Posted by Simguy in 4/8/2001, 12:06 pm
Before: Classic Hollywood: sooner or later the system, generates a younger version of type—Hayek faced with the “New Salma Hayek” in Penelope Cruz—Variety magazine already predicting the phasing out of the old model in favour of the new. Theme not wasted on promoters—pre-fight publicity infuses both girls with a Darwinian hatred og the other—both know what’s at stake. Both make flyweight easy, Cruz a little taller, more the boxer, Hayek savage to the body and both are heavy handed for their size. Fight takes place at Chichen Itza (Mayan temple ruins)—bleachers set up for the occasion. Both women come to the ring in elaborate head-dresses and Mayan priestess costumes, stripping down to essential bikinis—white for Penelope, pink for Salma.
During R1: Cruz with dukes up responsibly, boxing, but setting down on hard straight right hands after punishing jabs to the face of Hayek., Salma catching rivet gun blows has to give ground, but she gathers herself in spots, coming back wide at the trim waist and beautiful face of her foe. Penelope backing her girl up, dominating the hard hearted exchanges with her straight punches, wins the round, bloodies Salma’s nostril in bell to bell action.
R2: Cruz setting the table with one or two crunching jabs, then leaning in with the right cross, trying to fit the power punch over top of Salma’s guard. Hayek dipping to her left, then coming out of the crouch with spanking hooks to the waist—by the midway point. Cruz is flat footed, wincing from these vicious rips. Down the stretch, Hayek getting off at will—Penelope’s hurting inside, elbows in, leaning forward as Salma bounces her left fist hard off the ribs, bringing the fist back to her chest to reload. Hayek punishing Penelope at the ropes, continues on after the bell as the ref pushes the snarling exotiques apart.
R3: Pendulum swings back the other way as Cruz starts to step around her jab, letting her left hand do work on her foe. Hooking off the jab, Cruz starts to put Salma wobbly butt, scorching the cheek and waist with cudgeling lefts, stepping in with the shoulder, then turning Hayek 90 degrees to a new angle. Salma just not moving her hands, getting splattered to the body and head--shutout Cruz as she taunts her nemesis in Spanish after the break.
R4: Blistering two way action this round—both women getting off with bad intentions. Once again, Salma has Penelope momentarily crippled with hooks ti the waistline—Cruz bending forward with her elbows in, gritting her teeth as Hayek sets her body and CRANKS left hands, snapping the punches back to her chest to reload, On other occasions, Penelope’s stinging jab freezes Salma—Cruz leaning into shattering right hands on the jaw, swiveling Salma’s head and leaving her swooning over her feet., Bitter slugging sees both women hurt, both making miraculous recoveries to keep coming at opponent—judges like Penelope’s slinging straight punches on the cards.
R5: Cruz out with a licking left uppercut off the face, stepping in with the straight right hand has Salma backing up early, but Penelope’s hands are lower than they had been, courtesy Hayek’s withering body assault through 4. After the first minute, Salma gets back to those biting hooks to the liver, shutting Cruz sown and causing the taller woman to stumble forward. Hayek chopping a short right hand to the eye, then ramming home the hook to the stomach has Pene in desperate trouble. Salma so diligent, so methodical, sees her girl unraveling and keeps up the brutal punishment, hammering Cruz in a counterclockwise stumble—right hands on the eyes, left hands on the liver, Cruz hurting, straightens up to trade hooks and DOWN GOES PENELOPE! A blistering exchange goes Salma’s way, her shorter left jerking Cruz’s head around and dropping the young Spaniard in her tracks. AND IT’S OVER! Penelope lying stunned on her back can’t beat the count—merciless Mayan sun beats down on a spectacular KO5 Hayek.
After: Triumphant Hayek takes her battered foe for a memorable walk of shame—ritual humiliation harkening Back to similar ancient practices and symbolism not lost on the bloodthirsty crowd. One heartbreakingly beautiful Latina displaying another—Hayek smiling through the puffiness of her reddened face as Cruz lolls sickly in the crook of Hayek’s right arm. A must win situation for Salma as she puts off the vultures for another day. Tough setback for Cruz—she’s got plenty of small-girl talent, but the experience deficit is showing in back to back losses to cagey veterans. She’s the Latina of the Future, but for now, it’s still Salma.
Reposted by Archer 4/9/14.