Girl’s mouth with my fists, It don’t get any better than that. Shannen’s history. I’m not sure she’ll even show up if she’s smart.”

The fourth match stems from the Gershon attack, Demi Moore, who participated in that attack along with Charisma Carpenter, has challenged Gershon’s good friend Paula Marshall, who witnessed the attack on her friend. Moore has made it personal against Marshall. “She’s nothing’ but a pretender. She doesn’t belong in the ring with me, but I feel like beating on someone, She’s a cocky, stupid fool, who needs to be taught a lesson, just like her pal did. Marshall, you know what I’m gonna do to you! If you’re smart, you won’t show up. But if you’re not, it’ll be my pleasure to wipe the ring with you.” Marshall doesn’t seem impressed. “You’re all talk Demi. Jut shows me that you know you’re not at my level. When we meet in the ring, you won’t be able to hide behind someone, and no one’s gonna be there to bail you out. There’s nowhere to run, Moore! But you’ll wish there was. It takes a real lowlife to double team someone in a garage. Let’s see how brave you are when the numbers are even…”

The promos that have been running have been depicting this as a confrontation between Good and Evil. Milano, Combs, and Doherty have played their witch personas from their TV show “Charmed” to the hilt--dressing in black outfits and sorceress trappings. Moore has been portraying herself as the FCBA enforcer, dressing in the fatigues she wore in “G.I. Jane” and calling Marshall out. Meanwhile, Marshall, twain, Fishel and Liu have portrayed themselves as something akin to modern musketeers, out to avenge the cowardly acts of their adversaries. Portraying themselves as “Four Friends Against The World”. they’re playing for support of the crowd and the media. So far it’s been working, though the Vegas line is mixed on the fights. The line has fluctuated so much that, so far, a new favorite emerges almost daily. One thing is for sure--Blood Feud 99 will be one of those time markers in female celebrity boxing. One can only hope that the actual event is even half as good as the build-up. If words are any indication, it’s a guarantee.

Reposted by Archer 12/19/10.