4 April 2001 Penelope Cruz vs Courtney Thorne Smith


Penelope Cruz 02.jpgCourtney Thorne-Smith 03.jpg

 

 

 

BOXING AFTER DARK

 

Posted by Simguy on 4/4/2001, 8:37 am.

 

Before: Cruz back in ring 4 weeks after taking Jordana Brewster apart—plan is to keep the flashy brunette active, build the record leading into the opening weekend for “Blow”. No such plan for Smith who is clearly cannon fodder on this night—fighting off marriage woes, a long lay off, and a career with more tough nights like this than easy passes. Courtney’s a patsy with teeth, she’s upset her fair share of young lionesses, but most pundits think those days are behind her. Cruz in white bikini, white gloves, Courtney in pale blue bikini, white gloves.

 

During R1: Smith looking to box with Cruz early and it’s a mistake—brunette just too quick, hard hitting at this point. Trading midring, Penelope beats Courtney to the punch over and over again, always jumping away or to the side to avoid receipts while putting her mitts hard on the blonde’s ribs, breasts or face. Cruz inventive with combinations—she’ll shoot a lead right, feint the hook and come again with the straight right hand—she’ll feint high and go low, etc, Cruz’s legs are her defense—she fights with her hands at her stomach, stooping forward and jumping in, then jumping out—Smith all shiny at the bell—shutout Cruz.

 

R2: Courtney adjusts—veteran being honest with herself, seeing she doesn’t have the legs or reflexes to trade with this girl, Smith closing up her stance, right hand at her temple, left across her gut—using more upper body movement to complicate things for Cruz. Penelope slashing wide with both hands, missing over the top or flanking off Smith’s lead shoulder, but Cruz clearly the aggressor, piling up more points as Court fades in retreat. Down the stretch, Courtney pulls the trigger on some zesty lead rights, twisting into the cobra-strike blows, bashing mitt off tit and covering up again as Cruz slugs back angrily, but ineffectively.

 

R3: Cruz dazzles the crowd early—she’s walking to her right, suddenly jumping in with lead right hand between the gloves, pushing Smith’s chin in and the blonde scoots to a seat for a quick knockdown. Courtney up, embarrassed—Cruz kissing her glove and smiling in the neutral corner. Penelope gets into that potshotting rhythm, pivoting to her left, stamping hooks across Courtney’s waistline, turning the blonde mid ring. Significantly, Court avoids the shutout late, using he upper body movement to set up counter hooks to the hip and whistling straight right hands that have Cruz backing up in surprise at the bell.

 

R4: Too fast, too strong, too young. Penelope comes out and paints Courtney black and blue this round, licking her fists up and down the blonde’s besieged frame, then spinning off to keep Courtney guessing. Attack coming from all points on the compass—Smith still composed on defense, not breaking down—but Cruz is bouncing HARD gut shots off the  waist, and pushing straight 3 punch comb’s though the guard upstairs to send Courtney reeling backwards. Smith starting to bust up—eyes are puffy—she’s sent back to her corner and a little shopworn this round.

 

R5: Smith looking touched up, tired—she points that left shoulder at Cruz and slides away, wanting no part of the brunette’s hard licks. Penelope bouncing in, taps the jab, then whistles over the top with a sinewy right cross—Courtney rolls with it, pivots to her left and slings back a sneaky counter right hand across on the teeth and CRUZ GOES DOWN! Penelope just LABELLED by the screened shot, stumbles dazed, face first into the ropes and she is HURT! Cruz up at 8, but tragically wobbly butt—on comes Smith, Court squaring up doesn’t spare the horses—snapping double hook to the tummy brings the brunette’s limp guard down, hard right across the teeth, propping shove with the left shoulder/elbow and a SIZZLING right hand, very short across the face—Penelope slumps stupefied against the ropes, hands at her chest, staring at her tormenter and THE REF STEPS IN! It’s all over—Courtney Thorne Smith pounds out {Penelope Cruz in startling fashion—TKO5.

 

After: She’s done it again—how many times has Courtney Thorne Smith been fed to hungry young brunettes only to do all the eating? Cruz winning handily on the cards,  but Smith making her adjustments, turning slugger as solder fighters do when their tools start to abandon them, staying patient, kept looking for the opening. “I thought she looked chinny against Jordana,” a collected Courtney says in the ring afterward, towel around sweaty shoulders, “so I just set down, looked for counters. She’s really fast, so I had trouble toiming her early, but she’s always open—I knew I’d get her sooner or later.” First fight pnm a lucrative HBO multi-fight deal for Penelope goes horribly wrong—somebody’s head is going to roll for this one.

 

Reposted by Archer 4/7/14.