Unified Bantamweight Title
Posted by Simguy on 6/16/2001, 10:29 am.
High anticipated fly showdown expected to be Dushku’s toughest test to date. “She’s out worked the grinders, she’s banged the cuties,” notes one scribe, “but Eliza’s never really faced the entire package that Jaime represents. This fight’s going to be all about decision making--who does what at the right time.” Jaime in black and white tiger print leather bikini, bra style top, black shoes and gloves, fighting braid--Eliza in red leather bikini, black shoes and gloves, wet curls.
During R1: Shutout Pressly. She gets it all going--the reaching in belly jab, coming upstairs with the snapping hook, the lithe movement to the left. Dushku buying into it all--following, getting picked up--Pressly tagging the champ with some crowd pleasing hooks in this round--those punches will really leave a mark.
R2: Shutout Dushku, Eliza adjusts first to Jaime’s feet--stepping over to her right to take away the clockwise ramble, forcing Jaime to square up and trade. Dushku mixing it up well--right hands on the jaw, rising body shots from either side to bang that wiry ribcage. Pressly forced back with a grimace as Dushku beats out the exchanges, getting brawny on Jaime in the process.
R3: Pattern working evolving--Jaime trying to jump in that jab to Eliza’s belly, jump out and walk around her hook whenever Dushku comes in. Eliza wants to close distance, but she has to cut off the ring first--when she does, she looks good toe-to-toe on Jaime--bludgeoning those ribs, palming up in the blonde’s shoulders to back her up for more. Both girls getting their agendas across, but in the final minute, Dushku has Jaime slugging at the ropes. Pressly happily complying as she braces her feet wide and slings wide punches in answer to Eliza’s bruising blows up underneath, but judges can’t miss Pressly’s butt on the ropes at the end.
R4: Mirror image of the 3rd. When Jaime can run and shoot, she does the scoring--when they get to punching toe to toe, Eliza’s getting tagged, but she’s the bully. Eliza crisper, shorter with her punches, she’s moving her head side to side, reefing up into Pressly’s ribcage every chance she gets--Pressly with that lanky delivery has a lot of holes on defense and Dushku’s plugging them.
R5: Jaime with her best round, reasserts control with a vengeance as Dushku loses the script. Pressly too quick--body jab setting up the withering hook upstairs--Dushku’s right eye starting to anger up under clapping abuse. Jaime taking the fight around the ring, retreating to the corners but gracefully excusing herself whenever Dushku looks to hem her in--blonde showing the agility and power Team Dushku worried about inj camp, posts the shutout.
R6: Once again, Eliza d makes the adjustment, cutting off the ring, forcing Jaime to get after it toe-to-toe. Eliza’s head movement the difference--she’s bobbing side to side, punching out of her crouch, taking care of defense with her offense. Jaime’s standing up tall, whipping wrap around punches with plenty on them, but more often then not her fists skid odd shoulder or graze across Eliza’s back as Jaime misses over the top. Dushku’s balanced attack starting to yield results--Jaime’s body glowing from abuse, and the left side of Pressly’s face starting to lump up nicely.
R7: Wheels fall off for Jaime a little bit this round as Eliza has her way. PUNISHING strokes to the body--Dushku really biting her fists into that taut midriff and following up as Pressly wilts. Jaime mouth breathing, punches losing some steam and she’s giving up monster tags to her chin as Dushku turns over clobbering right hands, Pressly’s head too easy to find--as her hands come down, form starts to degrade--Eliza is coming off the body to nail chin with hurtful crosses. At the bell--dopey-eyed Pressly rubbery-legged--she wanders hurt to her corner after soaking up a blistering shutout.
R8: Eliza wants it. She’s uptempoing, pushing Jaime back by her shoulders, then sallying in with hacking lefts and rights to the waist, chopping right hands to the face. Pressly slipping into stupor, getting rocked--she’s being shoved onto the ropes, worked on, then hunted down as she backpedals away with a vacant expression/ Dushku walking her down, beating her up--nothing fancy as Eliza just gets hardnosed onm Jaime. Middle minute, Jaime pulling away with hands at her stomach and Eliza bends into na crashing right off the face that spills the blonde into the ropes. Jaime holding top rope in left hand, in her way down--eyes wide as she struggles to stay upright and Eliza is ON her! Dushku jerking in lefts and right, beating Jaime’s face into a tragic pulp--rain of leather hammers Pressly gradually to a stunned seat in the corner. IT’S OVER! Jaime counted out on her butt, eyes open but blinking dumbly--KO8 Eliza Dushku.
After: Sheriff runs another troublemaker out of town--maybe Dushku’s most impressive performance to date. Presslybsrat8ing strong and keeping things close early, but Dushku executes a flawless flight plan to produce a brutal stoppage by attrition. “I was never as worried about this fight as you guys (the press) were,” explains a happy Dushku in post, “Jaime’s got obvious tendencies we knew we could exploit, She did what she could--that stuff beats a lot of girls, but now she knows Eliza Dushku’s not a lot of girls.”
Reposted by Archer 1/31/12.