February 9, 2001 at Foxwoods Casino in Mashentucket, Conneticut
exclusive report
by Kevin Cockle
originally published on the Women's Boxing Page
Two 1999 national amateur lightweight champions squared off at Foxwoods
Casino as the USA's
Liz Mueller faced Canada's
Jaime Clampitt
from Calgary, Alberta in a six-rounder shown live
on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. Liz Mueller won a 58-56,58-56,57-57 majority
decision in this action-packed bout. Kevin Cockle, who lives in Calgary,
sent me this round-by-round fight report ... Dee Williams
Jaime Clampitt 5'5", 136, she of the spotless 3-0 with 1 whack record, faced Liz Mueller 5'3", 133,
5-1
with 2 stops in arguably the best widely televised women's bout since Sidoroff vs. Blackshear. Clampitt entered the ring
with gymnast-like fitness, and a little Riley-esque flare, sporting a black and silver two piece look.
No-nonsense
Mueller offered a great contrast, looking stocky, pasty, and pugnacious, ringed with tattoos and oozing fireplug
confidence. If you had never seen either fighter before, you'd be inclined to
favor the more classically athletic Clampitt, but Mueller came in having fought undoubtedly the better comp to this point, dropping a very close call
last time out to Marischa Sjauw. With no hesitation, these two got it on from the opening bell.
Clampitt got the early jump and would ride it for the better part of the first two rounds. Stepping to the right,
alternately stinging or slapping with the jab, and hacking down on the head of her shorter opponent with both hands,
Jaime quickly established herself as a real threat in this fight. Clampitt's movement was giving her the edge she
needed to get off, and in the second, she found an uppercut that seemed the ideal punch against Liz - Mueller never
looked hurt, but she was getting outworked and outclassed, and suddenly six rounds looked like an awfully brief period
of time for the pressure fighter to get her game together. Fortunately for Mueller fans, Liz ended the suspense,
probably even as the second round came to a close.
Mueller took command in the middle rounds with constant banging pressure to the body, and a clubbing right hand
upstairs that finally got Clampitt backing up on a consistent basis. Apparently Jaime had entered the fight with
the idea of backing Liz up, and in these rounds, the Calgarian seemed to be fighting Mueller's fight. In the fourth,
Liz rang Jaime up with a clocking wide right on the jaw, promptly reloaded, and spanked the right hand off the inside
plane of the taller woman's face ... pounding Clampitt's head this way and that. Jaime took it well, but Liz was fired
up, coming forward and collapsing Jaime's jab like a Mickey Ward with better head movement. Mueller's straight right
hands and hooks to the body were setting the table ... Clampitt was certainly competitive, but just as certainly allowing
Liz to set the tempo and style of this fight.
The sixth saw the pendulum swing back in Clampitt's favor as Jaime negotiated timing and distance to counter
Mueller's grinding straight ahead heat. Clampitt stepped around to turn Liz the way she had earlier in the
fight, and seemed to be anticipating better ... fading back before Mueller got on her, and countering with
nice one-twos to the head. All too soon, it was over ... a very close fight going to Mueller by way of
majority decision.
Perhaps it wasn't the best fight of the card (it was great to see Aaron Superman Davis
back in action) but watching it, you had to wish Mueller vs. Clampitt had been scheduled for 10.
Frazier/Ali was constantly in the background for this fight, suffering badly in comparison with the decisive skills
and crisp execution shown by Mueller and Clampitt, and even beforehand when Mueller lit up the daughters with a sweet
overhand sound byte: "My dad's a chemist," said Mueller, "that doesn't make me a chemist." Teddy,
Bob, Max, and Steve all gave the women well deserved props for this fight, and correctly distinguished them from the
bigger name, poorer quality fighters with whom the casual fan might be solely acquainted.
Mueller rises to 6-1 (2 KO's), Clampitt falls to 3-1 (1 KO). Liz appears well on her way to honing a kind of grinding,
Marciano-like style that might not be pretty, but will always be honest and effective.
Clampitt just might have
more upside longer term. She looks like she can box - changing up on direction instead of constantly wheeling right
might have helped to get Mueller off her, and even when Jaime made poor decisions, she held her own toe to toe.
Jaime's also got a little flash - it'll be interesting to see if she can get good enough to shut out a fighter
like Mueller in the future, because Clampitt looks marketable.
Just one fight ... and just her fourth pro bout at that ... but Clampitt could be someone to watch.
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Clampitt got the early jump and would ride it for the better part of the first two rounds. Stepping to the right,
alternately stinging or slapping with the jab, and hacking down on the head of her shorter opponent with both hands,
Jaime quickly established herself as a real threat in this fight. Clampitt's movement was giving her the edge she
needed to get off, and in the second, she found an uppercut that seemed the ideal punch against Liz - Mueller never
looked hurt, but she was getting outworked and outclassed, and suddenly six rounds looked like an awfully brief period
of time for the pressure fighter to get her game together. Fortunately for Mueller fans, Liz ended the suspense,
probably even as the second round came to a close.
Mueller took command in the middle rounds with constant banging pressure to the body, and a clubbing right hand
upstairs that finally got Clampitt backing up on a consistent basis. Apparently Jaime had entered the fight with
the idea of backing Liz up, and in these rounds, the Calgarian seemed to be fighting Mueller's fight. In the fourth,
Liz rang Jaime up with a clocking wide right on the jaw, promptly reloaded, and spanked the right hand off the inside
plane of the taller woman's face ... pounding Clampitt's head this way and that. Jaime took it well, but Liz was fired
up, coming forward and collapsing Jaime's jab like a Mickey Ward with better head movement. Mueller's straight right
hands and hooks to the body were setting the table ... Clampitt was certainly competitive, but just as certainly allowing
Liz to set the tempo and style of this fight.
The sixth saw the pendulum swing back in Clampitt's favor as Jaime negotiated timing and distance to counter
Mueller's grinding straight ahead heat. Clampitt stepped around to turn Liz the way she had earlier in the
fight, and seemed to be anticipating better ... fading back before Mueller got on her, and countering with
nice one-twos to the head. All too soon, it was over ... a very close fight going to Mueller by way of
majority decision.
Frazier/Ali was constantly in the background for this fight, suffering badly in comparison with the decisive skills
and crisp execution shown by Mueller and Clampitt, and even beforehand when Mueller lit up the daughters with a sweet
overhand sound byte: "My dad's a chemist," said Mueller, "that doesn't make me a chemist." Teddy,
Bob, Max, and Steve all gave the women well deserved props for this fight, and correctly distinguished them from the
bigger name, poorer quality fighters with whom the casual fan might be solely acquainted.
