Thanks to FightFan for this repost

Posted by Sinmguy. Wednesday, 08-Mar-2000 07:32:44

Before: Special promotion puts Mary Pierce in Argentina before 100,000 screaming Gaby fans in an outdoor high noon spectacle. Big, beautiful babes, both gifted with physical ability, but shorted somewhat in the emotional toughness area - Pierce carrying the age advantage into an otherwise pick 'em fight. Mary in her black nike two piece aerobics gear, long braid, Gabby in red, ponytail with red Nike headband.

During R1 Gaby showing her athleticism, steps around Mary and pounds thudding jabs into Pierce's full bosom and face, roughing the blonde up early. Midway through the round, Gaby has Mary broken down, and catapults long, slinging right hands in off the jab, bashing Mary's face back and bringing a roar from the soccer stadium sized crowd as Pierce crumbles to the ropes. Gaby tentative in finishing, pawing and patting with the jab while holding the right ready - does her best Lennox Lewis imitation and lets Mary off the hook.

R2 Mary committing to body work, investing heavily in the older girl's midsection for the later rounds. Pierce with sweeping right hands, bashing her fist repeatedly against Gaby's left side, causing the brunette to move to her right - Sabatini not as effective in that direction.

R3 Gaby still has Mary outside, at the end of her punches, and she picks Pierce apart with long, relatively straight one-twos as Mary cooperates with virtually no lateral, or head movement. Sabitini sharp shooting able to stuff the jab or right hand in between Mary's high, rigidly held guard - Pierce just pivoting to stay square, inexplicably doesn't fire back this round.

R4 Mary stalking, Still sweeping right hands to the body, but Gaby much busier, more varied in her attack. Good sequence for Sabitini sees her hook off the jab then step into a hard right hand off Mary's face, putting the big blonde in retreat - and Pierce utterly ineffective moving backward. Sabitini has Mary moving her feet, taking punches, as Pierce can't get set to slug.

R5: Gaby getting wise to Mary's big rights to the waist, dropping the left elbow to block, and coming back hard at Pierce's sternum with a sidearm right hand of her own. Big booming shots spank off the girl's tanned torsos, but the slugging isn't Gaby's forte. Down the stretch, Mary breaks Sabitini down, and really has the brunette hurting from right hand heat downstairs - Sabs trading desperately, long arms sweeping back and forth and suddenly Gabriela's head smashes sideways in a shower of sweat. Sabitini frozen in space, stunned by the shot on her cheek, but Mary off balance can't put the left hook on top. Bell sounds to save Sabitini who is bustled to her corner by her trainer and worked on feverishly during the break.

R6 Gaby flat footed, looking hurt and confused, reaches for Mary's biceps but the blonde isn't having it. Pierce bashing at those sore ribs, has Gaby crying out in pain, mincing up on her toes and stepping away. Pierce with a spearing overhand right sweeps Gaby to her back - blonde pumping her fists in celebration of the ace. Sabitini takes 8, but looks very shaky on her legs as Mary bulls in. Clubbing, almost amaturish beating along the ropes as Mary unloads with both hands, but Sabitini blocks alot of shots as Pierce fails to go body, or jab to set up her haymakers.

R7 Mary overflowing with confidence, walking Gaby down, pounding right hands to the brunette's hip, but Gaby won't go quietly. Sabitini flat footed, begins to pre-empt Mary with a thumping left jab on the eye. Pierce beginning to lump up, reaches in to clinch and Gaby walks the big blonde onto a digging right uppercut into the solar plexus, dropping Mary to her knees with a shocked expression. Pierce badly hurt, struggles to beat the count, and she's helpless. Gaby once again toys with damaged goods, pawing at Mary's pouting lip, whipping a wide right hand to the belly, but pulling back out of range rather than mixing it up with the blonde's back to the ropes.

R8 Squandered opportunity to finish hurts Gaby as Mary recovers nicely, comes out to apply pressure in the form of pitching right hands to the body and head. Gaby looking gassed, clearly is missing a step or two fitness wise, and Pierce begins to up tempo. All Mary as she bodies up, walking Gaby around, holding the brunette by either bicep to free up clouting blows on the teeth with the opposite hand. Gaby slapped silly, those dark eyes brimming with tears at the bell.

R9 Mary dialing in, sees the hurt and fear in Gaby's eyes and goes for it. Deftly timing Sabitini's jab, Mary sweeps underneath it with the right and bounces the fist hard off Sabitini's kidney. Gabriela dropping to her knees with a cry, arching her head back prettily as she sits hurting on her haunches then struggling up at 8. Mary slugging with big lefts and rights to Gaby's gut, drives the brunette groaning to the ropes, then steps with Sabitini as she slides to the corner. Mary bashing away at Gaby's unprotected torso as the brunette slumps on the turnbuckle - Sabitini slowly folding forward is jolted as Pierce puts her back into a series of little right uppercuts that pound the mouth piece off Gaby's teeth. Bell sounds as Gaby slips into a dangerous swoon, and once again is helped to her corner. A battered and forlorn Gaby Sabitini mutters NO MAS to the ref, quitting on her stool rather than take even one more round of Mary Pierce.

After: Pierce with histrionics in victory falls to her knees and thrusts her fists in the air, crying tears of joy. Sabitini also crying, sitting pathetically on her stool as ringside physicians check her battered ribcage. Both girls with plenty of punk in them - only a matter of time before one or the other choked under pressure. Nevertheless, both girls are signed by the producers of American Gladiators to an exclusive TV contract, pitting the two athletes against one another in a variety of rough and tumble, one-on-one contests over a set 6 week time frame. Now that's entertainment.