BEFORE: "The only concern I have is Maria's legs," Tricia says in prefight. "She's a very strong-legged girl for her size - great power-to-weight ratio - gives her power and mobility which are great traits to have in a boxing ring. It's going to be a terrific challenge: Maria's so aggressive, doesn't discourage easily...it may not always look like a Tricia Helfer chessmatch in there, not until I get her touched up some."

Maria confident - bump in class has the Menounos name being bandied about with the kind of respect MM's been craving. "To me, the fight's all about Tricia's ribcage," Maria explains. "I know she can't handle me on the body, and poundin' ribs is pretty much what I do best, so I see real problems for Helfer in this fight. Tricia's leggy, but she doesn't run: she's generally right in front of you when she fights, and that's all I ask from my opponents. I know I'm the underdog for some of you, but I'm telling you: wait until you see me get to her body before you finalize your bets!"

Maria in black bikini from recent candid reference; black gloves; hair damp/loose. Tricia in black push up/leopard print trunks; black gloves; hair long/tangly.

During R1: Maria quickly in on Tricia with peppy jabs, pounding the ribs via whirling rights and lefts as promised. Helfer backing to ropes, face grimacing: Maria stepping-with, walloping torso with bandy-armed side to side glee. Minute mark - thumping right/left pounds off Tricia's flat paunch, cramping her up: Maria comes off the body via taut left hook to chin...Trish bounces back into ropes then DROPS TO ALL FOURS! Helfer shaking her head, trying to rally as grinnin' Maria boogies to neutral corner. After 8, Maria pouring in: neatly sidestepped as Tricia gets leggy. Menounos spraying punches at Helfer's head, momentarily losing sight of a carefully crafted fightplan: Trish able to slip and roll the heat, bendy at her waist, slowly circling Maria into compliance. Helfer scoring with jabs late - stepping in with a sleek little left hook from a loose gull-winged hand position: nice little check to the chin telling Maria she's got more work to do.

R2: Tricia quickly to midring, jabbing Maria's nose, keeping Menounos at bay early. Helfer slinking to either side - feet wide spread, arms loose...she slides back in stance, dragging front (left) foot whenever Maria's charging, cuffing little check hooks upside Menounos' head en route. Gliding to her right, Trish looking to wide-slap the hook, then drill in straight right chin-checkers - catching Menounos flush, but failing to shift her as Maria continues pursuit without profit.

R3: Tricia: wide stance; elbows in; hands up and slightly out in gull-wing when she's not engaged; slight forward aspect. Jabs from Tricia pre-empting Maria, sorting out her tits, then her face: Tricia sliding to either side after scoring. Feints from Tricia freezing Maria up just long enough for blonde to lean in, strap licking buggy-whip right hands across brunette waistline...then Tricia's jabbing Maria's face to cover blonde withdrawal. Masterful midring geometry from Trish - keeping Maria at arm's length, touching her head and body, turning her, never letting her get set, or get off.

R4: Maria jabbing-with, forcing her way inside whereupon she resumes rib-whacking duties: Helfer forced to cover up with elbows tight to body, then pivot to escape pressure. Tricia loping around Maria - stepping in on left leg to connect on supple, swift little hooks to chin: Helfer's weight on left leg, back straight as she stands up into cuffing delivery. Menounos often grinning after catching clout...she's getting outboxed, but her pace is undiminished through 4.

R5: Sustained pressure finally sees Maria collapse Tricia's jab - brunette walking blonde down, punishing blonde ribcage via whirling rights and lefts (often landing palm-down as Maria turns the punches over). Helfer elbows in close, grimacing when smote to flanks/lats/ribs, then she's legging to the side, trying to shake pursuit. Bell to bell Maria - she evens up the cards at the halfway point.

R6: Tricia fighting from forward aspect more - weight over left (lead) leg as she sticks in stiff jabs, drops tasty straight right hand chasers. Maria's face getting punched sore - Tricia lasering in on target, getting her work done. Helfer stitching in one-twos while shifting to her right: when she wants to change directions, she'll step in, cuff that cute, supple palm-down hook to Maria's chin and pivot clockwise. Down the stretch, Tricia mixes it up - shooting the straight right down into Maria's midsection; dipping her left shoulder deep; picking Maria up a jagged little left uppercut bingo onna chin. Menounos picked up so hard her heels scoot forward...Maria almost dropped to her butt, but strong legs able to take the shot, maintain balance at bell.

R7: Taut action midring - Maria pressing to the body with both hands; Tricia pivoting, stitching in straight one-twos - both girls tense with concentration. Menounos breaks the stalemate late, smoking Trish a booming sidearm right in the midsection, then hopping into a clean up hook to check Tricia's chin. Helfer sent reeling to ropes, eyelashes batting: she covers up elbows in tight, butt-in-ropes as Maria steps-to, POUNDS those flanks to leave pretty Trish trembling at bell. Menounos grinning as she hops away, pumping her fist, happy in her work through 7.

R8: Tricia's output dropping...Maria's pressure intensifying...Helfer resorting to sliding her left hand behind Maria's head to pull her into clinches, buying time with ref's breaks. Tricia loping away, breathing hard: Maria walking svelte blonde girl down, leaning in, strap-whacking those ribs whenever possible. Menounos grinning, having fun: Tricia grimacing, torso throbbing from Menounos determined assault.

R9: Tricia leading short right hands as Maria's wading in, then cupping left hand behind Menounos head to spin-pivot clockwise, pulling Maria off balance. Jabs out of the turn from Trish, spanking Maria's face: Menounos confused, trying to renegotiate rhythm. Helfer drilling into Maria's midsection via long, straight, spearing right hands: as Maria hunches forward behind her mitts, Helfer's placing wiry left uppercuts to sternum before disengaging. Poised blonde boxing stabilizes her front, sees Maria off with a bloody nose through 9.

R10: Girls touch gloves classy, then circle into wide combat stances. Trish feints the right hand; steps in on left leg; muscles in that short, palm-down hook to Maria's chin...BUCKLING BRUNETTE LEGS! Menounos' eyes blinking out "how could you" as legs struggle to absorb shot: Tricia stalking forward, jabbing, shifting to angle just off Maria's right shoulder and stroking a supple right hand ear-to-chin upside Menounos' head. Menounos stumbling to ropes shabby: Tricia steps-to, shoe-shine flurries the tummy, finishes up the hook - turning her left shoulder cute on follow through and disengaging, luring Maria off ropes. Menounos has no choice - must pursue and hurt Tricia - Maria stumbles forward into the teeth of Tricia's jab, straight right, and cutey-pie hook. Helfer sliding clockwise around her work, keeping Maria at arm's length, patiently busting her up, turning her...safety-first 10th keep Maria off the scoresheets, delivering one point duke to Tricia Helfer.

After: No hard feelings - Tricia giving Maria a friendly hug in the aftermath, chatting with her as ring fills with the usual suspects: Menounos more than proving she belongs with elite company in pushing T to the brink. "I'm hurting," Helfer admits sheepishly - freshly tensered ribcage backing up her claim in postfight. "Maria brought it as we knew she would. I know some people will say I played it safe in the 10th, but those people don't know Maria: I hurt her, but she wasn't ready to go, and I knew I didn't have enough time to reduce her. She's a great fighter - a real warrior - and sometimes that's hard to find in today's game. Respect!"