Posted by Simguy on Tuesday. 05-Sep-00 21:46:14

Before: From earlier this year--exhibition fought to open the John Hancock Gymnastics Tournament on July 26th. For the curious, Suzy Favor Hamilton is the current queen of American distance running--taking over from Mary Slaney. Drawing undeserved comparisons with Kournikova for her blonde good looks-- Hamilton is a winner as well as calendar girl--go to www.suzyfavorhamilton.com to check out the pics.)

Suzy is 5’4 105, Svetlana is 5’4 105--Boginskya used to a significant reach advantage faces fellow Olympian in a continuation of the rivalry between women’s gymnastics and other women’s fighting disciplines. Hamilton a tireless technician--Svetlana stronger through the upper body, but gymnast candid about wanting to finish Suzy quickly before the miler’s kick down the stretch can be a favor. Suzy in tight black Nike crop top, short sleeves, scoop front, matching black sprinter’s trunks, very small white gloves--Svetlana in white green gymnastics leotard with the high neck, similar small white gloves.

During R1,2:  Bogi takes the first, Suzy the second as both girls execute their plans. Svetlana coming forward, left hand low, right hand at her chin, using that supple upper body to slip a wide, slapping left hand to distract, and a money straight right hand to the body or head, Suzy using more movement, guard high, jab constantly snapping out to nibble at Svetlana’s eyes or mouth and a biting straight right from the shoulder that shoots out and into  Svetlana’s face with cracking sharpness when it connects. Svetlana committing to her punches, lands harder, Suzy the busier in close rounds.

R3: Hamilton seemingly too far away, jumps in with a blistering lead right hand to spank back Svetlana’s head and leave her stunned at the open. Bogi stumbling to her left along the ropes, Suzy stepping with her and just drilling the straight right hand to the face until the Russian stumbles to the turnbuckle. Svetlana shows that characteristic gymnasts durability, covering up and bobbing in the corner as Suzy showers her with clipping lefts and rights--Bogi staying low, dragging the occasional beefy counter to the miler’s ripped stomach starts to slow Hamilton down. By the final minute--Hamilton is grimacing, and Svetlana slugs her way out of the corner with a rousing series of overhand rights to the front of the stomach and SUZY GOES DOWN! Hamilton battered to a rolling stop on her back, woozily beats the count at the bell as both athletes suffer this round.

R4: Suzy’s legs aren’t there and Svetlana takes advantage, Sweeping the wide left, Bogi leans in and spanks her right hand hard off those bony ribs and lean abs--buckling Suzy’s legs repeatedly and forcing her to lay inside. Svetlana able to body up. Lift lanky punches up underneath has the blonde cringing, up on her toes from vicious work to the meat of the stomach.

R5,6: Suzy proves her own pedigree, sucking it up, showing Svetalan plenty of lateral movement,l and hammering aay at the gymnast’s exotic face with stabbig jabs, straight right hands. Big starts the rounds aggressively, but Hamilton’s pace is wearing the gymnast down--Bogi on her heels, still slipping and bobbing effectively, but clearly starting to fight in spots as Hamilton piles up the points. Small gloves are starting o lump Svetlana up.

R7: Svetlana looking winded, pulls away her right--Suzy over committing and seeing the trap too late--Svetlana uncoiled her screened right hand and landing a crash blow to the chin to beat Hamilton’s own right--Suzy missing lazily over the top as her legs shut down nd she folds to her haunches in deep, deep trouble. Bogi smiling sweetly, purring as Hamilton beats the count, but nobody’s home, Bogi loping in, sweeping the left then bending into the right hands, then dragging her fists back the other way--batters the wholesome blonde to the ropes and end  is not in doubt. Vicious, heavy-handed lashing blows to the head and body overwhelm the wrecked blonde--ref steps in to halt the contest. TKO7 Svetlana Boginskaya.

After: Once again, a world class gymnast takes a world class miler apart in an entertaining slugfest while it lasted. Hamilton was starting to eat Boginskaya up when the end came--Svetlana admitting that Suzy’s work rate was beginning to bother her, forcing the Russian to go for the KO.

Reposted by Archer on 10/21/10.