23 June 2008

WEBA Roundup with Devon Ling and Val Henning
'I knew I could keep hurting her', says Heather
'We were very happy with our performance', says Balio
'I'll knock her silly', says Stephanie
'The American fights well', says Carmen

WEBA Roundup with Devon Ling and Val Henning

Val is helping Devon prepare for future combat, working with the former WEBA champ in the Destroyer's sparring ring.  Devon's getting better at slipping Val's jabs and working past the Vixen's guard. 

Val (gasping):  Devon, when ya gonna tell me you're ready, hon?  Do ya still think Heather Corrigan wants a piece of ya?

Devon (stepping back): I dunno, Val. She's got a world title again, so maybe I'm off the hook!

Val (taking off her gloves):  Well figure it out soon, or ya may need another sparring partner.  All I can say is, you're plenty ready if she comes calling when she's done with her WEBA opponents. There must be enough welters to take a shot at her that she won't need to get you back in the ring with her! 

Devon:  But I wanna be ready to fight her, even at Wu's!   I haven't done so bad there myself! ...

Val: Well, how about the title bouts this week?  What did ya think about Heather getting her belt back?

Devon: It's totally up for grabs any time Heather Corrigan and Rose Mora get into the same ring!  They both take chances, both pack a wallop, both are ready to go nose to nose and toe to toe, to let it all hang out.  On top of that, Rose is one of the few WEBA boxers with as many fights as Heather, so you know leather's gonna fly hot and heavy and somebody's gonna get hit hard!   Rose took it to Heather hard at the start of the fight but Heather came back and sent Rose to her knees with a body shot at the end of the fourth.  Heather really went after Rose at the start of the fifth, and dropped Rose to her knees again with a straight left, but Rose showed what she's made of by getting back up quickly and pounding Heather to two standing eights before the bell ended the round.  Rose got going and almost took Heather's head off with a left to the jaw early in the sixth and I thought the Italian champ had the fight totally sown up when she knocked Heather down again at the start of the ninth!  But Heather slowed it down in the tenth to get some much-needed recovery time. The eleventh was a great round for Heather as she knocked Rose's mouthpiece out, bloodied the Italian's mouth, and dropped her for a six count.  At that point it was anyone's fight again, but I figured Rose still had the edge because Heather's faded in the late going recently.  But Heather played hardball and targeted the Assassin's battered mouth and got the upper hand again with another straight left that dropped Rose for seven. Heather went for it all after that, and pummeled Rose to a knockout.  It was a decisive win for Heather but I think they could fight again tomorrow and Rose could win it!

Val: That's nothing new, hon, Heather and Rose have traded stoppages and title belts back and forth for years!  Still, ya gotta give Heather credit for coming back from two knockdowns in the middle rounds to pull this one out late. I wouldn't wanna face her at Wu's, that's for sure!  (Val grins).  But how about the lightweight title fight?  Was that a shocker or what? 

Devon:  The longest unbeaten streak in WEBA history finally came to an end when the referee ruled that the pride of Texas, Baby Doll Ramirez, was unable to continue against a fired-up Keiko Suzuki from Japan. This was a referee's decision that people will question for a long time, Val, as Baby Doll had broken Keiko's nose and had won most of the rounds except for the one right before the stoppage. The champion even knocked Keiko to the canvas early in that last round, but then she took enough punishment around her eyes to make the referee say she couldn't see well enough to continue.

Val:  Several WEBA fights were stopped this way recently, and it's always controversial.  To make matters worse, Keiko Suzuki used some dirty tactics to add to the damage around Baby Doll's eyes, like holding and hitting in the clinches.  And she hadn't knocked Baby Doll down at any time in the fight!   

Devon: Yeah but the fact that Keiko was able to land so much stuff to Carla's face in the eleventh meant the champ was getting into real trouble.  Both boxers went to the infirmary for treatment when it was over as Keiko was fighting with a broken nose. We won't see the rematch right away, but it's crying out for one as Keiko musta been behind on the scorecards when this fight was stopped. But it could be interesting, as Keiko was also the last boxer to defeat Baby Doll, back in 2005, and she also fought Carla to a draw one other time.  So it's been a good rivalry for years, but I agree that if Baby Doll had been allowed to fight on, she still had a chance this time.  They both showed good chins in a tough fight with several standing eights both ways, but only two knockdowns.

Val: It's tough to lose a world title and a huge undefeated streak on a referee's say-so, but I expect there'll be a rematch that will tell the rest of this story!  There was a good rematch for the WEBA lightweight title, with Billy-Jo Fulton and Carmen Santos battling to a majority draw ...

Devon:  The other lightweight contenders may be eager to get challenges in for this belt because Billy-Jo Fulton again showed that the new young champ from Brazil is vulnerable. Carmen Santos has built a great looking record on paper and there are lots of WEBA beginners who'd kill for her 18-2-2 tally so far, but she's had a lot of very close fights and could easily be a lot further down the standings than she is now.  I'm not trying to take anything away from "Leoparda", as she's got to where she is by taking on tough competition very early in her career, and she's got seven KO's without ever being stopped herself, but she came about as close to giving this WEBA title right back to Billy-Jo Fulton as you can! Carmen absorbed two standing eights in the seventh round and I still had Billy-Jo ahead on my scorecard going into the final round, but the defending champ may have saved it with a hard one-two to the body that dropped BJ to her knees midway through that twelfth session. Carmen Santos piled on the pressure right after that, but just like she'd done earlier in the fight, BJ came back to keep it interesting.  It went to the scorecards, where one judge had it for Sabtos by one point, but the other two had scored it even, so it was a majority draw.  

Val: I give BJ lotsa credit for showing some grit, too, she was KO'd twice in a row by Carmen, but she's come back to have two razor close fights with the Brazilian so they're closer now than they looked at first. It could come down to training, which of them comes out on top in the end. Of course, Carmen has the advantage there because she's reached this level way earlier in her career than BJ did. How 'bout the juniors, Devon?  

Devon: Karen "Kickass" Kelly's from Canada's on a roll at junior middleweight and this time her victim was Irish star Hannah "Hot Stuff" Riley. Hannah had a red hot KO streak when she came into the WEBA but she got a taste of her own KO medicine this time!  The hard-hitting Canadian gave Hannah the first round but then she took the fight to the Irish boxer the rest of the way.  By the end of the fourth Karen looked confident as she'd absorbed a bunch of Hannah's best shots and survived, but she was getting through to Hannah with the best of her own bombs. Karen dominated the fifth round, shook off a comeback attempt by Hannah in the sixth, then gradually wore Hannah down before putting her away with an awesome display of firepower and aggression in the tenth.  Hannah tried to mix it up with Karen when the action heated up but she was overwhelmed when Karen got her on the run.  Kickass Kelly didn't let up until Hannah was down on the canvas being counted out, and the hard-hitting Canadian looks set to give the middleweights plenty of trouble now!

Val: Karen Kelly's been one of the more exciting middleweight fighters ever since she joined WEBA!  At first you didn't know whether she'd get KO'd or win by KO, but her fights have always been full of fireworks. She's coming up to that million dollar earnings mark where it becomes make or break for a WEBA fighter to have "found" herself as a fighter. That's where a boxer has to put finishing touches on her style to get ready to go for the world titles, and Karen's starting to look scary as she gets to that point!  Hannah Riley arrived loaded with KO firepower in those Irish fists but she needs more experience to handle tough competition like Karen Kelly!   It's starting to look like we may have another star emerging in the junior welterweights, too, huh?

Val:. I'd say one highlight was featherweight Cathy Simmons coming from behind to get a win over former lightweight champion Frida Svensson.  Cathy has had a long tough stretch against her fellow featherweights but a little more success against the heavier fighters, who may be a tad slower on their feet. Cathy looked shaky at the start of this fight and was dropped to her knees for a nine count against the ropes in the third, but then she dug deep, got her hands moving better and scored a standing eight on the Swedish champ in the fifth.  I think Cathy ouboxed Frida the rest of the way to come out with a close, but unanimous, decision. The other highlight for me was another lightweight-featherweight contest, with Mindy Li taking it hard to the always-aggressive Stephanie Page.  They traded rounds back and forth at first but Mindy shook Stephanie up with a big third round that produced a knockdown and a standing eight on the Arizona girl, then appeared to seal the deal with another standing eight in the sixth.  But Stephanie had other ideas and came back to keep the fight close despite a badly bloody nose, until Wu's girl finally blew her away in the eighth with a three-knockdown round that left Stephanie on her knees on the canvas. Two very exciting fighters put on show that had the fans cheering them both on! 

Devon: Mindy's another one who's on that million-dollar mark you talked about for Karen Kelly, Val - and she had just a bit too much size and experience for Stephanie Page to handle, though you got to love the Diamond girl for giving it a try!  

Val: Mindy Li's now used up the last of her junior eligibility without defending her title again, so now we will have a vacant slot to fill at junior lightweight. while Mindy tries to capture one of the bigger lightweight belts.  

Devon: This WEBA season's winding down with some good rivalries shaping up for next year!  We'll be going into the summer training break with a bunch of the girls very focused on moving up when they come back! 

"I knew I could keep hurting her",
says Heather

Heather Corrigan smiles as her glove is raised while Rose Mora is helped back to her corner by her trainers. Mike Corrigan grins as the world title belt is strapped around his daughter's waist and the crowd chants "Hea ... ther, Hea ... ther!".   The Hellcat pumps her fists in the air, then visits the Italian corner to make sure that Rose is ok before posing for photographs and talking to the reporters.

Reporter: Heather, how does it feel to have the world title again?

Heather: This means a lot to me because I respect Rose Mora, she fought hard and that makes this win even sweeter for me, fellas!

Reporter: You took a standing eight count in the second round. What turned the fight around for you?

Heather: Rose was handing my head to me at first and I had promised my Dad that if I didn't at least keep it close in this title fight, I would finally quit boxing. I joined WEBA to be a champion, and I told my Dad that if I got whupped this time, this would be it. I had to go down fighting if I was doing down, so I gave it everything I had. I got her against the ropes in the fourth and I knew I'd hurt her, I could hear her little gasps when I went to her body. I knew Rose was hurt, and when she went down I looked at her eyes and I knew she would lose this fight.

Reporter: But you took two standing eights in the fifth!

Heather: This ref was too quick with the stoppages. I was o.k., I just wanted more!

Reporter: And you were knocked down in the sixth!

Heather: I got careless.  Rose's mouth was bleeding bad and I thought I was getting it done right, but she got me with a haymaker. After that I knew I had to be patient and take her down slowly so I did

Reporter: She got you again in the ninth, how did you handle that?

Heather: I'd promised my Dad, so if she knocked me out I would call it quits. I was not going to let that happen. I knew I could keep hurting her and win, She was leaving her body open and I had to go there, then come up to her head and finish her. I just kept fighting my fight, fellas.  That's what it's all about.  

Reporter: Will you give her the rematch right away?

Heather: Rose will need time to recover now, but I'll fight her again when she's ready!

Devon: How about Kusmagk?  She wants to fight you again!

Heather: That bitch called me a whore and she challenged me at Wu's. I had more important things to do, this was it!  (Heather points to the title belt around her waist). It'll be a cold day in hell when that foul-mouthed Swedish meatball wears this belt!

Devon: So will you fight her at Wu's?  Are you afraid of her, Heather?  

Heather: I'll fight you at Wu's if it'll shut you up!  I'll take you to Pattaya and beat your ass! 

Heather turns back to the photographers and poses with her father and the world title belt.  

"We were very happy with our
performance", says Balio

Devon Ling is wearing a brand new cap, but the same old scowl. 

Frez, Frez, Frez ...

Devon: Hello, Balio.

Balio: Hello, Miss Devon. The weather is sure heating up. And so are the fights, if our last WEBA card is anything to go by.

Devon: Sure is, Frez. And Minez did her best. But she just couldn't get a full handle on the elusive Bergstrom.

Balio: We were very happy with our performance, Miss Devon. Miss Greta is a well respected fighter. With recent wins over Miss Mindy and Miss Keiko too. And we have drawn with her before with the judges unable to find an outright winner again.

Devon: Well one of you will work the other out soon. And stop all these non-decisions. I used to prefer the old KO method myself. Sort of saved the judge's their bother.

Balio (roaring): Yes, we remember you well, Miss Devon. The summer training break will give us all a chance to further our directions. It should be interesting.

Devon (musing): Now if I could only find a way to get 10% from each of all the fighter's training budgets. And impart some of the old Devon magic to them. Then ...

Balio: Yes, as gran'mama would say the "hounds of misery forage through the pillows of malnourishment."  But I think gran'mama thinks you've probably got enough already, Miss Devon. Maybe you just want more.

Devon (freaking out): Hounds, misery, malnourishment? I want more of what? Frez .... you've finally flipped out!  Summer break, please hasten.

"I'll knock her silly",
says Stephanie

Val Henning comes into an Arizona restaurant. Going for interviews in place of Devon, whose attention is set on someone else. She sees Stephanie Page, who is sitting at a table alone.

Page: Val! Hey, how are you doing? What happened to Devon?

Val: Devon's a little busy.

Page: Let me guess. Does it have anything to do with a certain Irish-American welterweight champion?

Val: Haha what else is new! First let get to the tough subject first. Your WEBA fight against against junior champion Mindy Li didn't go so well and she handed you your first KO in WEBA fights. What went wrong?

Page: I didn't know at first. It confused me. She hits hard, and I felt I had some control of the fight. Then when Marisol, Lilka, and I got back to Arizona, Marisol showed me the tape. She displayed that in some parts of the fights I actually didn't get aggressive enough! She had shown me not pressing my attack. I needed to get more aggressive. Something tells me we'll meet again. Li's one hell of a fighter, and Wu's girls pack some punch!!

Val: You? not aggressive enough? I guess that's what made you break Marina Galieva's jaw! You made your case in Pattyaa and destroyed Marina Galieva in four rounds. You were avenging a loss that occurred very early in your career and you nearly took her head off with that last flurry.

Page: Haha she pissed me off the first two rounds and I wanted to take her head off. I felt that after the Li fight I had to show even more aggressiveness that I hadn't shown before.

Val: An even more vicious Stephanie Page!! That something that could give the other WEBA boxers nightmares. So what about your other business south of the equator?

Page: Its so funny how much in denial a boxer can be when she loses. Monica Rodriguez thinks she can beat me. So she wins a bigger title and now she thinks she can beat me. Haha well in my eyes she's a nothing but a paper champion. Forget about Rodriguez. I don't really have to prove anything to her. I destroyed that bitch at Wu's and then I shut her up again the WEBA when she said I couldn't fight fair. Oh, so she holds a bigger belt now, I'm not scared of her, I'll knock her silly, and she's scared that I'll take her precious belt away from her. That's why she's hesitant to face me, or Rivera, or a rematch against Jordan. She knows she got lucky. Even her single digit number of fans know that.

Val: Wow that's harsh words.

Page: Yeah but she deserves it. How stupid does she look going around saying the fight was fixed? Saying that her proof is a belt!! She won because she didn't have to go through me!! She knows that, and even South America know that.

I bet you even her trainer probably thinks she took too many hits to the head to believe that. I've never saw a champion who was such a baby in my life! So she can keep her tainted title, make up her excuses, talk more bullshit, and when she wants a real challenge, WEBA or Wu's, she know where's I'm at. I'm gonna focus on other fights until so. I've dealt with people like this before, but I was in high school, and I thought this whore went to prison. Seems more like a whiny cheerleader.

Val: Wow. Well thanks for the interview Stephanie.

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