Maureen Shea: Green-eyed Angel
In Paradise
By David Pambianchi
In Paradise
By David Pambianchi
On January 25, 2007, at the Paradise Theatre,
Maureen Shea met Elizabeth Villareal for a
scheduled six round Junior Lightweight bout,
which turned out to be six solid rounds of
slugfest.
A landmark of community history and
entertainment, the renovated Paradise Theatre
once again transported New Yorkers to a
fantasy setting, and provided Maureen with a
stage for a hometown match. Before the first
blow, the theatre excited the imagination, Italian
courtyard style complete with columns, statues,
green, red, gold trimmed ceilings and walls,
wood, marble, Raud iron railings and a painted blue sky above the audience.
And if anyone shivered past the park this frozen Thursday night, they may
have noticed Edgar Allen Poe’s Cottage, an omen of grueling things to
come.
Hovering around 10 degrees, icy Bronx temperatures even chilled the
theatre, but Elizabeth sizzled round after round with continuous volleys of
left and right punches. However, Maureen managed to dip away or block the
majority of roundhouse-like blows and Elizabeth ’s hard right also kept
deflecting off Maureen’s left shoulder. While this may have frustrated
Elizabeth , Maureen hit her targets more frequently, slipping in both jabs
and an occasional hard right counter. The pounding and battling never let
up for more than an instant, over and over, toe to toe for the entire bout.
These ladies fought with guts and grit, determination and pain.
Though both boxers may have experienced an Edgar Allen nightmare of a
fight, they fought bravely, and proud. Elizabeth proved she had heart,
fighting in the hometown girl’s house. But after six punishing rounds,
Maureen’s experience and skill proved decisive and won Shea the
unanimous decision.
And if anyone shivered past the park this frozen Thursday night, they may
have noticed Edgar Allen Poe’s Cottage, an omen of grueling things to
come.
Hovering around 10 degrees, icy Bronx temperatures even chilled the
theatre, but Elizabeth sizzled round after round with continuous volleys of
left and right punches. However, Maureen managed to dip away or block the
majority of roundhouse-like blows and Elizabeth ’s hard right also kept
deflecting off Maureen’s left shoulder. While this may have frustrated
Elizabeth , Maureen hit her targets more frequently, slipping in both jabs
and an occasional hard right counter. The pounding and battling never let
up for more than an instant, over and over, toe to toe for the entire bout.
These ladies fought with guts and grit, determination and pain.
Though both boxers may have experienced an Edgar Allen nightmare of a
fight, they fought bravely, and proud. Elizabeth proved she had heart,
fighting in the hometown girl’s house. But after six punishing rounds,
Maureen’s experience and skill proved decisive and won Shea the
unanimous decision.
