Maria Sharapova remains the benchmark of the tennis boxers and after couple of impressive wins over old enemies Ana Ivanovic and Daniela Hantuchova another challengers to her throne emerges in Sabine Lisicki of Germany. Lisicki defeated Sharapova during Wimbledon Grand Slam event, but the all important rematch takes place during the Olympics, marking Lisicki's boxing debut. Sharapova has a habit of avenging all of her losses allthough she got smoked by Lindsey Vonn last December.

Lisicki's powerful display has won praise from all around the world but the true test comes under the Russian's scrutiny. Sharapova is strictly business as usual, never gives away anything to her rivals, regardless of their resume and likewise Lisicki, the broad smile and innocent looks only a cover loads of determination. There's more at stake for Sabine as her fellow compatriot Julia Goerges was knocked out by another Russian Maria Kirilenko earlier. Germany wants revenge! The fight is scheduled for ten rounds in the welterweight division.

Sabine Lisicki wearing a white red bikini top, black mini-skirt and golden gloves. Blonde hair tied in a braid. Maria Sharapova wearing a blue bikini top, white panties and red gloves. Blonde hair tied in a ponytail.

Round 1:
Lisicki comes out with a lot of aggression, obviously wants to show she's not afraid of the taller and more experienced rival. Her jabbing efforts reach Maria's ribcage but the Russian throws a solid response to the chest herself and weathers the early storm. Sharapova's not the speed demons across the canvas but has a significant reach advantage over the German. Nonetherless Lisicki keeps firing away from mid-range and forces Maria on the move. Solid opening round from Sabine, allthough Sharapova seems to be teasing her into showing some of her skills rather than run on all cylinders so early. Maria single strikes to the body in the final minute, keeps Lisicki at bay and the German can't back up her efforts with the scorecards.

Round 2:
Lisicki tries to close the distance, but Sharapova bangs an overhand right which catches her attention and a low jabbing combo to the stomach force the German back for good. Lisicki's not smiling anymore, wary of the task ahead, but keeps jumping around the Russian as she looks for some opportunity. Sharapova keeps her low guard well, hardly a challenge for the lanky blonde and Lisicki's repeated attacks to the ribcage crash off the arms and Maria bangs another combo to the head, grazes Sabine on the cheeks and keeps her on the back foot for remainder of the round.

Round 3:
Whatever Lisicki's tactics were, they're not working. Sharapova decides to enforce some authority and moves on the German, lashing out from both flanks, peppering Sabine's chest and body and Lisicki circles back in avoidance. Maria's reach enables her to land more blows to the body and Lisicki's foootwork looks rushed. Luckily for her, Sharapova misses a straight-forward head combo and loses her balance with a desperate lunge as she now looks to ignite some venom against the German blonde. Lisicki was too far back to counter the Russian though and is happy to step back into the open. Maria regains her focus, allows Sabine to survive until the bell but the German has done pretty much nothing so far after nine minutes.

Round 4:
Lisicki is really keen to inflict some damage on Sharapova and bursts out from her stool with a jabbing sequence to the stomach and bangs a combo under the elbows, cracks a hook to the chest and Maria can't punish her straight away, misses a hook to the head and gets pegged back after another series cleans out her stomach. Lisicki on the charge; drives low with her head, whacks more jabs to the stomach and allthough she exposes herself, Sharapova is too busy with blocking her off and unable to respond. Sabine pushes Maria to the ropes; vicious slaps result in some bruising to the midsection and Sharapova can only clinch her way out of trouble! Lisicki leans her head against the Russian's chest as Maria laces her on the kidneys and forces the ref to step in and gives her a warning. Maria is unmoved, bangs some hooks to the head but Sabine ducks underneath and throws more jabs to the ribcage in response! Back on the ropes for Sharapova and she must clinch again as Lisicki's burst of speed was too much for her to handle in this round.

Round 5:
Maria remains calm during the interval. She wasted couple of chances because of execution flaws and invited Lisicki into some serious midsection pounding. German blonde leaps up from her stool, keen to follow on that promising fourth round and she's working the same tactics, drives low and opens up with ribcage barrage, however Maria's arms protect her from receiving more damage. Lisicki keeps the high-tempo going but fails to break through and a double combo to the head nails her hard and she steps back, looking stunned as Maria pours in with more hooks to the body, pushes the German back to the ropes herself and Sabine leaps back and forth in avoidance, quick shift of power and Maria really lays some leather into her now. Sabine can only cover up but ferocious pummelling from the Russian leaves her stranded on the ropes and unable to answer back! Maria tries to break her guard and reach the face, but Lisicki's gloves stay in tact and Sharapova's efforts are fruitless albeit she clearly pulls one round back after a dominant showing.

Round 6:
Finally some means intentions from both girls who waited a long time before dropping their composure. Lisicki sqaures up to the Russian and peppers her ribcage, tries to break through to the chest, but gets countered by an overhand hook and Maria uses her reach advantage to land more jabs to the face, working quicker in execution and overpowering the brave German. Lisicki ducks and weaves on her feet, but Sharapova really unloads her artillery, peppers the fellow blonde to the head and body and pushes her back to the ropes where quick low jabs to the ribs sink Sabine on her knees and allow the Russian to inflict more damage. Maria buries Sabine on the ropes until the bell and that was a massive round for the Russian, Lisicki looks very concerned now, being unable to tame her barrage.

Round 7:
Lisicki weaves around the ropes, tries to catch some respite and perhaps create a new plan to overcome Sharapova. She leaps back and forth, fires single shots to the body but finds little success as Maria is hardly impressed by those efforts, yet she hangs back as well having made the valuable impression earlier. Lisicki keeps jumping around the Russian but crashes off the arms and Sharapova's single-blow response throws her firmly on the back foot. Courageous effort by the German but she can't enforce any malice on her opponent and Maria is happy with the way this bout has developed and doesn't force a quick finish as perhaps many experts predicted beforehand.

Round 8:
More of the same, Lisicki now annoyed with her lack of execution, drops the working rate as fatigue starts to creep in and Sharapova keeps her at distance with single blows to the body. Sabine wants to close on her but gets peppered on a repeated basis and the ammount of blows she's taken slowly wears her out and limits her options. Maria bides her time, seemingly eager to prolongue her punchout out of Lisicki and continues with her original tactics. Sabine's taken too much and can't rely on her speed anymore and the aggression has disappeared as well. She's breathing very heavily at the bell, her face reddened with exhaustion and Maria, allthough sweating heavily herself, looks in much better shape.

Round 9:
Credit to the German, despite a bad period in the previous rounds, she's not even been close to hitting the canvas but the fatigue really gets to her at the start of the ninth and Sharapova fires away at her with no response, nailing the aching blonde on the ribs and chest as Sabine covers up in vain, but the arms struggle to stay up and Maria splits her mitts in a regular basis, cuts her lip and bruises her cheeks with a straight-jabbing combo. Lisicki in real trouble now, tries to clinch, but gets shoved to the ropes and Sharapova bends her in half with more blows to the stomach and the German moans loudly as she's taking a pounding on the ropes. Maria shows little signs of anger despite Lisicki staying upright, but she signs off the round by a couple of vicious gutwrenchers and Sabine is on the verge of breaking down into tears as she slowly walks back to her corner.

Round 10:
Teary-eyed Sabine comes back for the final three minutes but she's just covering up as Maria steps on her and lands more jabs to the midsection, pushes the hapless German back to the ropes and continues with the methodical destruction. Lisicki can't throw a single punch back in response and stands there, absorbing more punishment but Sharapova finally engages the afterburners in the final minute and reatreats, drops her arms and stares over at the beaten rival, cause the judges' verdict remains a formality and both girls know it. Lisicki is more than happy to hear the bell and she falls over the ropes, struggles to gather herself physically while Sharapova is already smiling to her camp in the opposite corner.

After ten rounds of boxing we go to the scorecards... Judges score the bout 99-96, 99-95 and 99-95 all in favor of the winner throigh unanimous decision... MARIA SHARAPOVA!!!

Post-fight:
Sharapova leaps in the air with visible delight, that was an impressive destruction of her German rival despite no knockdows across ten rounds. Maria likes a big punch when she can land one, but showed she can maul her opponent into defeat at full distance as well. Lisicki displayed a lot of courage but was clearly second-best fighter after half-distance. However she affords herself a smile as the Russian offers her a hug in the middle of the ring. Crowd applauds the winner, Sharapova obviously a fan-favorite all over the world, but Lisicki gets her share of ovations too and rightfully so. It was a rough start to her boxing career, but lasting the distance against Sharapova is not a result to be ashamed of. She failed to avenge Julia Goerges' defeat and Russia claim superiority over Germany in the Olympic tennis boxing event but one must wonder whether a crossover rematch is on the cards in the near future. A lot of fans would like to see Lisicki trading leather with Maria Kirilenko!

Final result: Maria Sharapova def. Sabine Lisicki UD10.