PHOTOS COURTESY BI PHOTO LAB

Posted by Simguy on 9/17/2004, 10:46 pm.

Before: crisis of confidence for Jolene? Halle thinks so. “Happens to every big puncher,” Berry breezes in preflight. “they get knocked out or dominated and they don’t know how to handler being vulnerable. Blalock’s not getting off like she used to ‘cause she’s scared to commit--now’s the time to jump on her.” Blalock shrugging off the suggestion that  Cuthbert’s fists have made Jolene gunshy. If Halle thinks I’m not letting my hands go. I have two words for her: try me.” Simple black Hanes cotton bra and panties, blonde tousle Jolene--tangerine 007 bikini Halle.

During R1: Halle feinting, using every inch of ring, looking to double up the jab, get near, and let her hands go in brisk combinations. Piercing horror of Jolene’s jab ruins Berry’s plan--Blalock fighting tall, pounding out the rangefinder--time and again Berry’s spanked back and forced to regroup outside. Berry with the right hand up, palm out to parry, using good torso movement, but can’t attack off it: Jolene’s tracking her too well with lefts in a tactical first.

R2: Jolene hanging back, forcing Halle to take risks--Berry trying to weave and jump in hooks. Midway through, impassive Jolene times Halle’s pounce, blocking Berry’s hook, immediately hooking the taste out of Halle’s mouth in response. Doubled-up swat-hook gets Berry backpedaling and Jolene DRILLS her girl a pounding right between the eyes. THERE GOES HALLE! Legs giving way as she stumbles backward--she scoots to her rear at the ropes, eyes wide, mouth open. Shellshocked 8--Halle cringes, covering up on the ropes as Jolene showcases the hook. Jolene; right hand tight to her chest as she twists on her hips, rip-snatching hooks to Halle’s trembling tummy.

R3; Halle lumped up some, but feisty--she shakes off the beating, comes out with a lively leg, good jab, shifty head movement and creates some offense. Halle able to score with a brushing lead right, then catch Jolene the rock-away hook, pivoting to the right, turning the blonde midring. Blalock a little too pensive this round--wants to time Halle for another single wallop that ain’t happening.

R4: Jolene gets back to that long, strong stiff jab--good things happen. Midway through, Halle held at the end of Jolene’s stick--Blalock able to glide the right hand in behind and put wobble in Berry’s tangerine trunks. Halle stepping hurt, face betraying concern--she manages to shake the pursuit with some cute spin moves off the ropes, but she’s in high speed retreat now. Blalock confidently walking Halle down, using the jab to keep Berry honest, seeking chin with searing rights and finding a lot of body with clean up hooks as Berry keeps her distance.

R5: POUNDING combination punching from Jolene--thing of beauty to see lanky limbs crisp and sharp as this. Berry caught looking as Jolene taps out a quick left/right/left up top, mopping up the whip-snatching hook in the ribs that brings Halle’s elbows lurching down. Midway through, Halle trading with Jolene gets licked a hook on her chin and covers up on shaky legs: Jolene right tight to her cheek as she scrapes a left uppercut against Halle’s guard, drops the left down to test that midsection, brings the left uppy through again and pops Berry’s face up woozy from her gloves! Halle on her heels, breaking down--Blalock able to unfurl a swinging hook clean through the chin for big head swivel, sending Halle to the canvas! Berry spasming, writhing to fight her way up off her back--beats the count, but she’s a mess: face busting up under accurate jabs and power punches, creeping paralysis of those body shots spreading to the legs. Shaky 8--Jolene muscular as she keeps her distance with timely palm shoves on Halle’s head and shoulders, then hooking Berry’s body out of a wide stance to leave Berry shuddering in the ropes through 5.

R6: Poor Halle’s hurt AGAIN! Jolene sweeping the hook, dropping a sharp, straight right hand behind it--punch bashes off Halle’s face and leaves her momentarily stupefied, Berry’s legs indecisive as she lurches around the ring, torso lolling dangerously at times--she’s really hurting, but sucking it up. Blalock relentless, walking Berry down, using a long left hand to palm Berry’s forehead, dropping booming rights down the pike, mopping up body those hooks. Jolene snapping her punches, bringing the fists back crisp: she’s a blonde on a mission as berry drops a bruising shutout, getting hit PLENTY now.

R7: Jab pounding back Halle’s face--Berry staring, sluggish on her feet, reacting late--she’s gritting her teeth, bending at the waist and looking to come out of the crouch with sharp hooks whenever Blalock drifts within range. Jolene smart, wide stance letting her change up distance with body leans--keeping the jab all over Halle’s face and chest, alarming Halle with right hands and cranking that hook in underneath. Glorious stuff--Jolene getting sumptuous leverage to the body, crippling Halle, drawing sympathetic groans from the crowd. Berry guts out another one-sided round, but she’s a tragic ruin in her corner: both eyes puffy, cheeks swelling grotesque, and she’s hugging that torn-up gut, grimacing on her stool during the break.

R8: Halle flat footed, let hand low, chin tucked, right hand at her chest--she’s just turning slowly, shuffling, staying square to the target, Blalock easing to her left, jabbing to the exposed left tit, bringing the left back to her hip--titjab, step, titjab, step. Blalock mixing it up with the occasional cuffing hook, moving the jab off the breast into the midsection or forehead--just patiently touching Halle up--hint of a smile on Jolene’s lips. Berry sullen, but final minute, she takes that insolent tit jab, turns on a vicious counter hook on the chin and BLALOCK STEPS IN A FENCE POST HOLE! Jolene rattled, wandering away shaky, face suddenly filled with dread and ON COMES HALLE! Berry snarling as she jams a lead right to Jolene’s left ear as Blalock leans away--seeping left chases Jolene ropeside, then a slamming right square to the tits. Halle unleashing hooks and crosses--belting Jolene’s slack-jawed face, pounding Jolene’s mouthwatering jugs. Berry feasting to the bell--Blalock on the verge--ref jumps in--it’s pandemonium as crowd goes wild.

R9: Jolene settles Halle down with a rising hook/uppercut, catching Berry on the way in, a spearting right iff the left eye as Berry’s wobbling away and the Halle Berry rally is over. Berry struggling to the ropes, tilting forward, face in her gloves--Blalock vengeful as she hooks the bejesus out of Halle’s waist to paralyze her, then goes to work with hooks, uppercuts and crosses. Punching breaks down Halle’s guard until her head starts swiveling and jerking around--Berry spilling along the ropes, legs giving way under the lanky-limbed blitz. Berry bludgeoned to hands and knees in her corner but REFUSING to stay down. Clambering, tortured climbing of the ropes saves Halle and ref lets it go on. Blalock gets a minute to work her magic--twisting on her hips to stroke home body-shots hooks, palming Halle’s forehead with the left and gutting her a tidy right uppercut to the body, finishing up hook on the cheek. Berry, a reeling ruin at the bell, shipping shots she no longer feels--she’s stepping gingerly, obviously in a KO haze.

R10: Jolene nails Halle a right hand on the mouth to wrench a scream from the audience, rips Halle a left across the ribs beneath the breast line, turns into a right uppercut on the point of the chin and HALLE GOES DOWN! Blalock losing her composure--screaming at Halle while stalking past--Berry’s head lolling side to side, she’s out but somehow TWITCHES HERSELF AWAKE! Halle in jerks and starts, flops and rolls her way to her feet, swaying hideously, but assuring the ref she’s sound to fight. Deep breath Jolene--she can’t quite believe it, but she’s wading in to mop up. Heinous 2 minutes the worst of Halle Berry’s career--she’s defenseless, ripped and shellacked as she reels to her right, held up by the ropes. Blalock stalking after her girl and laying into Halle without restraint--she beats berry unrecognizable but simply can’t get her out of there. Bell: Halle collapses in her trainer’s arms--Blalock cringing as her gloves are removed from badly swollen hands--UD10 wide, Jolene Blalock.

After: Hands down, worst beating of Halle’s career sends her to the hospital immediately following the decision. Bulging wreckage of her face makes the cover of every supermarket tabloid (Enquirer: big yellow arrow and the caption “OUCH!”) Not all bad for berry fans--some hailing the effort as Halle’s gutsiest as she refused to go out to Blalock’s hellish pounding--Berry’s definitely been stopped by less in the past. Other cite the survival of the china-chinned superstar as further evidence of  Blalock’s lack of commitment to her punching. “That’s bull,” spit’s a defensive Jolene. “Those punches SHREDDED Neve Campbell--Halle just had too much pride tonight to stay down.”

Reposted by Archer 4/5/11.