12 April 2009

WEBA Roundup with Devon Ling and Val Henning

Valerie and Devon are enjoying lunch at an outdoor restaurant. Devon looks pretty wearing a big hat and sunglasses and a pink sun dress that shows off her well toned arms and shoulders. Val looks super cool in a sleeveless top and blue leather jeans.

Val:  Spring is my favorite time of year, Devon.  New growth, fresh starts ... 

Devon:  And new champions in the WEBA boxing ring! 

Val: .Well at least several titles changing hands!  Some of our champs look pretty dominant right now, but it was time for musical chairs in the lightweights again, with Tulia Minez reclaiming the WEBA title from Rikku Hui.  

Devon: This was a surprising fight to me, as Rikku Hui usually gets her opponents flustered up front by coming out fast and furious early, but this time Balio Frez apparently sent Tulia out with instructions to try to outhustle Rikku! Tulia had a height advantage so I expected her to try to work outside and fend Rikku off with jabs and counter punching. Instead she surprised everyone by relying on her speed and combinations to keep Rikku off balance in the first round then worked on Rikku against the ropes in the second. Rikku seemed frustrated after four rounds without being able to land much solid leather on the Bolivian beauty but she began to get through Tulia's defenses in the fifth and sixth. Tulia dug in and hurt Rikku with body punching in the seventh but Rikku stormed back in the eighth as the battle went back and forth. The fight may have been decided in the eleventh as Rikku tried to turn up the heat on Tulia with rough play early in the round but Tulia tipped the action back her way when a four-punch combination to the head put Rikku down for a short count. The defending champion still fought hard to try to keep her title but Tulia boxed nicely to the final bell to secure a clear decision and a new title for a jubilant Team Frez.

Val: Tulia took some damage around her eyes but she paced herself well through the fight, leaving enough in reserve to handle Rikku's final flurry of action.  The hits Tulia took to her face late in the fight didn't rattle her too much and she looked to be in control at the end. This was a good win for Tulia but I still wonder if she has the aggressiveness she'd need to take the world title away from Baby Doll Ramirez!  The WEBA featherweight title fight saw that belt change hands again quickly this time.

Devon: Canada's Cathy "Slick" Simmons had squeaked out a narrow win over Jordan Strongarm to take it away from the Carolina Cutie on the previous card and Scotland's Fiona "The Killie Killer" Black was eager to take Cathy on for it and to renew a rivalry that had started when they were both in the juniors. Cathy was bloodied by the hard hitting Scot in the middle rounds but was still able to use her height and quickness to control most of the action. That ended in the seventh round when Fiona hurt Cathy with body punching against the ropes. Fiona stepped up her intensity after that and Cathy was in trouble and bleeding badly from her mouth by the end of the eighth. Fiona worked Cathy over in a corner in the ninth then turned the heat up early in the tenth, stunning Cathy with a one-two to the head that dropped her for a seven count. Cathy's defenses crumbled after this knockdwon and she was beaten bloody before Fiona put her away with a body shot followed by an uppercut to her jaw. This big win for the tough Scot brought a savagely decisive end to Cathy's brief reign as WEBA featherweight hampion.

Val: Fiona showed she has the killer instinct to go with her ring name as she finished Cathy off in the tenth. These two had battled it out for the junior title several times so they know each other's styles well. Cathy had moments when she seemed to be in charge of this fight but Fiona made sure of the win when she had the chance..How about the juniors this week, Devon?

Devon: The junior middleweight title fight was action packed!  Defending champ Hannah Riley of Ireland tasted the canvas several times early in the fight thanks to heavy hitting by American contender Jillian Russell. Hannah got an early surprise when she was dropped by an uppercut in the first round but she got up quickly and later sent Jillian to her knees with a straight left to the head. Hannah got the better of the second round and bloodied Jillian's nose but Jillian outworked her in the third and  let loose with both fists after she trapped Hannah against the ropes in the fourth. Hannah was dropped for an eight count on the canvas by another well placed uppercut and the Irish champion may have been lucky to survive the round. Riley got her legs back under her in the fifth and she never looked back after she pounded Jillian to a standing eight count midway through the round. Jillian was knocked down twice in the sixth and in the seventh and began the eighth in bad shape with blood seeping from her nose and from her mouth  Hannah showed the  reeling American no mercy as she dropped her several times and also forced a standing eight before she finally put her away with a body-head combination late in the round. 

Val: Jillian threw a scare into Hannah early in that fight and she showed a great chin later on but Hannah won this fight going away at the end. Looks to me like Trish Rollins could be the toughest opponent for Riley in the juniors now. How about the welterweights? 

Devon: Chile's Tereza "Dinamita" Delgado took on Brazilian Tigress Gina Silva, who's now fighting out of New York,  for Gina's junior welterweight belt. The clash between the two Latina spitfires was hard fought in the first round as both started aggressively but Tereza took charge of the action in the second round when she forced Gina into a corner and knocked her down with a right to the head. Gina got up after a four count and managed to survive the round but the fight had tipped Tereza's way for sure. Francisco Mancilla's bad girl from Antofagasta was the aggressor for most of the third round and she put Gina on the canvas for another short count near the end of that session.  Gina rallied with a good outburst of punching in the fourth but Tereza backed her into a corner early in the fifth and then made no mistake about putting her away with a savage barrage.  Gina was counted out down on all fours on the canvas late in the round as the Chilean did a victory dance..

Val: This was a solid win for the Chilean who's built an impressive 21-6 record overall but still can't figure out how to beat Sandra Perez of Spain. Tereza's earned some cred by KO'ing veteran welterweight Rose Mora and outpointing junior middleweight champ Hannah Riley but Perez has given her fits every time they have met!  Tereza's 0-3 against her so far. 

Devon: Some WEBA boxers have just one opponent who gives them big trouble, who seems to have the answer to their boxing style when all the others don't.  Perez has always had some edge over Delgado until now so it will be interesting to see what happens if they rematch for this junior title!   How about a couple of highlights from the undercard, Val?

Val: There were several bouts this week with big height and weight differences between the boxers, and we saw that size isn't everything in the WEBA boxing ring!  One tough losses for a big girl facing a smaller opponent was a brutal KO of Canadian middleweight Jenny Johnson by the scrappy Chicago welterweight Diedre Dornan.  This fight started well for Jenny as she put Diedre down twice in the first round. Diedre went to her corner shaken up but she got herself together between the rounds and sent a message early in the second with a rampage that had Jernny in big trouble against the ropes. Diedre kept fighting aggressively in the third but I thought she was in trouble when she hurt her hand landing a combination to the Canadian's head, and then Jenny knocked her down several times in the fifth. Diedre was bleeding from her mouth but Jenny was cut over her left eye and frustrated that she hadn't been able to put the smaller fighter away. Jenny also has a history of fights that get away from her late and this was one of them as Diedre began to open up the cut over Jenny's eye.  The eighth was a barn burner as Jenny knocked Diedre down for a short count midway through the round but Diedre came off the canvas to pummel the big Canadian into the ropes and then let rip with a devastating barrage that sent Jenny to her knees. Jenny took a nine count to recover and then tried to swing at Diedre but Diedre polished her off with a huge right to the head.  Jenny got back to her knees after the eight count then pitched face down on the canvas and was counted out
 
Devon: Dornan packs a mean wallop and she is one of the most dangerous welterweights in WEBA!  But this was another tough loss in the late rounds for Johnson, who still needs to work on her late-fight game some more. How about another highlight, Val? 

Val: I'll pick the other middleweight-welterweight scrap in which Australian big girl Mia Campbell went up against former junior welterweight champion Irena Hrbkova from Canada. Mia was five inches taller and seven pounds heavier than Irena, but Irena's had a lot more fight experience and training. Irena showed her speed and movement early in the fight as she used her jabs and combinations to move Mia around the ring. Irena trapped Mia against the ropes in the second and caught her with a head-body combination that hurt  the Australian and dropped her to all fours against the ropes. Mia took a six count and got up visibly angry, then turned the rest of the round into a slugfest. Irena appeared to get the better of it just before the bell and went back to her corner looking confident, then taunted Mia across the ring between the rounds. Mia came out aggressively to start the third and moved Irena back against the ropes, where a quick barrage put the smaller fighter on the canvas for a four count. Irena got up fighting mad and continued to taunt Mia, who quickly put her against the ropes again and knocked her down with an overhand right. This time Irena got up wobbly and tried to tie Mia up, but the big girl worked her onto the ropes and put her away with a body-head combination.

Devon: So this time the bigger boxer's size made a difference, Val!

Val:  Mia Campbell is going to be a big handful for any WEBA opponent at 6'1" and 153 pounds, that's for sure.  She's always ready to mix it up and it obviously doesn't pay to get her mad, as she can steamroll you in a hurry.  I think Riley and Rollins are the top rivals for the junior title right now, but Mia Campbell has an explosive style that could put her in the mix with them when she gets more  fight experience and training.

Devon:  We'll see some good fights ahead, for sure.       

"I knew I was in a real fight",
says Jane

Jane McGowan's uneasy as the announcer starts to read the judges' decision after her fight with Frida Svensson. Blood seeps from her broken nose and her battered right eye is closing. She knows she has been in a close fight and Heather Corrigan knows it too. The scores close ..."75-73, 75-73" ... but for who?   For Jane or for Frida?  "and 75-73 ... for the winner ... Jolting Jane McGowan!"  The referee raises Jane's glove and she pumps her other fist in the air before giving the gritty Swedish boxer a hug. 

The reporters gather around for interviews.  

Reporter: How do you feel about this win, Jane?

Jane:  I feel great!  This was a big win for me. Frida fought a great fight, fellas, she showed how tough she is and my nose won't be the same for a while.

Reporter: You controlled the start of the fight, but that changed in the fifth.  What happened? . 

Jane: I was hurt by a right to the head that knocked me down. I got up too quick and she got me on the ropes.  Her punches kept coming and I went down again. I thought "this can't be happening, I was winning this fight" so I got totally stupid and got up too quick again, I should have taken some time off the clock but I wanted to show I was ok, only I got myself in a deeper hole right away. Heather settled me down in the break but I give Frida all the credit for keeping at me, I knew I was in a real fight all the way after that. 

Reporter: Were you worried that Jane could lose this fight after such a good start, Heather?    

Heather: Frida's an experienced fighter and I thought she might pull off a win, especially after she broke Jane's nose in the seventh round.  I know how hard it is to stay cool and fight smart when someone's literally busting your face like that. Jane did great to come back and win the eighth round like she did and the scores showed she needed that round. This was a very big test for Jane and she passed with flying colors so 'm very proud of her. 

Reporter: What's next for you, Heather? 

Heather: I'd like a rematch with Cyan Locklear for the world title soon but I'm also ready to defend my WEBA title. But this is a big night for Jane, we shouldn't be talking about me. This girl has a great future, fellas!  

Reporter: What's next for you, Jane?   

Jane: I'll have to wait while my nose heals but I will help Heather prepare for her next fight and I'll be sparring with her again as soon as I can.  She was great in my corner tonight, she helped me get through this fight and I want to help her to win another world title.
  

(Katie O'Hara is a sports reporter for the Irish Times.)

DUBLIN, IRELAND -  Dublin's own Hannah Riley ended her last fight clinging desperately to the arms of a six-foot policewoman who was beating her without mercy. Trish Rollins had pounded Hannah savagely in a shocking tenth round turnabout, but the game Dubliner was still on her feet as the fight ended. Moments later the Irish boxer was smiling with relief as her glove was raised to show she was once again the junior middleweight champion of the WEBA. The crowd applauded both fighters as the champion took a turn around the ring, acknowledging her fans but exhausted by the bruising battle she had just fought. As I climbed into the ring to interview the new champion, I wondered whether she would be in any mood for my questions. 

"Wow, Hannah!  That was a ferocious fight!  Are you ok?"

"I'm ok but I am sure I will feel like I've been beaten with a shillelagh tomorrow!"

"How tough was this fight?"

"It was brutal, Every time I thought I was starting to do well she found a way to hurt me again!  It's no wonder she was unbeaten before this, she fights very hard and she has a chin like a rock. She knocked my breast protector out, knocked my mouthpiece out, and she almost knocked me out!  I  had no idea what I was doing, except trying to stay on my feet and protect myself somehow. I've never been hit like that before. I felt like I was fighting for my life at the end."

"How would you compare her to Karen Kelly?"

"They are both a nightmare, because you can hit them with everything you have and they keep coming forward. Karen is a little tank who keeps coming, this woman is Godzilla in boxing gloves trying to walk all over you."

"But you won and now you are the champion again so you may have to fight both of them a lot more."

"I need to work with Billy to find more ways to keep these women off me. I can't hit them any harder so I have to hit them better and more often!"

"Do you have any message for your fans?"

"I thank them for coming to my fights and I hope I will always give them something to cheer for."

"What's next for you, Hannah?"

"I want to soak in a hot bath and get a massage to make some of this hurt go away!" 

"It ain't the end of the world" thinks a forlorn Devon Ling, but the Frez camp have been devoid of victory for a period which kept Devon mainly Stateside with her post fight interviews. However there are some handsome flight attendants on the Bolivia run. And anything that makes the Frez trip bearable will suit our intrepid interviewer.

Devon: Hello Balio

Balio (beaming): Hello, Miss Devon. Welcome once more to a happy La Paz. The capital has been celebrating both our Title victory and your visit. Please join in all our festivities.

Devon (hint of a smile): Thanks, Frez, much appreciated. And where is our glamorous Title Holder? It's been a rocky road for your Tulia in 2009. And Hui ain't ever an easy opponent.

Balio: We know that for sure, Miss Devon. Miss Tulia has many battle wounds and scars to prove your point. We witnessed elbows, forearms, thumbs and backhands before our final points victory in the ring.

Devon: She's got a rock 'em and sock 'em style has Rikku. But Minez stuck to her guns. And good credit to her for that.

Tulia (face puffed up): Hello Mish Defon. Thanksh for coming. It was a harsh fight. But I kept putting out my sharp lefshts and rights. And it paid off on the scorecards. I'm a weary but happy fighter at preshent.

Devon: I got a feeling the wars are only beginning in the Lightweight Division. It's a divvie packed with talent, ferocity and eagerness. Some wild fights are coming up ahead.

Balio: That is a guarantee, Miss Devon. The title has moved from fighter to fighter and there are many hungry for future victory. Planning and strategy will become as important as power and skill for the whole of this season you would think.

Devon: No doubt about that, Frez. So where to from here, Tulia? That fight was close enough for Hui to take her a mandatory rematch.

Tulia: I'll leaf it all up to Balio, Devon. We have great respect for Rikku and she came out all guns blazing in the fight. We will be ready to do it all again. If that is the challenge path open.

Balio: We will wait for the challenge card now, Miss Devon. But these things are for our futures. But our presents say that we must celebrate. And you, too, were the Queen Of The Celebrations in your day, weren't you, Miss Devon?

Devon (laughing): I still am, Frez. So bring on your finest and let's go for it. Party time has arrived, and I'm an animal.

Balio (roaring): My gran'mama says that "wild beasts rely on instinct rather judgment for survival." So be careful tonight with the flight attendants we have invited for you.

Devon (with a glint in her eye): Tell gran not to worry at all, Frez.

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