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Old 05-04-2009, 03:11 PM   #717 (permalink)
mikehoudini
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Fabulous 5s Challenge Match Round 1 Fight 12

Jim Maloney (2-1 1) vs. Earl Walls (0-1) – Maloney had stopped the Hooded Terror by way of a TKO in Round 6, but the fiery Canadian, who had received some good press in another thread, vowed the rematch would be different! After a feeling out minute, Walls went to work, landing crosses and a hard shot that dazed Jim. The Hooded Terror stayed on the offensive, connecting 33 times to shut Maloney out 16-0! Walls landed a few times at the start of the 2nd, then Maloney belted him with a sonic hook, and Earl was cut outside his right eyebrow. Angry, Walls ripped home a hook of his own, staggering Maloney. Pouring it on, Walls was truly a terror, landing 45 times, 15 being crosses, and he battered Jim, 20-10, and Jim’s right eye was now well-swollen!

Maloney had weathered a savage onslaught and husbanded his strength. He rocked Walls with a titanic uppercut, and Earl’s cut was reopened. Jim landed another big punch, and Earl’s cut was worsening! That rejuvenated Walls, who was effective with his hooks, narrowing the deficit to 12-9 and worsening Maloney’s swelling. Both men looked like they’d been through a pretty good battle already!

Jim landed a sizzling left early in the 4th, staggering Walls for a second, and caught him with a flurry of punches in the aftermath. Earl blocked a punch, moving well, and resumed the attack once his head cleared, hurting Maloney with a lightning left, and now Jim was on the defensive. The Hooded Terror fought intelligently, landing some punches, then moving away, and Maloney was unable to retaliate. The round ended all even, 9-9, but momentum was favoring Walls.

Earl came out like two fists of fury in the 5th. The whirling dervish resembled Danny Wofford as he built up a huge lead early on with a variety of punches. Maloney’s eye was getting worse, and Walls went after it with a vengeance. He loaded up and hurt Jim with a left hook to the body, then drilled him with a laser cross, and Maloney was in trouble, big time! Jim landed a few punches, but Earl’s jabs were landing like a metronome, and the cumulative effect of the 50 punches landed was a 27-9 round, with Jim’s eye almost closed! The Hooded Terror was way up at the intermission!

Walls was a bit tired from all his punches, and took the 6th off. Maloney dodged and clinched effectively for two minutes, then landed a sweet double hook, and Earl’s cut was reopened, an ugly mess! The ref halted the fight, but the doctor allowed the fight to continue. Jim landed a left hook, and the cut worsened, the referee halting the fight again. Earl’s fans were worried, but the ring doc, possibly realizing the beating Walls had given to date, allowed the fight to continue, and the round ended before Maloney could do any further damage. He’d won, 6-0, and now Walls had to be protecting his eye!

Earl’s corner couldn’t staunch the cut, though they’d greatly reduced the flow of blood, and he immediately caught a searing cross to open the 7th! Maloney picked his spots as Walls’ vision was now impaired, and landed a huge hook. Maloney looked exhausted, and couldn’t follow up on his two big blows. He was able to clinch and land some devastating kidney punches, earning a warning, but he picked up his second consecutive shutout, 12-0, and suddenly this fight was even!

Earl landed a stunning right to lead early in the 8th, his cut now closed. He landed a blistering combination, evading Maloney’s clumsy counters, and took the wind out of Jim’s sails with a bodacious hook to the midriff. Maloney was gasping, but able to catch a charging Walls with a hard right, then a wicked combination, both just before the bell. The Hooded Terror may have escaped with the round, 13-12, but the late rally might have sent the judges Maloney’s way!

Maloney was clinching to beat the band as the 9th began. Both men were tired, and could only land a punch or two for the first 2 minutes. Walls suddenly saw an opening and lanced Jim with a big cross, but Maloney countered with one of his own. Earl beat him to the punch with two jabs, and may have won the round, 8-6. Both men looked done in in a close struggle!

Earl chose to cover up in the 10th, and Maloney seemed to be happy just to clinch. In an ugly round, the worst of the fight, Maloney might have won it, 4-3. I had the fight a draw, 96-96. Walls had outlanded Maloney, 219-170, but the last three rounds had been almost even. The judges scored the fight 96-95 Walls, 97-94 Maloney and 96-95, a split decision win for…Earl Walls, the Hooded Terror! Earl had avenged his defeat, barely, and would live to fight again. He had dominated the first half of the fight, but needed to show he could go at that pace for a full 10 rounds!

Now it is 9 out of 12 for the challengers, with Henry Akinwande taking on Piero Tomasoni next, with Luis Firpo challenging Tony Galento in the hole!
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