Cat Bell vs Jeri Ryan
 
Posted by simguy on 10/26/2002, 7:59 am

(Thanks to FightFan)
 
 
Before: Special commentator Debbe Dunning sizes 'em up: "To me, this is such a close fight. Breaking it down, I'd have to say Jeri's more durable - I was life and death with her before beating her and I don't think there's a tougher blonde in boxing. Cat isn't taking the shot she did even 5 years ago - of all us more mature gals, she's been in the most wars and I'd say it's taking a toll. Bell does have the big fight experience however and if anyone can find a way to neutralize Jeri's right hand, it's Cat. My pick? It's going to be a close, hard fought struggle and I think Cat wins that kind of fight. I KNOW Ryan can knock her out, but I think Bell's too smart for her. Bell in 10, but I'm hoping Jeri catches her!" Cat in electric blue bikini, Jeri in red bikini - breathtaking stare down as Ryan invades Cat's personal space, looks her over with disdain.

During R1: Ryan starting slow, just trying to find her rhythm, Cat takes the initiative. Bell with hands up, palms out, drilling the jab to the middle of Jeri's forehead, sliding to the left. Ryan with the right at her chin, left slung low, turning midring, looking to edge in close. Tactical shutout for Bell as she establishes her range, timing with the left hand.

R2: Jeri moving forward, jabbing Cat to the center of the chest, moving her back and snapping off short right hands that are turning the brunette's head. Cat stepping out, circling away, using the ring, but Jeri's relentless, walking her girl down. Girls get to hooking one another's jugs, then turning on right hands - Ryan getting the better of these concussive trades, Bell backing away. Set piece, flat footed battles being fought - Jeri's getting the better of the exchanges, moving into ground vacated by Cat as Bell retreats.

R3: They're fighting Jeri's fight. Ryan moving well, cutting off the ring, forcing Cat to trade, beating the brunette up in shattering exchanges then walking her down. Ryan's been landing right hands up the middle - Cat tightens up her guard, bringing her hands closer to her face, moving her head better to roll with the cross. Jeri putting punches together, hook/right hands up top, then dropping down to hook at ribs or tits with savage snap - Bell grunting on impact and backing away. Ryan showing she's a two handed fighter - Cat's defending the short right well, but getting eaten up by hooks through 3.

R4: Bell makes changes. She's getting the jab out first, landing it hard: that's HER punch. She's also victimizing Ryan's low left, repeatedly dropping in the right over top, bouncing her fist off Jeri's rock solid jaw time and again. Ryan backing up more this round, loading up her right but rarely pulling the trigger - brunette able to outwork blonde to draw even.

R5: Bell continues to add components. She's got Jeri on her heels from one-twos up top, now she goes to the waistline with stroking glee, licking rights and lefts against the ribs and stomach. Jeri turns her shoulders to the right, hunches forward to protect - Cat able to step to the right and sling hooks into the overhanging bulge of Ryan's jugs with delicious spank. Ryan beaten to the ropes, huddled up nearly double as Cat unleashes bashing combinations to the bell.

R6: Jeri reacting, getting punished, but standing stubborn. Cat pounding right hands against Ryan's available left eye. Brunette's hook upstairs is blocked by Jeri's high right hand, but Cat's throwing it anyway to keep Ryan on the defensive. Bell palming shoulders big-girl style, moving Ryan back, ducking to come in low with a swinging right hand to the breadbasket, straightening to pull that wide left hook across Jeri's swollen cleavage. Ryan sullen in retreat, stiffens as her back touches the ropes and turns on whistling right hands as fight heats up down the stretch. Girls pounding away toe to toe, Bell standing right there, trying to use Jeri up as jugs and chin are clobbered all around. Bitter slugging continues after the bell - Ryan's temper flaring as she wants Cat off her.

R7: Bell slamming that jab between the eyes, stepping out - Jeri steps in and EATS that short right counter on the jaw. Ryan's legs buckle - she topples forward slightly - Cat smart to the right, hooking tits, hooking tits, setting down on another jaw-breaker right hand to get Jeri tilting backwards. Ryan not effective in reverse, right hand crossed against her chest, left hand at her stomach - Cat's walking her down behind zesty criss-cross punches and battering the blonde to the ropes. All Cat Bell: she's putting it all together, lanky strokes to the body setting up whalloping cuffs to either ear, then rigid uppercuts as Jeri folds forward in the earmuff guard. Ryan going sullen with punishment, not punching back - she's stubbornly standing in, refusing to go down but soaking up a thumping. Bell takes what she wants and down the stretch - a stunning right uppercut sits Ryan dazed in the ropes, brunette goes to jug with pumping malice from both fists, pounding Jeri's proud chest as woozy blonde stares in groggy protest. Bell hauled back at the break - Jeri humming with punishment, wobbly butt to her corner.

R8: Ryan all shiny, left eye closing, but comes out determined to back Cat up early. Bell cagey in retreat, absorbing Jeri's momentum with tactical clinches, bogging the blonde down, getting the referee's breaks. End of the first minute, Cat's spearing Jeri on the way in again with the jab, keeping Ryan at arm's length, then dropping crisp right hands over Ryan's low left. Ryan really getting clocked now - she's taking Cat's hardest right hands on her chin, jerking a quarter turn to her right, then squaring up again for the next blow. Bell banging her girl in stages to the ropes, then settles in for the systematic beat down. Ugly to watch - Cat's fists hammering at Jeri's vitals downstairs, crippling the blonde, then cashing in on her jaw with crisp, curling combinations, then maliciously clouting the unprotected jugs as Jeri wilts defenceless in the strands. Jeri defiant at the bell, beaten stupid, but proud, hand on the top rope as she picks up her chin.

R9: Shutout Cat Bell. Cat methodically breaking Jeri down, taking the blonde's heart. Bell not fancy with her feet, but economical, stepping to the right or left, getting queasy angles for hooks and right hands and crushing leverage as she lands at will. Ryan in constant, shuffling, stubborn retreat, finally hits the ropes, dukes at her chest, face available. Another brutal siege as Bell sets up, dips to the right with her left hand stabilizing Jeri in the chest, then hammers three, four right hands to the blonde's stomach. Bell comes up the middle the right uppercut, then dips to the left to work the other flank. Ryan being shellacked, refusing to go down, occasionally palming Cat's shoulders lightly as the blows pound home. Cat standing in frank awe at the bell, shaking her head as Ryan wanders away woozy.

R10: Bell keeps ladling it out, Ryan keeps taking it. Bell just reaching with a left to stabilize then slamming in a short right cross, series of these blows drives Ryan to the ropes, blonde all slumping and hurt, hands at her chest as she wills herself to go on. Cat taking it all - the belly, ribs, tits and chin, palming and bodying on to avoid spending herself, just pounding away at Jeri. Ryan won't go - she's helpless, defenceless, but too proud to pool at Cat's feet - she lolls forward, hands on Cat's shoulders or around her waist, forcing the brunette to shove her back, deal with the weight. Round ends with Cat baring her teeth, pulling slinging right roundhouses over and over into Jeri's left ear as the blonde slumps to her right - ref jumps in at the bell, it's over. UD10 Cat Bell leaves Ryan in stupor.

After: Bell wanting to shake hands, but a shellshocked Jeri Ryan refuses, turning her back on Cat as her people bar the way. Dunning shaking her head, "that's SO Cat Bell. She didn't have to beat Jeri's jugs the way she did, all those little extras on the ropes Cat loves so much. She beats you and beats you then wants to be friends afterwards. At least Charlize takes you for a walk and you know where you stand. I feel bad for Jeri - she's got to be hurting. I expected more out of her tonight - Ryan looks shot to me." Touch and go fight through 4, then Cat earns separation with 4 shutout rounds over the remaining 6, disasterous power shots sprinkled throughout, earning that number 1 slot with a soul-searing beating of a very tough lightweight. "I knew if I could get my distance, I could land the right hand," says Cat afterwards. "There are very few lightweights who are stronger than me - Jeri could be one of them. I had to keep on her, out work and out execute her to win."

Sim Guy
ff