| 
  • If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

  • You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!

View
 

28 November 2014 Mandy Moore vs Brooklyn Decker

Page history last edited by Vassago 9 years, 3 months ago

 

OFFICIAL SSB PPV

 

Posted by Lookout! Boxing on November 28, 2014, 11:36 am

 

Mandy Moore vs. Brooklyn Decker
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)


BEFORE:

One of the most surprising things to happen on this card has to be the pre-fight between these two which involves...mutual respect? We are talking Brooklyn Decker, right? The girl who gives NOBODY respect? But, that's not the case here, perhaps because Moore is more than willing to show Decker same and isn't treating Brookie, who came thisclose to winning the welterweight straps, as "just a model".


"Obviously, she's a top contender," says Mandy with a nod. "If she can be beating Freeman in the tenth, she's good enough to give anyone in the welterweight division problems. I've got my hands full tonight, and I know it. But, I've had my hands full before, and at the end of the night, it's my hand that got RAISED."


"Mandy's one of the best welters in the world, and just because we're doing this at catchweight,133, that doesn't make her any less challenging," says Brooke with a gorgeous smile. "She's long, tough, and hits hard. And, unlike some welters, she can box. I'll need to be on my game to beat her. Fortunately, I will be."


ROUND ONE:


The two girls show similar styles early. Both want the gun platform stuff, ranged boxing, with jabs leading to right hands, which lead to flurries that get power shots landing. And both have some success doing that. The fighters move well, feet, head, hands. Both are athletic and quick. Both hit hard. And both have plenty of range. There's one thing, though, that Mandy has more of that Brooklyn, and that's experience, and Moore begins to make that work to her advantage as the round goes on. She shows some angles and some sliding movement that gets Decker off center and fouls her sights. Moore is able to score as Brooke adjusts, trying to get back to square. It's subtle, but effective, and gives Mandy the edge in the last half of the round, which allows her to take the first and the 10-9 lead that goes with it.


ROUND TWO:


Decker's seen enough of Moore's tactics to adjust, and that's exactly what she does. Brooke begins matching footwork, keeping Moore in front of her, and getting off with the big, heavy left. When that lands, it stops Mandy in her tracks, allowing right hand follows, allowing Brooke to build her flurries. Moore gets thrown to the defensive. Not all the time. Not even most of the time. But, enough of the time that Decker begins to build rhythm and momentum, and that's the last thing you want a hard hitting fighter to be able to do at the range she likes. As the round rolls on, Decker gains control and has Moore fighting on her heels. Mandy's still working, still scoring, but just not as effectively as her rival. When the bell sounds, Decker bounces back to her corner with a smile on her face. It's even at 19 after two.

ROUND THREE:


Decker finds the range right from the start. She's getting off first and forcing Mandy to cover up. Moore spending too much time waiting, not enough time working. The geometry and the pace have gone all wonky for her. She can't seem to get in rhythm and get any work done. Decker, on the other hand, now rolling. It's all about the left. When it lands for her, the supermodel is able to use her whole offense, and it's landing now. Moore's no longer on her back foot, she's backing UP. Mandy forced to cede valuable canvas by the heavy shot Brooke's throwing out there. Moore game. Tough. Fighting hard in retreat, but she IS in retreat. She can't stabilize her front, so she moves it, countering as she does so. Decker remains wary of those counters and Moore's power, but she finds plenty of ways to score, taking the third easy-breezy to go up 29-28.


ROUND FOUR:


The advantage Mandy Moore has is experience. And, experience is a perfect antidote to panic. Moore has the former, and she doesn't do the latter. Yes, Decker's taken control of the fight, but Moore knows there's a long way to go and that things such as control can be ephemeral. She knows it. Then she proves it. Because she also knows something else. Often in boxing as well as other sports, what's good for your opponent is bad for YOU. So, even though Moore likes the ranged work, she realizes that's turning out to be good for Decker. Which means it's bad for Mandy herself. So, Moore begins walking forward behind her jab. She eats some shot doing it, but she also disrupts Decker's rhythm and forces her to circle. She gets the supermodel's sights fouled again and changes the geometry. And it works, just like the veteran knew it would. Moore grabs the lead from the opening seconds and stays on it the entire round. Now it's Brooklyn who's forced to cover and counter and give ground. And, when the fourth ends, control of the fight has switched sides. And the cards read 38-38.


ROUND FIVE:


Moore's experience tells her something else. If it ain't broke. Well, You know. And it ain't broke. In fact, it's working extremely well. Moore's pressure has Decker discombobulated, and that's just where Mandy wants her. Brooke's fighting off her back foot now, trying to back and circle to get the distance she wants, but Moore's not having it. Mandy's willing to take the odd solid right to continue closing and forcing Decker to ranges she doesn't want. And, at those distances, Moore gets work done. A lot of it. Enough of it that she wobbles Decker in the final minute with a nice combination, driving her back to the ropes and hammering away. Decker spends that final minute in an earmuff, taking leather from all directions, and, when the bell rings, it's a chastened Brooklyn who walks back to her corner, which Mandy Moore has a spring in her step and a 48-47 lead.

ROUND SIX:

Moore makes with the pressure again, and Decker, whether it's because her legs are still a bit shaky or because she's decided a change in tactics is due, does not retreat. Instead, the supermodel holds her ground and stops the advance. And then the slugfest is on. Neither corner looks exactly happy about what comes next, two big, powerful fighters simply standing toe to toe and having at it, but the fighters seem perfectly content to slug it out, and the fans most certainly enjoy it. Both women land heavy shot. Sweat flies and heads snap back. But, all four legs, sturdy as they are, hold up despite the onslaught. And an onslaught it is. Three minutes of back and forth "if you thought THAT was a big punch, wait until you feel THIS one." And both fighters DO feel it. But neither gives a scrap of canvas. When the round ends, it's Mandy who's pulled out a close one, and now leads 58-56.


ROUND SEVEN:

The back and forth continues. Moore again pressures, and Decker again holds ground, and the pounding begins once again. "Heavy leather" doesn't quite do justice to what is exchanged between these two tall, hard-hitting beauties, but it's as close as one can come. And, when you have two girls who hit this hard banging away, something's eventually going to give. And it does. Or, they do. "They" being the legs of Mandy Moore. It's not one punch but a combination that rocks more and sends her staggering backward. Decker immediately goes all in, driving Mandy to the ropes and having at her. Moore is experienced. She's been here before. She doesn't panic. She puts body on sale and earmuffs, moves the head and shoulders, leans back in the ropes, counters with jabs when she can, hangs on. Decker buys a little body, but mostly works upstairs going for the kill, firing shot after shot at Moore, shaking her a couple of times, but unable to finish. When the bell rings, Decker wins the round wide, but Moore still stands and leads on the cards 67-66.
 
ROUND EIGHT:
 
Now it's Brooklyn advancing, but Mandy's not giving ground. She holds canvas and fires back and we're right back to the vicious exchanges we've been seeing the last several rounds. Decker determined to impose will, but that moment appears to have passed, at least for now. Moore's base solid again, allowing her to counter lusty, and so the round goes. Decker mostly fights lead, using that big left jab to start everything. Moore mostly fights counter, but she does so extremely effectively, scoring with flurries, not single punches. And there's a ton of heavy shot landing from the first second of this round to the last. We could give you the list of lights and welters who would not have lasted three minutes standing in front of either of these girls trading leather this heavy, but we'd be here all night. Suffice it to say that only two girls as sturdy as these would still be standing after the eighth. But, standing they both are. Decker, via fighting lead, has done a bit more. And after eight, it's all even at 76.
 
ROUND NINE:
 
Now, it's Mandy looking to pressure again, and Decker again willing to trade to hold ground. Time is running short and there's no margin for error for either of the fighters, and both know it. Despite it being Mandy pressuring, it's Brooke who grabs lead again. She's found a way to make that big left jab work for her at short range, and continues to be able to work the rest of what she wants to do off of it. As the round goes on, though, Mandy isn't content fighting in counter. She ups the work rate, eats some right hands, and slowly begins to draw back to even. The exchanges get longer and nastier from there, each fighter landing big shot after big shot. And then Moore lands a REALLY big shot. Decker goes down on her back as Moore raises her hands in triumph. Brooklyn gets to a sitting position at five and begins to rise, but sinks back down to hands and knees as the count passes her by! It's over! Your winner by KO9 is Mandy Moore!


AFTER:


Decker dejected. This is the second straight pay-per-view where she's had a chance to beat a top welter and lost the fight late. This isn't nearly as disheartening as Freeman, for obvious reasons, but, it's the second in a row, so it hurts nearly as much. Moore is elated. She knows how big a win this was, and how deep she had to dig to get here. "I said before the fight that I had my hands full, and she's even better than I thought, hits harder. I knew I could beat her, though, because I'm as good as any welter in the world. You hearing me, Cass? ANY welter in the world." 

 

 

Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.