Posted by Simguy on 3/24/2006, 7:07 am.

Before: Erika coming in naturally bigger girl, deeper through the chest, broader in the shoulders--can Katie handle it? “I’ve been working hard to handle beef in the gym,” says Holmes. “Christensen knocked out Fishel, so Erika’s no joke--but she’ still very raw and her footwork looks like she’s ordering moves out of a catalogue. I think I’m catching her at a good time: I’ve had a great camp, I’ve digested the lessons of my previous bouts and I just feel really comfortable and good about myself these days. Erika better watch out--I’m gonna take it to her!” Christensen nodding in acknowledgement of Katie’s good-natured bravado--not a lot of hard feelings here, just good old fashioned competitive juice, “Katie has to know that if I corner her, I’ll hurt her,” Erika purrs. “I know what she’s going to do: box. I have to cut the ring down, pound her ribs and take her legs away. She thinks she’s had a great camp? She should have seen MINE: I feel like I could take two Katie’s on, back to back! Holmes in royal blue battle bikini--Erika in white sports bra with large baby blue polka dots; baby-blue swimsuit bottoms, White gloves, both vixens.

During R1; Katie very aggressive, assuming an offensive stance: leaning forward in wide stance, pushing up in that right big toe; hands up as she crouches slightly, bending her knees. Holmes fluttering her jab 3, 4, 5 times with an elastic pinging motion from the elbow--flicking it at Erika’s face, then dropping in TART right hands ticketed for mouth. Holmes dipping down, loping to right, or pivoting to left, giving Erika angles: Christensen facing into punches, hands up, but wide,  not much head movement, Target practice for sharpshooting, active Katie--rifling right hands providing deep satisfaction for brunette as blonde gets her face punched bell to bell.

R2: More attack from Katie: Erika finally responding. Christensen waiting her turn--blinking as Holmes flaps that rapid jab business at her face eating the follow-on right--then Erika leans in to club Holmes’ lats a fat right hand, hoping to mop up the left hook. Katie still sidestepping--footwork helping to compensate for Erika’s heavier hands--Holmes keeping the action at midring, really piling up the points to Christensen’s stubborn chin. Blonde showing no signs of hurt--taking a very good shot early, but she’s clearly eating more than is good for a girl.

R3: Katie: attack; attack; attack. Erika frowning--right hand under her chin, left at her waist as she tries to bob and roll, now moving her head at least. Holmes pinging that left hand sonar-like against Erika’s forehead flick-flick-flick--nothing on the punch, but it’s freezing Christensen, rendering her vulnerable to those spicy right crosses on the teeth. Hoplmes getting a little predictable--Erika able to time the right, punch-with and catch Katie a simultaneous right on the chops--while Katie’s dealing with it, Erika turns over a clapping hook to straighten Holmes up startled. Christensen wading forward--rights and lefts bashing crudely against Katie pate and chest--Holmes forced to ropes, covers face-in-gloves as Erika STORMS the ribcage. Good thumping stuff from Christensen: she palms up pretty on Katie’s biceps before ripping at Holmes’ flanks either side; palms up, then jolt short, shivering uppercuts, trying to split those gloves. Midway through, Erika just working hard, gets EVERYTHING into an evil left hook snug behind Katie’s right elbow: Holmes crying out, eyebrows high as she drops immediately to one knee, savagely gut shot. Erika hopping away with a cool Nordic smile: Katie’s down as per the fight plan; just need to finish her off. Final minute a rough one for ms. Holmes: Erika wades in big-girl, palming at tightly bundled Katie, bashing her flanks and hips, carving in those uppercuts. Holmes just lolling forward off the ropes behind her mitts; lolling back into the ropes, just trying to roll and weave the worst of it. Erika gets a long, loving look at the Holmes torso, pounding away to shiny brown ribs to even up the cards with a lead-pipe 10-8.

R4: Katie shows maturity, making adjustments, boxing well when hurt, buying her legs time to recover. Holmes lees offensive-minded now, more safety conscious--setting down on single, stiffer jabs to keep Erika off, spread her out a bit. Katie showing the right hand, but not bringing it as freely--she’s happy to step around the feint, or lick a surprising left uppercut at Erika instead. When Erika gets inside, Holmes is quick to clinch, tieing up head and arm, refusing Christensen ribcage as Erika wriggles helplessly, waiting for ref’s breaks.

R5: Now it’s Erika taking chances--daring the Katie right hand in order to get to Holmes; chest. Katie backing straight up now, looking to time Erika for counter-right uppercuts or intercept right crosses--shaving connects at best as Holmes can’t quite find the mark. Erika’s gambles pay off--she stacks Katie to ropes and enjoys many sparkling moments of dominance--pounding the long Holmes coastlines, beating Katie’s elegant arms. Katie protecting herself from uppercuts: Erika’s landing the punch against the gloves, often bouncing Katie’s head on the rebound, but not penetrating the defence per-se, Holmes clinching when things get too rough: Erika allowing herself to be tied up, squanders some good opportunities to really pile on in the fifth.

R6: Erika charging forward, showing no respect whatsoever: Katie gliding back, waiting in the pocket, ripping her right uppercut off the right foot as Christensen closes. Erika gobbling chin-punches and ignoring them: all she cares about us getting to Katie’s chest and muscling her to ropes. Some sensational, crowd pleasing punishment getting fished out here--Erika  can really bang when she sets her feet, gets her head on her foe’s chest and digs away downstairs. Holmes frowning, grunting from bashing bodywork, but she’s very canny in clinches, tieing up behind Erika’s elbows and preventing long stretches of one-sided thump. Katie doing a little work on the inside, hunkering down with Erika and lapping shoe-shine lefts and rights to Christensen’s quivering tummy: Holmes just touching Erika to make her body-conscious, squirting punches in bursts to remind the ref that Katie’s till competing in there.

R7: Katie’s jab finds Erika’s left eye in the opening seconds--Christensen flinching, hurt by the accuracy--she regroups, tries to plough ahead, but it’s a mistake. Holmes fading, weight on right foot--she jerks 100% Katie into a counter-right uppercut fit for a queen: Erika picked up HARD to her chin, her own reckless forward momentum turning Holmes into a puncher. Erika put wobbly butt, baby-stepping backward with a bleak expression: Katie reloads, pounce-steps forward with a slinging overhand right, sloshing it to Erika’s ear and CHRISTENSEN GOES DOWN! Big girl splashes to canvas, shaking her head in disbelief, rolling gingerly to her right side and getting to her hip: Erika shabby, discouraged as ref barks out the 8. ON COMES KATIE! Holmes steely-eyed, steps in wide, rifles the lead right hand hard between the mitts, reloads and gets it again as poor Christensen grits her teeth back-on-ropes, Left uppercut Katie (chin); lashing left hook Katie (cheek); Erika’s guard droops--she tilts forward. Left uppercut Katie (chin); lashing left hook Katie (temple)--poor Erika shipping shellack, not punching back--Katie’s got blonde head on a swivel. Katie snarling, pushing with her right hand into Erika’s shoulder to reset--doing all the hard work with the left hand. Christensen gobbling punches, head tossing up and around as body slouches heavily forward and THE REF STEPS IN! hard-working TKO7 Katie Holmes!

After: Holmes yelping with pleasure at the stoppage, hopping away from demoralized Erika as she slumps in the official’s arms. Katie showing good variety, staking herself to an early lead, punching hard to win respect, boxing smart, tieing up a stronger lass at the right times--Holmes showing real judgment and ability in this fight. “I’m not the biggest puncher in the world,” Katie admits in post fight, cheeks flushed with victory, “but neither is Claire Danes or Angelina Jolie and they finish--I’ve worked hard at finding ways of hurting girls with the tools that I have. I’m really happy with my right uppercut--I’ve been getting it more and more in fights and I think girls are going to have to start honoring it. The days of just walking Katie down and punishing her over: I’m gonna start charging girls for real estate--you’re gonna pay rent if you want to come inside on me now.” Katie, Katie--you hurt her, put her down, but she got--did you clean up on Erika or did she quit? “You’d have to ask Erika,” Katie demures, not wanting to call another girl a quitter. “I think I got on her really well and was hitting her with some tremendous left hands--I think the ref did the right thing and I don’t think there’s anything Erika could have done.”

Reposted by Archer 7/17/10.