UNIFIED BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE

Posted by Simguy on 5/8/2004, 10:25 am.


Before: Whistles and admiring applause as Keira takes the scales at a ripped and wiry 112 - British girl smiling brightly as she pops a chiselled double bicep, busting sleek ribs and abs into shocking relief - dedicated import's had a hell of a camp. Different story Britney - struggling to make 120, drawing tsk tsk remarks from Keira, rumours of postponement swirling. Spears bedevilled by her personal life during training, but she's still the favourite from Ladbrookes to Caesars. "Just because Keira gave Dani hell doesn't mean I really buy her at bantam," says an irritated Spears during one press junket. "Fishel is the perfect style for Knightley, so Keira went rounds - big deal. I'm a different story, I mean, hello: best legs in boxing here. I don't think that hit and run crap's going to work with the champ." Knightley in navy top, baby blue lacing up the front, navy boy cut trunks, similar lacing, white shoes - Britney in pale blue sport top, tied in the back, navy boy cut trunks, pink shoes.

During R1: Keira leggy, but not overly so - sly to either side, dragging the front foot, keeping the right foot well back to slink her wiry torso in or out. Hand position Keira: right below the chin, left at the hip - she's getting pleasing snap on the jab, dipping her torso side to side, sliding cute right hands onto Britney's mouth. As promised, Spears cutting off the ring well, crossing her arms to slip Keira's jab and hook the midsection - even thrust and parry through the first two minutes. Down the stretch - Britney timing Keira's right hand, slips under it once, slips it twice, then comes up with a clanging, tight hook on the button and KEIRA SCOOTS TO HER BACKSIDE! Bang-zoom - Knightley plunked, up quick, anxious to shake it off. Britney smoldering, glaring - hard eyes promising more of the same.

R2: Britney cutting of the ring, hounding Keira to ropes, but Knightley cooperating, coaxing Britney forward, letting her lead. Spears bumping in hard with her left shoulder to chest, then rattling Keira's waist with abrupt lefts and rights - Knightley keeping her hands up around Britney's head, getting bombarded, but staying supple in the pocket. Spears doing all the work - missing sneaky Keira upstairs as Knightley turns her shoulders and slips punches, but blonde tearing up the midsection with dig and rip from both dukes. Good muscular stuff from the champ - she's brawny with her shoulder and extended left elbow to prop and nudge after her sequences - Keira defending well at the ropes, but for most of the round not doing much offensively. Final minute - Keira sliding to her right, Brit stepping with her - Knightley turning sideways to the ropes to ride with a streaming Spears right hand - Keira right back with a sudden chopping, screened right on the teeth and BRITNEY'S WOBBLY BUTT! Spears stunned, pushing out arm-punches - Keira dips underneath, swivel-spins off the ropes with a hand at Britney's back to push her face-first to the strands and KEIRA TEARS IT UP! Knightley flashing lanky leather - slicing and dicing a bewildered champ at the ropes. Britney arms crossed, facing into rude blows - Knightley's downward slicing rights, upward cupping lefts busting face, tucking into ribs and THE REF JUMPS IN! Ringsiders screaming "NO!" jumping to their feet - Britney cradled to safety even as she sobs in protestation. Say it isn't so: the winner and new bantam champ - Keira Knightley!

After: There it is - the upset of the year. BLONDE! scribes staring in disbelief - HBO fat cats pulling out hair - a lot of folks with a lot of money invested in a Britney Spears title reign suddenly in trouble. Knightley shaking up the country club, but this fight was won in training camp - Keira a fat-free blade, focused, hungry, ready - Britney distracted, seemed almost depressed when she became champion - it's a head scratcher to be sure. Kind of a Cameron Diaz KO with Knightley's punches looking more dangerous than they really were, but Spears legitimately tagged by the counter, wasn't offering back and a nervous ref reacted to the alarming sight of a battered and apparently helpless Britney.