Posted by Simguy on 11/3/2000, 7:30 am.

Before Grand Dame of the Caliente set returns to the ring as soon as she reads “Eva Larue is the new Giselle Fernandez” on the cover of People. The most ducked fighter of her generation once known as the “Blonde Assassin” for her relentless of fair haired rivals—Fernandez has no trouble coming out of retirement to accept Larue’s challenge. “Eva does remind me of myself,” says the similarly built Giselle, “but there’s only one Giselle Fernandez and baby, you’re lookin’ at her,” Giselle in white bikini, Eva in red, gold belly chain—Fernandez’s body holds up well in toe to toe promo posters for the fight--but pundits wonder whether she can still go the distance with young legs like Larue’s.

During R1,2: Giselle showing a number of different looks, even turning southpaw at one point, clinching at tomes, brawling at others, stick and moving without apparent rhyme or reason. Larue the aggressor, hands high, out front, smoking a sharp jab to Giselle’s forehead and trying to crank that gliding hook at every opportunity, Fernandez takes the first—Eva the second in tactical, cautious action.

R3: Giselle take sit inside, knowing no fellow Latina can refuse the challenge and shoulder to shoulder, Fernandez beats Eva up this round. Vintage Giselle as she alternates her head on either Larue shoulder, works the ribs on both sides, locks up and walks Larue around, then finishes up sequences with vicious gencha hooks to the liver ala Chavez. Eva no stranger to body work, but she’s a babe in the woods this round as Giselle helps herself.

R4: Giselle getting right back on top, palming up on Eva’s biceps, bulling her back and stepping in with shuddering hooks to the body that Larue just can’t take anymore with shuddering hooks to the body that Larue just can’t take any more. Eva’s fabulous gams start to quiver as Giselle bashes it up inside—Larue trying to trade but getting banged up as Fernandez works up and down the younger girls’ sides.

R5: Giselle taking it back outside, working with taunting grin on her sexy lips, backhanding the jab, circling, stepping in and out to pound right hands to Eva’s drowsy face. Eva not blocking he right hand, start to break down as Giselle’s connect percentage bulges. Older woman starting to pull away, breaking the younger down physically and emotionally.

R6: Giselle stepping to her left, pure boxing, spiking the jab, licking the hard straight right between Eva’s raised mitts—it’s a turkey shoot, Larue just bewildered, nit to mention battered—she’s taking a shellacking and not doing enough to get Giselle’s respect. Sat the bell, a discouraged Eva Larue slumps in her corner and gets a wake up call from her trainer who threatens to stop the fight if she doesn’t show him something.

R7: Eva showing signs of life and the action evens up as she punches Giselle this round, Circling midring, both girls working briskly off their jabs, cranking hooks, falling in to touch up with the left shoulder, then bouncing outsider to restart. Down the stretch it all happens so quickly—both women torque left hands, then come back with slick rights, but Eva’s lands first—Giselle sagging to her backside with a hazy look as Larue steps back. Fernandez up at 8, but Eva swarming in Trinidad-style, hammering G back to the ropes with slinging lefts and rights wide to the jaw and Giselle is bludgeoned to one knee at the bell. Huge 10-7 for Eva gets the crowd roaring--Fernandez badly shaken in her corner during the break.

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R8: Eva takes over: it’s Eva stalking Giselle now, Eva knocking Giselle’s head back with the predatory jab, Eva leaning into devil-may-care right crosses as Giselle backs away on trembling legs. Larue pressing Giselle all around the ring--Fernandez just trying to clear her head, but she’s looking her age this round as Larue pours it on.

R9: Eva Larue spends almost a minute cheek to cheek with Giselle Fernandez, mid ring, burying her left fists repeatedly to the older woman’s midsection in a blatant attempt to make Giselle quit, Fernandez grimacing, hunched up against Eva and taking. Legs stiff, buttocks trembling with the effort of defiance. Eva takes it outside in the middle minute, making Giselle spend up her money, banging the double jab off the older brunette’s crowsfeet and ROCKING G back with the insolent right cross, Down the stretch—Giselle is broken down, leaning groggily out over her feet, gloves up weak in front of her face and on comes Eva. Larue slinging her fists in from the sides, pounding past Giselle’s guard and cracking her face side to side. DOWN GOES GISELLE! Fernandez on all fours, mouthpiece hanging out on her bottom lip—incredibly she beats the count as Larue looks on, chest heaving with exertion

R10: Eva knows it’s close and pours it on to finish. Giselle scrambling, nearly stumbling to all fours as she tries to duck under the younger woman’s KO blows—fight reels all around the ring as Fernandez desperately seeks breathing room. By the midway point, Fernandez is able to dip down and come up with a clinch under Eva’s arms, forcing several breaks. G gambling on the decision, Eva desperate for the knockout. Larue storming forward in the final minute, hooking madly to the breasts and chin of Giselle. Fernandez trying to time her and LARUE GOES WOBBLY BUTT! Eva’s legs give way as she spills to the ropes, hands at her chest as she folds forward DESPERATELY hurt from a shirt left hook counter, Giselle on her last legs, open mouthed squares up and turns her body into withering left hooks, lashing them across Eva’s belly, then upstairs to bang the mouthpiece off Larue’s teeth, Eva slumping in a corner, swooning and ready to go—Giselle just doesn’t have enough pop to finish—Fernandez bodying up and holding an exhausted Larue against the turnbuckle to the bell, Decision comes back a VERY narrow UD10 for GISELLE FERNANDEZ.

After: Eva with a costly mistake late, coughed up the fight to the cagiest of veterans as Giselle squeaked it out with the fights final burst. From the seventh on, it looked as though Father Time had caught up to Fernandez—Eva was breaking her down, eating up the lead and coming on strong, but in the end, Fernandez experience allowed her to take advantage of Larue’s all or nothing assault. Larue devastated by the loss—sparring partner label hard to shake when you don’t win the close ones.

Reposted by Archer 6/24/13.