Posted by Simguy on 10/27/2001, 3:15 pm.
Before: Fight that changed boxing last year: Tyra Banks' stirring KO victory over then welterweight empress Ali Landry. "Ali wasn't just another title holder at the time," says one respected fight scholar, "people were talking about a dynasty that might conceivably rival the great reigns in history - Landry was the most dominant champion in boxing when Tyra stopped her." Ali conscious of what Tyra took from her - that aura of invincibility: "I can't wait forever for Jewel to fight someone with a pulse. Tyra's been on my mind ever since her hand was raised over mine and beating her is going to make it impossible for Kilcher to consider any other challenger." Jewel's pressure/crowding style thought to be the blueprint for beating the lanky limbed Banks - Landry boxed and fought at range last time out, allowing Tyra to extend on murderous, ultimately fight-winning right hands. "That's all going to change," insists Ali, "I have to get beefy on Tyra, fight inside her trunks and outwork her. I was all caught up in trying to hurt Banks last time - that's her game. Girl has no CLUE how to fight inside." Tyra in purple push up bra, leopard print bikini bottoms, slick ponytail, Ali in gold bikini top, cream bikini bottoms.
During R1: Ali with high guard, nervous about her chin, moving her head, jabbing stiff and getting cheek to cheek with Tyra as often as possible. Banks with a b###hy sneer, lifts the jab off her hip when Landry's outside, but inside, she's reaching around Ali's waist, looking for a break. Landry coming forward, dictating the pace, works for the points in a harmless first.
R2: Same rhythm - Banks lifting her jab off her hip and looking to twist into slinging right haymakers - Ali with gloves at her eyebrows, bobbing and weaving, dropping the jab onto Tyra and sneaking inside to work the body. More serious stuff from Landry this round - she gets her legs in behind bashing body blows - really punishing the waist and ribcage of the model. Banks bundled to the ropes and she's helpless with Ali on her chest - Tyra clinching, tieing up rather than punching on the inside.
R3: Insistent Landry body punching pays off - Banks' knees buckle early from a series of pounding lefts and rights behind the elbows - Tyra leaning forward, giving ground, and groaning as Landry gets big. Ali reaching under Tyra's arms, chests the model into the ropes and proceeds with sultry shove and slug - bodying up, lathering down - Banks leaning back into the ropes, grimacing, tieing up and getting shined up for points. Banks hurting on her stool, doesn't recover fully during the break.
R4: Tyra showing some spine - gritting her teeth and fighting hurt, finally keeping Ali at the end of her punches and steering the brunette midring. All classy Banks outside, stepping around her foe, reaching in the jab, punching in hard right crosses off that front foot as Landry refuses to risk trading at long distance. Final minute - Tyra cruising to a shutout when she falls in behind her jab and gets clocked a short left hook on the chin that unhinges those knees once again. Banks floundering, stumbling forward as Ali steps back and reefs at midsection with whistling left uppercuts. Tyra hits the ropes face first and grabs on to keep her feet at the bell - Landry steals a Banks round with the decisive hurt.
R5: Ali's turn to get complacent. Owning Banks thus far, Ali tries leading with the hook and eats a vintage diving Banks right cross on her chin. Ali toppling sideways, manages to stay upright but she's all adrift. Banks opening up with roomy lefts and rights, splattering away at Landry against the ropes as the big brunette covers up and rolls with the incoming. Ali countering late avoids the shutout, finding holes in Tyra's big swings where she can place punches to the ribs at the bell.
R6: Tyra crippled in an early exchange that sees Ali work underneath the model's free swinging blows, bashing hard counters to the ribcage with either hand. Tyra softened up, elbows in, eyes glazing as Landry keeps her left shoulder on the girl, reaching casually around the hip with her left, and working in close - hard right hands on the cheek, chopping hooks on the belly or cuffing hooks on the ear keep Tyra reeling. As Banks cringes behind her guard - Ali can afford to be selective, right hand under her chin, left hand across her belly, using that left elbow to nudge with - she'll take a look then spank kidney with a right, dip left and bounce a hook off Tyra's liver, lay the propping forearm on Tyra, then light her up with a clipping left uppercut in close, and TYRA GOES DOWN! Sweet beating adds up and puts Tyra on all fours - Banks takes a shaky 8 and looks all banged up at the bell.
R7: Landry heaps on after the knockdown with more pressure - choosy punching up and down Bank's sides, harsh uppercuts in close - it's all breaking Banks down. Everything hard, Ali banging away at the flanks, dipping side to side to get her body behind tough, digging blows - Banks stooping forward, gloves at her temples, swooning in a punchy daze as Landry hammers away bell to bell.
R8: Tyra lays out a measuring left, then falls in behind a crashing right hand on the chin - girls standing side by side, cheek to cheek and Landry's desperately HURT! Tyra stumbling with her girl to the ropes, disentangles and squares up with lashing, licking strokes to the arms and head of her foe as Ali covers up tight. It's Banks turn to work unmolested - feet wide apart - she'll measure Ali with a palming right, then whiplash the left into the brunette's body, then repeat with the other hand. Landry sobbing under the punishment, spilling sideways along the ropes - Banks stepping with her and clapping face with slicing rights upside the head. Landry stupified at the bell - scored 10-8 without a knockdown as Banks bodies up to force eye contact, mouthing taunts close enough to Ali's face to blow brunette hair away from the eyes.
R9: Ali reeling on sea-sick legs, hands at her chest - Tyra with pinched face from all the body taps lurches forward to finish the job. Banks standing in front, swaying her body side to side to slash her punches at Landry - Ali hobbled, bending forward with gloves at her face takes welting blows up and down her sides as she falls in. Final minute pretty sloppy - girls clinching up high, taking turns bellying one another into the ropes - referee issuing constant breaks.
R10: Tyra too tired to keep Ali off - Landry gets her mouth on Banks' shoulder, keeping her hands crossed low at her waist. Landry leaning on Tyra, cuffing her belly with swatting lefts and rights in close, walking her back. Banks groggy, reaching around Ali's neck or broad shoulders but too weak to make a difference. Fight meanders around the ring, into and off of the ropes - Ali simply lunching down on Tyra with weight, occasional punching and constant contact. Down the stretch, Ali licks a hook at the tummy, licks the left uppercut between the mitts and BANKS GOES DOWN! Tyra simply unravelling, sprawling beautifully on her back, arms above her head, mouth working drowsily as eyelids flutter - she's OUT! Ali Landry breathing hard, hurting, manages to raise a mitt in tired celebration - KO10 Ali Landry.
After: Achy, beat-up Landry takes shellshocked and sobbing Tyra Banks for the walk of shame. Landry crossing behind Tyra as they turn, both hands on Banks' hips, Ali pressing in close to taunt quietly, lips speaking directly into Tyra's ear as Banks just wants it to be over. Ali executing well, dominating much of the bout, but Tyra's dangerous lanky power almost turned this thing around in the home stretch. "It's time I got my title back," Ali states simply in postfight, "Jewel: stand up and be a champion. Fight someone who matters." Kilcher with some decisions to make - Farrel has a just claim despite Ali's egocentric view of welterweight politics and neither fight expected to be cake for the suddenly besieged blonde.
Thanks to Apollo for this repost.
Archer 10/21/09.