24 January 2014 Flyweight Ch Sarah Shahi vs Christina Ricci
Apr 27, 2022 20:19:22 GMT -6
Lookout! Boxing likes this
Post by oddmanout on Apr 27, 2022 20:19:22 GMT -6
Champion Sarah Shahi
vs Christina Ricci
The first time O&E would have to implement the "Mila Clause" in its contracts, and what a barnburner it proved to be!
UNIFIED FLYWEIGHT TITLE
Posted by simguy on January 24, 2014, 10:10 am
BEFORE: Shahi the prohibitive favourite at the fighting-celebrity sports books, but Sarah's not buying it. "There's no secrets between stablemates," Sarah reminds the press in prefight, "Chrissy's sparred with me, been in on planning sessions - she was my Hayden-mimic for the Panettiere fight...she's been under my hood and that's always dangerous. Add to that the fact that Christina Ricci punches well above her weight and you've got a fight that I take much more seriously than the punters. Now, when we get in there, we're just two dogs fighting over a bone, so I'm not going to lose. But anyone who thinks Chrissy's just going to lay down and let me eat, just doesn't know boxing."
Ricci upbeat despite criticisms of queue-jumping to the title...she's more focussed on victory than defending her opportunity. "I'm one punch away from shocking the world and taking Sarah's title," Christina stresses. "Nobody knows better than me how good Shahi is, but I've been in with good before and come out on top. I can win this. I can hurt any girl who can make 110 for a weigh in. Any. Girl. Sarah's a special talent, but she's not made of stone. I'm gonna hit her, and we'll see what happens!"
Ricci in ruff-and-tumple purple bikini; small black gloves; black hair in short pony with frisky bangs framing cheeks. Shahi in white crochet cashmere bikini; small black gloves; black hair in loose gypsy-girl tangles.
SIDE-NOTE: Just hours before the fight, Ana Ivanovic upsets Serena Williams at the AUS Open; Ricci's personal astrologer calls it a sign.
During R1: Shahi crisp, precise - circling counter-clockwise around a pesky touch-jab, then stepping in quick with a shrugging right/left uppercut combo, picking Ricci up to chin. Sarah withdraws behind a stiffer jab, then it's back to the pesky-jab, just screening and nibbling preparatory to the next pounce. Ricci hands up, turning-with, but not cutting off the ring: she's giving Shahi the perfect landscape in which to operate. Pays off late: Sarah executes her routine - stepping in off the counter-clockwise turn; touching Ricci the ringing right/left uppercut; bobbing in the pocket to slip Ricci's sloppy receipts, then; burying a heartless left hook in behind Chrissy's right elbow. Grimace of pain, Chris Ricci...she hugs at her body, turns to her right, easing herself to her knees as Shahi's swooping forward. Chris beats the count, but it's a bad start: Sarah looking like the favourite everyone said she'd be through 1.
R2: Ricci firms, answers. Sarah continues her pattern of shifting to her right, stepping in with the short right/left uppercuts, then covering up in the pocket. Ricci batting back left/right hot-n'-spicy - small gloves beating off Sarah's head/shoulders. Sarah withdrawing to renew her patterns, but Ricci's stepping-with, continuing to spray punches as Shahi's trying to find room to regroup. Leads to a series of furious firefights - girls exchanging 4,5,6 punches in quick successions - often with Ricci getting the better of trade.
R3,4: Negotiations continue - Shahi determined to exploit Ricci's left flank with counter-clockwise rotation. Shahi's punches of choice are the jab outside (though it's mostly a pesky range-finder) and the uppercuts inside - Sarah crouching in close, working hup-hup combos jugs and chin. Ricci a furious little improviser - often taking Sarah's punches, then banging back hot left/rights...Sarah rarely taking what she wants without getting taxed. Still: Shahi the aggressor, the initiator - she's determining terms of engagement with her feet; outhitting Ricci in trade. Steady attrition gives Sarah both rounds as she starts to pull away through 4.
R5,6: Sarah continues to work her patterns, but a funny thing happens: Ricci starts to get the better of the champ. Chris still munching tidy uppercuts to chin in close, but she's batting back left/right, clouting Shahi about protected head-and-shoulders, buffetting her off-balance. Sarah trying to re-find her feet more - giving Ricci the chance to scoot forward, spit the jab, rake Sarah stubby straight-punching rights and lefts, scouring Shahi to ropes. Sarah at ropes forms earmuff, bobbing/rolling in the pocket, looking to slip the heat, step back to midring and get back into rhythm, but li'l Chrissy's not having it. Ricci rapping her hook off Sarah's flank, keeping her locked down at ropes; Ricci pounding in stubby straight rights between Sarah's mitts, cleaning up the tummy a hot left hook until Shahi can fight back to par. Both rounds to Ricci makes it a much closer fight through 6 than any expert had anticipated.
R7: Sarah lays down the law, changing up her approach on the fly. Stiff left jabs now, keeping Christina at arm's length. Tart right crosses often blocked by Ricci's high-earmuff guard, but Shahi hanging around on front (left) leg, hesitating, then rip-snatching the hot left uppercut off Ricci's tummy. Shifting to her right, Shahi turning Chris, then lighting her up via the outside-in bolo right uppercut: big shots picking Chrissy's face up off her gloves, leaving her spellbound. It all adds up - Shahi keeping her distance, picking her spots, hurting Chrissy to chin and body both...by the bell Ricci's wobbly-butt, blinking sleepily after a steady dose of Sarah.
R8: Sarah's happy with the new terms, sticking with them to continue picking Ricci apart midring. Christina wearing down - turning to her left in earmuff, crouching, suffering in the pocket. Down the stretch, Sarah treats herself to two cranking, loose-limbed left uppercuts to the body as Ricci's doubling over: Chris absorbs, then lunges into a desperation left hook, catching Sarah a wide one to chin! SHAHI'S SHOCKED! Sarah blinking, staggering back to ropes: she's a stunned vixen, watching Ricci pounce in all jugs a-jumping! Furious ratatat lather to waist has Shahi paralyzed, her hands up/palms out. Right to the tits; smiting left across the chops...Sarah's spellbound, curvy legs holding her up as Chris Ricci romps to finish line, stealing the round!
R9: Sarah still wobbly-butt coming off her stool, flat-footed...she dips in close with right tight to cheek, looking to work Ricci's tits/chin via short-jerk left uppercuts. Chris in earmuff, scrapin' pate with Shahi...she's taking the touches, battin' back hot right/lefts to hips/lats; side-slipping torso-right to counter Shahi's left uppercut with a stubby little right uppercut. Girls ringing each other up tits and chin, but Ricci's whacking body-work starting to buckle Sarah's knees. Shahi looking to disengage midway through, face distressed...Ricci steps-with; crouches low on approach; lunges up into hook-on-chin and DOWN GOES SHAHI! DOWN GOES SHAHI! Sweeping hook blows Sarah to her back...she's a stunned beauty picking her head up all rickety off the canvas, looking blearily around as Ricci jogs to neutral corner! Sarah beats the count, but she's shabby with hurt: Shahi covers up, sits in ropes and ON COMES RICCI! Hungry, hungry Chrissy swarming limp prey - reaching in to pull down Sarah's hands, then scrubbing her short, stiff, raking lefts and rights, face and tits. POOR SARAH SHAHI! Champ out on her feet, helpless under the pelting rain...she makes it to the bell on pride alone as ref pulls li'l bulldog Ricci off her brunette!
R10: Shahi digging down, finding a third routine: jab-and-grab from a desperate champion trying to preserve her title! Ricci trying to penetrate, but it's expensive...Sarah's left hand really pounding face; Shahi sliding back in her stance to lure Ricci forward, then when Chrissy's inside: right uppercut and clinch for ref's break. Christina brawling her little heart out occasionally buffetting Shahi off balance, then pursuing to rake her extra straight left/rights in criss-cross patterns, but it's Sarah's round. Shahi wins the 10th, and forces the Tractorpull Special: DRAW!
Both fighters punished, puffy, ragged, but neither even considers walking away. They'll fight the overtime protocol for all the marbles.
R11: Stick-and-move for Shahi. Sarah unveiling yet another set pattern - punishing Ricci's banged up face via stiff left jab; hooking off the jab while executing lithe pivot-clockwise. Ricci momentarily confused by the change in direction...she's too defensive, and when she DOES emerge from her crouch in search of home-run hooks, she's lunging short as Shahi's pivots take her away from Ricci's power.
R12: Ricci taking a page out of the Mish Williams playbook...rolling start before the bell allows Chris to tackle Shahi in her own corner before Sarah's seconds are even off the apron! Sarah getting mugged, heels of her hands on Christina's shoulders to try to impose order, but Ricci's pumpin' tummy hup-hup-hup! Sarah's face: eyebrows high, lips parted, eyes shut tight as she takes to body. Christina just in there close, head in Sarah's tits, fists working gut like tummy-punching pistons. Shahi gasping, reaching in under Chrissy's arms to slow the pace, but Ricci wriggling free, pushing Shahi back to a seat on turnbuckle, continuing her assault on exotic midsection. Ricci cleaning up tummy, then roaming up-torso, scouring the Shahi jugs left or right forearms in tight-scrubbing side to side rompings. Throughout the barrage, Sarah's distressed, face pinched tight as she tries to push her way out from under, or tie up for ref's breaks.
Rd.13: Sarah doubling up the jab, pivoting clockwise, trying to maintain her distance. Ricci clearly winded from her desperation output in the 12th...she's breathing hard, hands-on-hips when she's out of range, walking Sarah down. Sarah drilling down now - punishing Chris as little challenger weaves close: stiff left jabs pounding pate; slicing right crosses spanking face. Ricci not penetrating...she's getting hurt, stalling in no-man's land, then Shahi's digging home the hesitation left uppercuts to body, pivoting-left around the scores. Hardest, cleanest punching of the fight for Sarah...she's just wheeling around that front (left) heel, belting away without mercy. It's all too much...Ricci getting raked, ripped amidships, turned...she's wobbling in her stance, stumbling, trying to rally, but she just can't penetrate. Down the stretch, raking one-two up top sets up a withering left uppercut to liver...glorious body-shot cuts power to Ricci's legs, dropping her to knees-and-elbows in agony. Christina cringing in body-shock, but she's got the pride to fight off the count...she's standing, swaying hurt at the bell. Unanswered knockdown gives the fight to the winner and STILL champ - Sarah Shahi.
AFter: Shahi, Ricci sharing an exhausted embrace as ring fills with the usual suspects...savage battle for glory leaves both women trembling from punishment and exertion. "Told you it wouldn't be easy," Shahi grins wearily in postfight. "Normally I hit the town after defending my title, but tonight I'm hitting an ice bath and going to bed. You know, Chrissy fought with A-list pride tonight. She's little, she doesn't have a lot of variety in her game, but she's got more heart than any other 2 flyweights put together, and she just keeps coming. Every time I hurt her tonight, Christina rallied to come back at me. You have to tip your hat to her - she probably gave me my toughest defence to date!"
vs Christina Ricci
The first time O&E would have to implement the "Mila Clause" in its contracts, and what a barnburner it proved to be!
UNIFIED FLYWEIGHT TITLE
Posted by simguy on January 24, 2014, 10:10 am
BEFORE: Shahi the prohibitive favourite at the fighting-celebrity sports books, but Sarah's not buying it. "There's no secrets between stablemates," Sarah reminds the press in prefight, "Chrissy's sparred with me, been in on planning sessions - she was my Hayden-mimic for the Panettiere fight...she's been under my hood and that's always dangerous. Add to that the fact that Christina Ricci punches well above her weight and you've got a fight that I take much more seriously than the punters. Now, when we get in there, we're just two dogs fighting over a bone, so I'm not going to lose. But anyone who thinks Chrissy's just going to lay down and let me eat, just doesn't know boxing."
Ricci upbeat despite criticisms of queue-jumping to the title...she's more focussed on victory than defending her opportunity. "I'm one punch away from shocking the world and taking Sarah's title," Christina stresses. "Nobody knows better than me how good Shahi is, but I've been in with good before and come out on top. I can win this. I can hurt any girl who can make 110 for a weigh in. Any. Girl. Sarah's a special talent, but she's not made of stone. I'm gonna hit her, and we'll see what happens!"
Ricci in ruff-and-tumple purple bikini; small black gloves; black hair in short pony with frisky bangs framing cheeks. Shahi in white crochet cashmere bikini; small black gloves; black hair in loose gypsy-girl tangles.
SIDE-NOTE: Just hours before the fight, Ana Ivanovic upsets Serena Williams at the AUS Open; Ricci's personal astrologer calls it a sign.
During R1: Shahi crisp, precise - circling counter-clockwise around a pesky touch-jab, then stepping in quick with a shrugging right/left uppercut combo, picking Ricci up to chin. Sarah withdraws behind a stiffer jab, then it's back to the pesky-jab, just screening and nibbling preparatory to the next pounce. Ricci hands up, turning-with, but not cutting off the ring: she's giving Shahi the perfect landscape in which to operate. Pays off late: Sarah executes her routine - stepping in off the counter-clockwise turn; touching Ricci the ringing right/left uppercut; bobbing in the pocket to slip Ricci's sloppy receipts, then; burying a heartless left hook in behind Chrissy's right elbow. Grimace of pain, Chris Ricci...she hugs at her body, turns to her right, easing herself to her knees as Shahi's swooping forward. Chris beats the count, but it's a bad start: Sarah looking like the favourite everyone said she'd be through 1.
R2: Ricci firms, answers. Sarah continues her pattern of shifting to her right, stepping in with the short right/left uppercuts, then covering up in the pocket. Ricci batting back left/right hot-n'-spicy - small gloves beating off Sarah's head/shoulders. Sarah withdrawing to renew her patterns, but Ricci's stepping-with, continuing to spray punches as Shahi's trying to find room to regroup. Leads to a series of furious firefights - girls exchanging 4,5,6 punches in quick successions - often with Ricci getting the better of trade.
R3,4: Negotiations continue - Shahi determined to exploit Ricci's left flank with counter-clockwise rotation. Shahi's punches of choice are the jab outside (though it's mostly a pesky range-finder) and the uppercuts inside - Sarah crouching in close, working hup-hup combos jugs and chin. Ricci a furious little improviser - often taking Sarah's punches, then banging back hot left/rights...Sarah rarely taking what she wants without getting taxed. Still: Shahi the aggressor, the initiator - she's determining terms of engagement with her feet; outhitting Ricci in trade. Steady attrition gives Sarah both rounds as she starts to pull away through 4.
R5,6: Sarah continues to work her patterns, but a funny thing happens: Ricci starts to get the better of the champ. Chris still munching tidy uppercuts to chin in close, but she's batting back left/right, clouting Shahi about protected head-and-shoulders, buffetting her off-balance. Sarah trying to re-find her feet more - giving Ricci the chance to scoot forward, spit the jab, rake Sarah stubby straight-punching rights and lefts, scouring Shahi to ropes. Sarah at ropes forms earmuff, bobbing/rolling in the pocket, looking to slip the heat, step back to midring and get back into rhythm, but li'l Chrissy's not having it. Ricci rapping her hook off Sarah's flank, keeping her locked down at ropes; Ricci pounding in stubby straight rights between Sarah's mitts, cleaning up the tummy a hot left hook until Shahi can fight back to par. Both rounds to Ricci makes it a much closer fight through 6 than any expert had anticipated.
R7: Sarah lays down the law, changing up her approach on the fly. Stiff left jabs now, keeping Christina at arm's length. Tart right crosses often blocked by Ricci's high-earmuff guard, but Shahi hanging around on front (left) leg, hesitating, then rip-snatching the hot left uppercut off Ricci's tummy. Shifting to her right, Shahi turning Chris, then lighting her up via the outside-in bolo right uppercut: big shots picking Chrissy's face up off her gloves, leaving her spellbound. It all adds up - Shahi keeping her distance, picking her spots, hurting Chrissy to chin and body both...by the bell Ricci's wobbly-butt, blinking sleepily after a steady dose of Sarah.
R8: Sarah's happy with the new terms, sticking with them to continue picking Ricci apart midring. Christina wearing down - turning to her left in earmuff, crouching, suffering in the pocket. Down the stretch, Sarah treats herself to two cranking, loose-limbed left uppercuts to the body as Ricci's doubling over: Chris absorbs, then lunges into a desperation left hook, catching Sarah a wide one to chin! SHAHI'S SHOCKED! Sarah blinking, staggering back to ropes: she's a stunned vixen, watching Ricci pounce in all jugs a-jumping! Furious ratatat lather to waist has Shahi paralyzed, her hands up/palms out. Right to the tits; smiting left across the chops...Sarah's spellbound, curvy legs holding her up as Chris Ricci romps to finish line, stealing the round!
R9: Sarah still wobbly-butt coming off her stool, flat-footed...she dips in close with right tight to cheek, looking to work Ricci's tits/chin via short-jerk left uppercuts. Chris in earmuff, scrapin' pate with Shahi...she's taking the touches, battin' back hot right/lefts to hips/lats; side-slipping torso-right to counter Shahi's left uppercut with a stubby little right uppercut. Girls ringing each other up tits and chin, but Ricci's whacking body-work starting to buckle Sarah's knees. Shahi looking to disengage midway through, face distressed...Ricci steps-with; crouches low on approach; lunges up into hook-on-chin and DOWN GOES SHAHI! DOWN GOES SHAHI! Sweeping hook blows Sarah to her back...she's a stunned beauty picking her head up all rickety off the canvas, looking blearily around as Ricci jogs to neutral corner! Sarah beats the count, but she's shabby with hurt: Shahi covers up, sits in ropes and ON COMES RICCI! Hungry, hungry Chrissy swarming limp prey - reaching in to pull down Sarah's hands, then scrubbing her short, stiff, raking lefts and rights, face and tits. POOR SARAH SHAHI! Champ out on her feet, helpless under the pelting rain...she makes it to the bell on pride alone as ref pulls li'l bulldog Ricci off her brunette!
R10: Shahi digging down, finding a third routine: jab-and-grab from a desperate champion trying to preserve her title! Ricci trying to penetrate, but it's expensive...Sarah's left hand really pounding face; Shahi sliding back in her stance to lure Ricci forward, then when Chrissy's inside: right uppercut and clinch for ref's break. Christina brawling her little heart out occasionally buffetting Shahi off balance, then pursuing to rake her extra straight left/rights in criss-cross patterns, but it's Sarah's round. Shahi wins the 10th, and forces the Tractorpull Special: DRAW!
Both fighters punished, puffy, ragged, but neither even considers walking away. They'll fight the overtime protocol for all the marbles.
R11: Stick-and-move for Shahi. Sarah unveiling yet another set pattern - punishing Ricci's banged up face via stiff left jab; hooking off the jab while executing lithe pivot-clockwise. Ricci momentarily confused by the change in direction...she's too defensive, and when she DOES emerge from her crouch in search of home-run hooks, she's lunging short as Shahi's pivots take her away from Ricci's power.
R12: Ricci taking a page out of the Mish Williams playbook...rolling start before the bell allows Chris to tackle Shahi in her own corner before Sarah's seconds are even off the apron! Sarah getting mugged, heels of her hands on Christina's shoulders to try to impose order, but Ricci's pumpin' tummy hup-hup-hup! Sarah's face: eyebrows high, lips parted, eyes shut tight as she takes to body. Christina just in there close, head in Sarah's tits, fists working gut like tummy-punching pistons. Shahi gasping, reaching in under Chrissy's arms to slow the pace, but Ricci wriggling free, pushing Shahi back to a seat on turnbuckle, continuing her assault on exotic midsection. Ricci cleaning up tummy, then roaming up-torso, scouring the Shahi jugs left or right forearms in tight-scrubbing side to side rompings. Throughout the barrage, Sarah's distressed, face pinched tight as she tries to push her way out from under, or tie up for ref's breaks.
Rd.13: Sarah doubling up the jab, pivoting clockwise, trying to maintain her distance. Ricci clearly winded from her desperation output in the 12th...she's breathing hard, hands-on-hips when she's out of range, walking Sarah down. Sarah drilling down now - punishing Chris as little challenger weaves close: stiff left jabs pounding pate; slicing right crosses spanking face. Ricci not penetrating...she's getting hurt, stalling in no-man's land, then Shahi's digging home the hesitation left uppercuts to body, pivoting-left around the scores. Hardest, cleanest punching of the fight for Sarah...she's just wheeling around that front (left) heel, belting away without mercy. It's all too much...Ricci getting raked, ripped amidships, turned...she's wobbling in her stance, stumbling, trying to rally, but she just can't penetrate. Down the stretch, raking one-two up top sets up a withering left uppercut to liver...glorious body-shot cuts power to Ricci's legs, dropping her to knees-and-elbows in agony. Christina cringing in body-shock, but she's got the pride to fight off the count...she's standing, swaying hurt at the bell. Unanswered knockdown gives the fight to the winner and STILL champ - Sarah Shahi.
AFter: Shahi, Ricci sharing an exhausted embrace as ring fills with the usual suspects...savage battle for glory leaves both women trembling from punishment and exertion. "Told you it wouldn't be easy," Shahi grins wearily in postfight. "Normally I hit the town after defending my title, but tonight I'm hitting an ice bath and going to bed. You know, Chrissy fought with A-list pride tonight. She's little, she doesn't have a lot of variety in her game, but she's got more heart than any other 2 flyweights put together, and she just keeps coming. Every time I hurt her tonight, Christina rallied to come back at me. You have to tip your hat to her - she probably gave me my toughest defence to date!"